Ameraucana thread for posting pictures and discussing our birds

[Alaskan]

I'm not an expert on bantams, but that is one of the nicest I've seen...even with the dropped wings.

Thanks.... I am/was very proud of him.

A weasel got into my run during the daytime, and slaughtered him and the rest of my breeding flock just last month. Two eggs were left, they just hatched last Monday. I also have ONE cockerel growing up, and some pullets.

My hens were just as good as the boy in that photo. interrestingly though, most of the pullets that have been growing up are not clear on their back and hackels. Odd, since their parents were so good. I only hatched and kept to grow out maybe 14 girls and about 14 boys (lost all but one boy), and I have been selling off the pullets with the bad coloring. I think only one girl is as clear as I would like. I will keep only 3 pullets, none of the rest were worth keeping.

I will have to wait until the feathers come in on the two chicks to see if I will get to have any choice in regard to my new rooster.

Not sure any of that was clear.... sorry.

 

[pamperedamber]

Ok This might be a silly question..... What is NPIP Certified and why is it important?

 

[junebuggena]

It's a certain certification process that breeders must go through in order to legally ship eggs across state lines.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Ok This might be a silly question..... What is NPIP Certified and why is it important?

NPIP stands for National Poultry Improvement Plan and they test all flocks that join for AI/Pullorum Salmonella... some do MS/MG but not all... most states require those tests for shipping of eggs and live birds by either being NPIP or by a state vet...

NPIP is a good concept, but poorly executed in my opinion... way to many things they don't test for that can give a false sense of security...

Best to research your egg/bird sources and go with ones that have conscientious breeding and biosecurity practices...

 

[pamperedamber]

Thank you.

NPIP stands for National Poultry Improvement Plan and they test all flocks that join for AI/Pullorum Salmonella... some do MS/MG but not all... most states require those tests for shipping of eggs and live birds by either being NPIP or by a state vet...

NPIP is a good concept, but poorly executed in my opinion... way to many things they don't test for that can give a false sense of security...

Best to research your egg/bird sources and go with ones that have conscientious breeding and biosecurity practices...

Thank you so much. This is great information for a newbie.

 

[samouw]

NPIP stands for National Poultry Improvement Plan and they test all flocks that join for AI/Pullorum Salmonella... some do MS/MG but not all... most states require those tests for shipping of eggs and live birds by either being NPIP or by a state vet...

NPIP is a good concept, but poorly executed in my opinion... way to many things they don't test for that can give a false sense of security...

Best to research your egg/bird sources and go with ones that have conscientious breeding and biosecurity practices...

Great answer!

I'm just going to add that, once a year, a State Inspector, comes to inspect your farm and facilities and your records. My annual inspection is in a few weeks, so I'm doing all necessary clean up now.

In addition to the inspection and the blood test for Typhoid Pullorum, you can opt in for testing for AI, as well. It's a bit more expensive and varies by state, but with all the AI scares from 2015, I think it is worth it. And many show sites now require it.

 

[samouw]

One of my maybe keepers from this Spring's hatch. Blue wheaten cockerel

 

[speckledhen]

Ok This might be a silly question..... What is NPIP Certified and why is it important?

What most don't mention is that it was never created for backyard flocks. It was created by the gov't to protect our country's food supply. It also does not mean you have a healthy flock as it tests mainly for two diseases that are pretty much eradicated in this country now, plus sometimes Avian Influenza, if your state does that. It does not test for the most common poultry diseases that can be passed to other birds, some bird to bird and some through hatching eggs, like Mycoplasma Galliseptum (MG) or Coryza. You can pay extra for an MG test but unless something has changed, that must be done quarterly rather than annually, and it only says they don't have it on the DAY of testing.

So, NPIP is supposedly necessary for breeders who ship across state lines, however, it definitely is of limited benefit. Serious diseases like ILT have been passed down from NPIP certified flocks. I know of a horrible situation in Indiana not long ago that involved one unscrupulous NPIP breeder selling an ILT carrier rooster to another NPIP breeder. After months of quarantine and a seemingly healthy rooster, he passed it to the one flock he was put into but the gov't came and culled ALL her birds, every last one, even ones that were on another side of the property. No testing of them was done or required.

One thing is does do is tell the gov't where to come cull your flock if there is a reportable disease in your immediate area that requires a "kill zone". Its primary objective is to protect commercial flocks, not ones like you probably have.

As RavynFallen said, "Best to research your egg/bird sources and go with ones that have conscientious breeding and biosecurity practices.."

 

[FowlStuff]

What most don't mention is that it was never created for backyard flocks. It was created by the gov't to protect our country's food supply. It also does not mean you have a healthy flock as it tests mainly for two diseases that are pretty much eradicated in this country now, plus sometimes Avian Influenza, if your state does that. It does not test for the most common poultry diseases that can be passed to other birds, some bird to bird and some through hatching eggs, like Mycoplasma Galliseptum (MG) or Coryza. You can pay extra for an MG test but unless something has changed, that must be done quarterly rather than annually, and it only says they don't have it on the DAY of testing.

So, NPIP is supposedly necessary for breeders who ship across state lines, however, it definitely is of limited benefit. Serious diseases like ILT have been passed down from NPIP certified flocks. I know of a horrible situation in Indiana not long ago that involved one unscrupulous NPIP breeder selling an ILT carrier rooster to another NPIP breeder. After months of quarantine and a seemingly healthy rooster, he passed it to the one flock he was put into but the gov't came and culled ALL her birds, every last one, even ones that were on another side of the property. No testing of them was done or required.

One thing is does do is tell the gov't where to come cull your flock if there is a reportable disease in your immediate area that requires a "kill zone". Its primary objective is to protect commercial flocks, not ones like you probably have.

As RavynFallen said, "Best to research your egg/bird sources and go with ones that have conscientious breeding and biosecurity practices.."

Well said. I feel pullorum-typhoid testing is a waste of my time and recourses.

 

[LaPoulet]

It's pouring down rain and I let the chickens out of their coop. Instead of staying in the dry coop, hey stood in soaking rain. I have never had chickens do that. Most run for cover. After a half hour or so, I had to force them back into the coop.
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