We are sooooo close to Spring now! And in Missouri, Spring means something very specific for many, many chicken keepers– swap season.
Chicken swaps are fun places to go to see lots of birds and chat with other poultry lovers. If you are part of a network, swaps are major events where you get to meet up with friends that you might not see otherwise. For many, swaps are a huge part of the chicken keeping experience.
Because a person can find many birds of many breeds on the cheap and because of the comaraderie, being surrounded by other poultry lovers, swaps are not going to go away. I could yell and scream all day, “Stop swapping birds!!!” but that just isn’t going to happen.
We used to be swappers before we started our flock of Orpingtons. Now the swap birds are just a memory, and all of our birds except a handful of chicks, came onto this farm as hatching eggs to help ensure that our flock is healthy when we start offering eggs and chicks to others. We feel that offering others clean, healthy birds is the greatest responsibility.
Swaps are fun while they last, but it doesn’t take long for people to start reporting on sick birds, and the truth of the matter is that while some illnesses– such as mycoplasma– can be easily treated or cleaned up from one’s property, some illnesses are not so easy to handle. Once some illnesses– such as Marek’s– is on your property, they can stay on your property for years. There is no easy treatment besides an axe, there is no easy clean up.
But enough of my finger wagging and lecturing. Instead, I’ll offer some tips to those who choose to swap.
- It is easy to get distracted or to miss little details when there are so many things going on around you. Remember to inspect birds that you might be interested in very closely for any signs of illness. Also inspect the other birds in the same cage as well as birds in cages in close proximity.
- Signs of illness include runny or snotty noses, sneezing, watering or bubbly eyes, swollen eyes, puffy sinuses, lethargy, or even just a bird who is puffing out its feathers
- Birds grabbed from a coop, stuck in a cage, hauled to an unknown location, surrounded by hundreds or even thousands of people, and other unknown birds will be stressed. Stress brings out illness, but it may not bring it out right away. Quarantine your new purchases for at least 30 days and 40 feet away from your existing flock.
- Whether you purchase at a swap or just go to sight see and visit, stop at a car wash on your way home and wash your vehicle, particularly the tires to avoid bringing anything onto your property.
- Shower, change your clothes and shoes before visiting your flock. Disinfect the shoes you wore off the property.
- Care for your existing flock first each day, then any birds you have in quarantine. Remember to change clothes and shoes before visiting your healthy flock again.
I absolutely do not recommend acquiring stock from poultry swaps, but I do understand why people do. So, for those who choose to do so be careful, good luck, and be safe!
Happy Chickens 