[Chookster]

I feel a bit worried that I've been told i don't need to vaccinate my birds but i will be selling eggs at farmers markets. Is this really ok?

[joyfull]

vaccines are sold in doses of about 1000 I think so most people who have and breed their own chickens don't vaccinate. If you buy from a breeder they may have vaccinated them as they are done from day 1.

[Chookster]

gosh so it's a bit hit and miss then.

well, what are the risks then of someone getting an illness from one of my birds? How can i prevent this from happening?

I know when bird flu comes full swing again that we're supposed to keep the birds in a covered area to prevent wild bird faeces from falling in your chicken area

[joyfull]

have a look at the defra website regarding selling eggs at market
http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodrin/poultry/trade/marking/eggmarking-qa.htm

[karlooben]

is it me or was that confusing  .

[snowflake]

chookster how many birds do you have ?
if you are going to sell at farmers markets you need to be rejestered and eggs graded I believe. I think a lot of regs to sell them.

\(well, what are the risks then of someone getting an illness from one of my birds? How can i prevent this from happening?)

are you talking about bird flu ? keep your hens in good condition and clean. you dont let anyone but close family members near your hens . I was told this by a breeder no just for the spread of deases but there are peps out there that will steal hens to sell on etc. He locked his up at night and let his dogs out to protect them. He did live away from his hens.

(I know when bird flu comes full swing again that we're supposed to keep the birds in a covered area to prevent wild bird faeces from falling in your chicken area
[/quote])
yes lets hope it does not, but as the virus changes each time makes it diffucult.
the last lot started off with birds and humans not using good hygine procedures they were liveing with there birds I believe.  healthy hens and healthy humans perfect world education is the key IMHO.

[joyfull]

Hi looby, most of it is waffle but basically anybody selling eggs to the final consumer either graded or not, at public markets will have to register with defra regardless of how many hens they have and stamp their eggs. This has no effect on people who sell at their gates.

[karlooben]

cheers joyfull for putting that into plain english  theres some things that i just dont always understand ohh ok my brian has just died its getting ready for a very very dull week of going to work to do no work   

[joyfull]

my brian has just died its getting ready for a very very dull week of going to work to do no work   

Hope you meant your brain had just died rather than Brian!! 
If not then sorry about your loss xx

[karlooben]

    can i get away with saying i am tired 

[joyfull]

  , thats alright I get dyslexic when tired 

[karlooben]

so glad i aint the only one  and on that note i am of to bed  nite nite

[Chookster]

ah... i've registered with defra and the poultry register - as i don't have 50 birds I am allowed to sell them ungraded and unstamped to customers at farmers markets, at the gate, friends/family etc.

If i have over 50 it all changes.  I am not however, allowed to sell my hens eggs to local pubs, restaurants etc as it stands with my situation.

However, I am allowed to sell my quails and quails eggs to whoever i like i'm told by the powers that be.

it's mostly the salmonella and cocc thing i was concerned about.  I thought you could get a jab or water med to do this but apparently i don't have enough birds to warrant having to do this.  This I find hard to understand how it is different - is it because less birds equals less chance of diseases spreading as they should hopefully be less cramped??/easier to control??

the cocc thing i have read that deep litter system holds as a pretty strong barrier agains this in conjunction with fair ventilation.  I'm certainly giving it a go. And chicks have a stronger immune system to it if they're put on deep litter at least 8 weeks old apparently? I guess it's just like having a flu jab, having a bit of the germ exposed to you

[woodside farm]

I can never understand why people do the 'deep litter' thing, I find that chicks need cleaning every 4 -5 days (after the initial 2 days of newspaper and sandpaer) or otherwise the smell is terrible, and can't be healthy for them.

Michelle xx

[Chookster]

I can never understand why people do the 'deep litter' thing, I find that chicks need cleaning every 4 -5 days (after the initial 2 days of newspaper and sandpaer) or otherwise the smell is terrible, and can't be healthy for them.

Michelle xx

i think it's all about managing manure as they say or in this case more ammonia... i was a bit baffled at first but have a look at this...(you might already know all this stuff but it may be useful to someone)

the results are worth considering on a bigger scale and of course it's well rotted compost in my case

http://www.plamondon.com/faq_deep_litter.html