Washingtonians

[JennsPeeps]

Would you mind posting a sample email so that we're all sending roughly the same message/content?

My brother is staying with us for a couple of days while the flooding in Sumner subsides. I'm staying at home (Tacoma) from work (Seattle) b/c I'm afraid that I won't be able to get home due to flooding in Fife. The trains from Seattle to Tacoma are also cancelled.

YUCK.

 

[Tailfeathers]

Ok folks, I've got an update for you on my WSDA Rules post. I talked with Julie Broom today. She said that only two poultry people showed up in Olympia for the public hearings on the rule changes and only 6 cattle (NO poultry) folks showed up for the Ellensburg meeting. She said tha this probably due to the weather and storms. I told her that was probably the case and that I've posted the information on a poultry group site.

She said she got my email submission but that there weren't very many other inputs. I told her that is because I didn't think the word had gotten out. She said everything was sent to the Director already and he is supposed to be making a decision tomorrow!

I asked her if she thought it would do any good or not if people who just recently found out about this submitted a letter and/or email and she said it wouldn't hurt. She also suggested folks call their congressional representatives.

So, that being said, I would get the word out to everyone you know and start sending those emails now if you haven't already.

JennPeeps, if you (or anyone else) will email me, I'll forward you the email I sent them. I'd just as soon not post it on here and I would also recommend changing it up a little so The Director doesn't get a bunch of inputs that looks like Form Letters.

God Bless,

 

[chookchick]

Tailfeathers--I (and maybe others) have very little idea what this is about! I think NPIP stands for national poultry improvement program? Where would we find info on this, and standards for WA state? Sounds like some kind of disease screening is a good idea, but I really don't have any idea what is at stake here.

ETA--okay I found this site--http://agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/Avian%20Health/Avian%20NPIP.htm
--- not sure if I can digest all that!

 

[Tailfeathers]

Hi Chookchick,

I was initially going to just suggest that you call Julie Bloom who is the Avian Health Program Coordinator and is listed on the website that you posted in your comments. But then I decided to check the website out first. Once there I thought I'd see if I could find out anything about this and I just did a search of the site for "WAC 16-91, Requested Animal Services and Holding Facilities - Fees" and came up with three different results.

Here is a link to the website page that has all the information that was sent out to me: http://agr.wa.gov/LawsRules/Rulemaking/AH/Requested Animal Services and Holding Facilities_Fees.htm

Click on the "documents" or "Proposed Language" links on that page and you should find everything you are looking for.

Let me emphasize again that many folks may be thinking "Well, I don't show (or maybe even breed) my birds so this won't affect me." Keep this at the forefront of your mind, the purpose of the State and the goal of these changes is to keep the State in compliance with the Federal NPIP. If you think for a second that the State might not pass some law later down the road to mandate testing for all poultry owners - think again! Their goal is to keep getting Federal Funding and in order to do that they have to show they are in NPIP Compliant. As long as they are NPIP Compliant they are entitled to Federal Funds should any kind of major PT outbreak occur. If they aren't NPIP Compliant and an outbreak were to occur, they don't get Federal Funds.

The State already requires owners to license their dogs and cats. There's a host of regulations regarding cattle, hogs, horses and you name it. Targeting poultry owners who exhibit their birds is just the first step. You can count on it. Moreover, funds received from citations issued will be put into "The General Fund". That means you could be given a citation, pay the fine, and then that money goes into The General Fund and can be used for anything - not just poultry related programs. So, if the State needs more highway repairs made and they don't have the funds, they won't just be issuing more speeding tickets.

So you just have 3 or 4 hens that you keep for a few eggs to feed your family. You don't show birds, you don't breed birds, you're not into protecting endangered breeds, or even having purebreds. You just got a few hatchery mutts that you love dearly. No big deal. Why should you bother speaking out on this? How about because just maybe one day the State will be knocking on your door telling you they want to charge you anywhere from $85-200 a visit about four times a year just so they know you aren't keeping birds that carry PT?

I hope y'all will give this some real consideration and serious thought.

God Bless,

 

[Selena]

I spend 2 days working on the greenhouse turning it into a min-barn with an attached run. I worked my bum off!

I'm finished, just need to move the chickens.

I ask DH for help, only for to tell me he doesn't think it's a good idea. "Why can't they just stay where they are now?"

*as another group of escaped chickens runs by my window...*

 

[balticbabe]

FYI, I just posted some flood photos under the Random Ramblings Washington and Oregon ??? flood post. I hope everyone made it through OK. Let's hope this doesn't turn into a regular weather pattern.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=1426754#p1426754

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

Well my Washington chicken peeps I have some slightly bad news. My mom said that since I dont have a job and cant afford rent that I have to move in with my older brother until I can get a job. He lives in a duplex out in Otis Orchards. There is a possible upside though, he is allowed to have pets and has a small fenced in backyard. He said I can have birds there, just not chickens. I have decided to get some little egg layer ducklings in the spring and keep them at his place because they cant fly that well and everyone I knows love duck eggs.
I will be selling off my pheasants if anyone is interested. A few got loose over the weekend from what I am told and when I got home tonight it was too dark to do a head count. I know for sure I still have a few silver males and a red golden cock because I caught a glimpse of them tonight. I cant ship right now so it would be pickup.

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

Sorry to have killed the thread, lol. I found a great home for my chickens which is awesome. JJ will be taking my ringneck hens. I stuck my extra pheasant males on craigslist for $20 each and I had someone email me within 3 minutes of posting it saying they wil take them. I am suprised that the males sold that fast. Now I am going to go through my breeder birds and try to figure out prices for them. Oh and my other red golden male that dissappeared showed up this morning at the gate, I am pretty happy about that. I think I might take him because he is so calm and try to find an unrelated hen and get a couple ducks to satisfy my poultry addiction, lol.

How is the flooding on the coast? We still have snow here but its slowly melting, I think we have maybe 2' left.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
Wait--what did I miss? You're getting rid of your birds??

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

I am getting rid of my personal birds because I am moving to Spokane to find a job. My mom told me I have a week to sell all my birds and be moved out. My birds are the pheasants and exotic waterfowl and the wyandotte bantams. I have been posting on craigslist when I figure out prices and it seems that I always get calls within a few minutes. So now all I have left to sell are the chiloe widgeons, bahama pintail hens, a pair of red goldens, and 2 trios of silvers. A guy just came and bought my extra red golden male, a silver male, and the reeves male, luckly I have a good home for the reeves hen. I also have a trio of amhersts which I think the neighbor wants those.
My mother will still have the dun laced wyandottes, sumatras, crele phoenix, barred leghorns, cayugas, calls, indies, peafowl, guineas, and maybe the cackler geese so I can send her info to anyone if they are interested in eggs of those breeds this spring.