There have been a few posts lately of birds being bought and then finding out they are sick. There are many reasons that you should quarrentine your birds.

 

I have a separate area for the birds that come into my care. It is as simple as a holding cage in my garage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The birds are held here for 45 days to see how they go. The ones in there at the moment have been bought from auction and are currently on Doxycycline.

They are from a very good breed that looks after his birds but as they have come from an auction and mixed with other birds, they might have caught something.

If this is the case, I din't want them giving it to the others in the flight and losing a lot of birds.

Edited April 12, 200916 yr by KAZ

what is that device on the side of the cage daz?

Avian Vets say 90 day and that is what they do in the zoo's what do you do Daz?

Daz if you get birds from 3 seperate people do you quarantine them all together? What if one group of birds have a disease and they spread it to the other groups.

Should they be quarantined seperatley? This is what I've always done.

what is that device on the side of the cage daz?

 

It's a temperature probe from Tandys. I check it to make sure it's not too cold for them.

The garage is fitted with an exhaust fan to keep it cool but I can turn it off in winter and leave the door open to allow hot air from the air conditioner in.

 

Avian Vets say 90 day and that is what they do in the zoo's what do you do Daz?

 

42 to 45 days as recommended by Vets here in Australia.

 

The Role Of Modules In A Closed Aviary System Quarantine Area

 

Quarantine is the primary defence in protecting the flock from the introduction of infectious disease. Its secondary purpose is to determine whether or not the new additions are diseased and then to treat the problem. The quarantine area is where all new arrivals are housed and ideally it should be as far away from the rest of the collection as possible. A separate building or a separate room is always preferred. The standard quarantine period is 45 days. Any imported bird or a bird that has been exposed to other avian species of unknown origin should be quarantined for a period of 90 days. A mistake made by many breeders, is that they believe that any bird, which has been through "Government Quarantine" is free from infectious disease. This is far from correct, as these quarantine programmes are usually designed only to protect poultry from specific economically impacting diseases and is not concerned whether a bird is otherwise healthy. Any bird, which is taken out of the collection and exposed to other birds must re-enter the facility through the quarantine area. The minimum recommended quarantine period for a bird re-entering the facility that has not had direct contact with another bird, is 30 days. In the Quarantine Area, the most important concept to disease control is the "all in - all out" concept. If during the quarantine period new birds are introduced, the quarantine period automatically begins afresh for all of the birds housed there.

 

Daz if you get birds from 3 seperate people do you quarantine them all together? What if one group of birds have a disease and they spread it to the other groups.

Should they be quarantined seperatley? This is what I've always done.

 

I try to only get two or three birds per year. I now have 5 new birds this year and unless there is something that really catches my eye, i'll stay with that.

 

Gerrald Binks suggests one outcross a year. This is probibly good once you are up and going.

Edited April 9, 200916 yr by Daz

Thanks very much Daz. What about if your just starting out and dont have too many birds, and you want to buy a few from each stud. Should they be quarantined together or seperate?

I would say separate Pearce...

Thats what I thought to jimmy.

Just want to add to this. We quarantined and no birds showed signs of illness and we added to the flock, a few weeks later we have the fly dropping issue. I can not recommend strongly enough to dose your birds while in Quarantine i am going to get Doxycycline from the vet and all birds will now get one dose via the mouth direct and then 45 days of water treatment before they go anywhere near my flock!

I can not recommend strongly enough to dose your birds while in Quarantine i am going to get Doxycycline from the vet and all birds will now get one dose via the mouth direct and then 45 days of water treatment before they go anywhere near my flock!

 

That's what I 've done this year. Also I give them 7 days of Fungilin for Mega followed by several days of probiotic.

 

I can safely say that none of my birds have Mega anymore.

 

I still get the odd case of pooey bums but I just give them probiotics now and they seem to pull through alright. After recurrent and persistent deaths last year I am happy to report that the last deaths I had were when I got back from my hols at the end of December. I haven't lost a bird since. :hap:

 

Now I guard the health of my flock like a dragon- after all the preventative medication regimes I did to get to this point NOTHING is worth risking it all again.

I'm starting to change my opinion on it. It would be terrible to introduce one bird after 90 days of quarantine that looks completley healthy into an aviary. Weeks later it spreads a deadly disease to the entire flock.

