[gingerpoo]

Vaccinations of show birds and/or entire loft

Hi there,

Over the past year my loft went from 5 birds to 10 birds to 25 new birds. My main loft is considered a performance and show breeding and stock bird loft and other than 1 pair of Lahores I am done adding birds to it for a while. My 12 pairs have produced 25 YB's. So now loft is at around 50 birds and I'm starting to slow breeding down.
The 2015 performance YBs are in a separate kit box. Today I vaccinated these birds for PMV-1.


My questions relate to birds that may be taken to shows that are in the main loft and mingle with the breeders.

1. Should ALL my birds be vaccinated for PMV even though my loft is now closed to new birds, because the show birds will interact with potential sick birds? (From what I understand I should wait until after I'm done breeding for the season before giving the vaccine)

2. Should I vaccinate only the birds attending shows with PMV vaccine, because they will then not come home with the sickness?

3. Should I vaccinate for Paratyphoid and Pox also for the show birds? All birds?
The pox vaccine is the one that has a very limited protection window correct? Should I just plan to administer it to the show birds only during the show period?


I live in So Cal and it is dry here and low humidity. My loft has a raised wood pallet style floor and the birds do not come into contact with the soil. But the idea of Paratyphoid freaks me out- I just don't know how necessary it is for my birds since they aren't race birds.

Thanks!

 

[christispigeons]

Great questions! I was wanting to know the same thing. I will be watching for replies.

 

[spirit wings]

IMO , if you have a closed loft that no one is being added to except a hatchling hatched there in that loft then I say why vaccinate. I'm a big proponent of keeping things simple and natural as possible and a closed loft gives you a good opportunity to do just that.

 

[gingerpoo]

My concern is that it's not completely 'closed' because I'm planning to show a few birds. If I vaccinate them does that mean they can't bring home a sickness or will they still get a little sick from being exposed and get my others sick?

And in a show environment where the birds are separated and hopefully with little poop being swapped between cages and into food/water is Paratyphoid really a risk?

But yes agreed I'd rather not have to spend $130 every 6 months and stress my birds out.

 

[Crazy Pete]

If you have a fly pen that means wild birds that my be infected could stop by and poo in it, that's where the problem starts. Then you will be showing your birds double the problem, if you have ever seen a loft with PMV in it, it would scare the heck out of you. I PMV my birds at 21 days old in the nest and then every fall. JMO
Dave

 

[carrera mike]

1 bottle vaccine comes in for 100 birds. Might as well do them all. It will be a booster shot for the ones that had it already.

 

[gingerpoo]

Interesting. I do have a open wire loft. I haven't put up the clear corrugate yet and I have a lot of morning doves in my yard. That's a good point- thanks Dave

 

[gingerpoo]

So sounds like I will do all birds for PMV.

Should I do paratyphoid and Pox? Is that a real threat for birds at shows?

I'm guessing that the way a vaccine works is it's not so much that it blocks the sickness right on the spot like a shield but that the bird gets sick (and can transmit that to other birds in the very beginning) but that it has the antibodies to fight the sickness before it affects the bird very much.
Is that correct? So show birds could still bring home paratyphoid and pox if they came into contact with it at the show, and can spread it to other birds for a very short time. So I could potentially vaccinate them for it and then quarantine briefly after a show. Right?


If I don't vaccinate all birds I can use the next season and halve the cost.

Thanks for the responses everyone