I'm starting to change my opinion on it. It would be terrible to introduce one bird after 90 days of quarantine that looks completley healthy into an aviary. Weeks later it spreads a deadly disease to the entire flock.

 

Yes, Pearce, we've discussed this previously and you know what I think.

 

The biggest danger of the wait and see approach is that some birds are carriers and do not exhibit any signs of illness. It's only when you introduce them into your healthy flock that the problem becomes painfully apparent - and by that time you're facing an uphill battle to save your birds from imminent death.

The biggest danger of the wait and see approach is that some birds are carriers and do not exhibit any signs of illness. It's only when you introduce them into your healthy flock that the problem becomes painfully apparent - and by that time you're facing an uphill battle to save your birds from imminent death. :hap:

 

Well said Renee

I'm starting to change my opinion on it. It would be terrible to introduce one bird after 90 days of quarantine that looks completley healthy into an aviary. Weeks later it spreads a deadly disease to the entire flock.

 

Yes, Pearce, we've discussed this previously and you know what I think.

 

The biggest danger of the wait and see approach is that some birds are carriers and do not exhibit any signs of illness. It's only when you introduce them into your healthy flock that the problem becomes painfully apparent - and by that time you're facing an uphill battle to save your birds from imminent death.

 

You've probably posted this somewhere Renee but do you have a specific procedure you follow when you quarantine your birds? Like which meds to give and when to give them etc.

thankyou.

The birds are they only on Doxycycline for the 45 days

Edited April 12, 200916 yr by maesie

I'm starting to change my opinion on it. It would be terrible to introduce one bird after 90 days of quarantine that looks completley healthy into an aviary. Weeks later it spreads a deadly disease to the entire flock.

 

Yes, Pearce, we've discussed this previously and you know what I think.

 

The biggest danger of the wait and see approach is that some birds are carriers and do not exhibit any signs of illness. It's only when you introduce them into your healthy flock that the problem becomes painfully apparent - and by that time you're facing an uphill battle to save your birds from imminent death. :hap:

 

You've probably posted this somewhere Renee but do you have a specific procedure you follow when you quarantine your birds? Like which meds to give and when to give them etc.

thankyou.

I receive the bird/s and they go into a holding cage far away from my other birds.

 

1. A couple of days of Spark

2. S76 for Lice and worms

3. A couple of days of Probiotics

4. 7-10 days of Fungilin for Mega

5. A couple of days of Probiotics

6. GT Wormer for nasties not covered by S76

7. A couple of days of Probiotics

8. Course of Doxy (6 days on, 1 day off)

 

As a rule I don't treat for Canker unless the breeder I've got the birds from reveals they've had it in the past 6 months- I've personally never had Canker: Touch wood.

Edited April 9, 200916 yr by renee

Thanks very much for that Renee.

What is spark?

Can megabac-s also be used for megabacteria? Whats the difference between funglin and megabac-s

What does doxycycline do?

Thanks very much for that Renee.

What is spark?

Can megabac-s also be used for megabacteria? Whats the difference between fungilin and megabac-s

What does doxycycline do?

 

Spark is a liquid form of elctrolytes and carbs, it is a Vetafarm product. It's very useful for before and after showing birds as a 'pick me up'. You should be able to pick it up from your local club on the accessories table.

 

I do not have any experience with Megabac-S so cannot comment. I purchase 90% of my meds from Rob Marshall and Fungilin is the product he supplies for Megabacteria. It works for me. However, in Gerald Bink's The Challenge he refers to Megabac-S as a not entirely effective treatment for Megabacteria. In fact he goes on to say that nutrition plays a huge part in effective treatment of Mega, in particular Vitamins A & D plus the B complex. Which is why a plain seed diet is simply not enough.

 

For this reason I give my breeding pairs 1 day of Vitamin B12 and add Apple Cider Vinegar to Calcivet. Mega is a fungal infection and by adding a couple of drops per litre of water the vinegar raises the PH value, in effect the acidity, which is a 'natural' way of combatting any fungal infections.

 

Doxycycline is a broad spectrum antibiotic used specifically for Chlamidia Psittacosis but is also useful for knocking any other bacterial infections on the head as well. I think you'll find Sailorwolf put a post on it somewhere (although from memory she doesn't subscribe to it's use as a preventative meds regime )

 

Many breeders put their birds on a shortened course of up to 10 days before putting their birds down to breed as it improves fertility.

 

I personally put all my birds on an annual FULL course of Doxy every year just before breeding- it works for me. :hap:

Edited April 9, 200916 yr by renee

Thanks very much Renee. For all that information.

Be careful with Doxy. Talking to Dr Marshall he suggests testing them by putting them on Doxy and noteing the results. A postive result is

• Smaller Droppings
  
• Droppings change from khaki/green to health black
  
• Increase noise and vertality in quarrentine.
  
• Feather colour improves
  
• The sudden appearance of down feathers attached to the droppings.
  

If you get a positive result after 3 days of Doxy Treatment... continue the treatment untill you get a negative result. This could be any where between 10 to 45 days.A negative result is

• Fluffed-up sick looking birds
  
• Darkgreen watery droppings
  
• Vomiting
  

If you get a negative result after 3 days of Doxy treatment... STOP THE TREATMENT. If you're birds are on a Doxy treatment you need Megamix added to this to allow the birds access to grit. If you don't have Megamix, don't leave the grit with the birds, take it away.

Thanks very much Daz. What about if your just starting out and dont have too many birds, and you want to buy a few from each stud. Should they be quarantined together or seperate?

It is best when starting to buy two or three pair from one breeder pair these birds and note the results. If stisfied with the results return to that breeder for outcrosses.I have decided to have only three breeder's birds on my flock. So I stager the outcrosses coming in. If you want many birds from many breeders, plan when you are going to buy them and stagger them to coming in after the previous ones have finished quarrentine. It is then easier to work out "If" something goes wrong, where it came from.A vet once told me that you should have the birds in quarrentine checked three times during their time in quarrentine to be apsolutley sure that they aren't carriers.

Edited April 9, 200916 yr by Daz

To be honest, I was really disappointed when I clicked on this thread. Have none of you read the information that I posted on Doxycycline in this post: Medications no. 32

 

Pearce I told you what doxycycline does in that post!

 

At this stage in my career I do not recomend the use of prophylactic antibiotics.

Prophylactic antibiotics are NO substitute for good management and husbandry.

 

The use of antibiotics in this way is irresponsible and negligable.

 

You know the thread about the Yahoo posters and how exasperated everyone felt there. That is how I feel right now!

 

Sorry I am really disappointed right now.

I am forgetfull sailorwolf. I read things and the next day I forget. The only way I can fully understand somthing is by reading it heaps of times.

So doxycycline shouldn't be given to birds without symptoms because it is a cure? not a preventative? It's an antibiotic right?

 

I quarantine my birds without treating them for canker/megabacteria and other diseases. But now seeing whole studs being wiped out by a disease that can be prevented I'm not so sure I did the right thing.

Remember your talking to people who arent vet's.

Edited April 10, 200916 yr by Pearce

SW I was always on the no antibiotics and just good husbanty but now after having used that as my quarantine practise and ended up with half of my resting flock dead and some of my very perious babaies sick I am now thinking that I should add antibiotics into my quarantine process.

I think this a two sided argument that will never go away and there will be people with both views.

 

Doctors now agree that we have been prescribing antibiotics far too much for far to long for humans and this has resulted in bacteria becoming more immune to it and thus creating worse variants of the bacteria or super bugs. As such, antibiotics should never be used in humans as a preventative. What doctors should do is conduct tests first to see what bacterial infections are present then treat accordingly. Yes, I know there are two proponents to that argument as well.

 

In saying the above one would have to also question the use of antibiotics in a similar way with birds and not just budgerigars. Should one not take the necessary steps in the quarantine process to also have a vet conduct the tests to determine if there are any issues requiring treatment and then act accordingly.

 

My concern is that through the indiscriminate use of antibiotics there is going to be created within aviaries and studs a variant of a super bug that will eventually wipe out the flocks in this country.

 

Thoughts to ponder I guess.

AV, the illnesses your birds have right now are those that doxy does not address. I am right ? You have canker and mega both medicated by differing drugs, NOT DOXY

Edited April 10, 200916 yr by KAZ