BESTMANAGEMENTPRACTICESFORBACKYARDPOULTRYKEEPERS

Inresponsetoasteadyincreaseinthenumberoffamiliesraisingsmallpoultryflocksthroughout theCommonwealth,theMassachusettsDepartmentofAgriculturalResources(MDAR)has developedthisdocumenttoaidresidentialpoultryproducersinthemethodsofcaringforpoultry andofhandlingthewasteproducts.Wehopethisdocumentwillalsoservetoeducatemunicipal officialsincommunitiesthathavenottraditionallyhadexperiencewithagriculturalendeavors. Theinterestinraisingsmallflocksisnotlimitedtoruralsettings.MDARsDivisionofAnimalHealth hasreceivedrequestsforinformationfrombothresidentsandofficialsofsuburbanandurban areasalike.Beforegettingstarted,makesuretocheckwithlocalcityortownofficialsabout complyingwithalllocalbylaws,ordinances,orpermitrequirements.

OBTAINBIRDSFROMAREPUTABLESOURCE
ThesourceofanybirdsorhatchingeggsmustbefromaSalmonellapullorumtestedflock.TheSalmonellapullorumtest isconductedonanannualbasis,andisintendedtodetectthepresenceofthispotentiallyharmfulbacteriumthatis knowntoaffectpoultryandtheeggstheyproduce.Theownersofalltestedflocksareissuedcertificationoftheirclean statusbyMDAR.Youshouldreceiveacopyofthiscertificationwithanybirdsyoupurchase.Shouldyoueverfind yourselfactingasasourceofbirdsforotherpeople,yourflockwillneedtobetestedpriortomovinganypoultry.The testingisperformedonallbirdsover16weeksofage,andisprovidedbyMDARatnocost.Oncetheflockhasbeen certifiedpullorumtyphoidclean,youwillbefreetotransferownershiptoothersaslongasthebirdsareaccompanied byacopyofthetestingcertificate. S.pullorumTestingcanbeperformedby: MassachusettsDepartmentofAgriculturalResources Alicensedfederallyaccreditedveterinarian(accreditedbyUSDA)

PROVIDEANDMAINTAINADEQUATEHOUSINGFORPOULTRY
Poultryrequireshelterfromthewind,weather,andpredators.Adequatehousingmusttakeallofthesefactorsinto consideration.Housingshouldprovideplentyofventilation,amplespaceforthebirdstomoveaboutfreely,andan areathatisoutofdirectlightforhenstolayeggs.Thehousingfloormustbecoveredwithadry,absorbentorganic materialusedasbedding,commonlyreferredtoaslitter.Littermanagementisoneofthemostimportantpartsof poultryhousing.Somecommerciallyavailabletypesoflitteraresoftwoodshavings,corncobs,peanutshells,orplant basedtreefreebedding.Inchoosingthetypeoflitter,consideritsabsorbency,densityanditsabilitytomaintaina healthymicrobialenvironment.Ahealthymicrobialenvironmentexposesthebirdstodifferentorganismswhichinturn helpspromotedevelopmentoftheirimmunesystem.Exposureoccurswhenthebirdsingestmicrobesfromthelitter.In anefforttopromotemicrobialgrowth,refrainfromchangingthelitteronadailyorweeklybasis.Aslongasthelitter remainsdry,itcanbechangedasinfrequentlyasevery6monthstoayear.Ofcourse,saturatedareasoflittersuchas underthewatersourceorfeedershouldbechangedoutpromptly.Wet,cakedmanureneedstoberemovedsinceit MDARDivisionofAnimalHealthBestManagementPracticesforBackyardPoultryKeepers1

 willincreasethelevelsofammonia,mold,andtoxinsintheenclosureandcancauseseriousrespiratoryproblemsfor thebirds.Compostingofthiswetmaterialshouldbedonewellawayfromtheflocktopreventanypossibleexposure. Ifprovidingaccesstotheoutdoors,thisareaneedstobefencedtopreventbirdsfromroamingfreelyontoneighbors properties,andtooffersomeprotectionagainstpredators.Dependingonthebreedchosen,theenclosuremayneedto becovered.Providingperchesinthepoultryhousefornighttimeroostingisbeneficialtothebirds.Poultrynaturally liketoperchasitprovidesthemwithasenseofsecurityandcomfort.Inaddition,locatingperchesinsidethehouse mayprovidefurtherprotectionfromnocturnalpredators.

SUPPLYAPPROPRIATENUTRITIONFORPOULTRY
Nutritionallybalancedcommercialpoultryfeedsareavailableatgrainstores,whichmaybefoundintheyellowpages underfeedstores.Poultryownersshouldensureanamplesupplyofclean,dryfeedatalltimes.Thefeedshouldbe suitablefortheageandtypeofpoultryonthepremise.Alwayscheckthelabelontheproducttoconfirmcompatibility. Feedshouldbestoredinrodentproofcontainersandbeprotectedfromtheelements.Someownerschoosetooffer cleanvegetablescrapsfromtheirgardenorhouseholdasanaddedfoodsource.Otherhouseholdfoodwastemaybe detrimentaltothebirdshealth. Provideadequatefeederandwaterspaceforthenumberofbirdshoused.Ageneralruleofthumbisthatallbirds shouldbeabletoeatanddrinkatthesametimeiftheychooseto.Birdsshouldhaveaccesstofreshcleanwateratall times.Watersourcesshouldbelocatedoutofdirectsunlight.Maintainingthewateratshoulderheightfacilitatesthe birdsabilitytodrinkandhelpspreventlitteraroundwatersourcesfrombecomingsaturated.

DEVELOPANEFFECTIVEMANUREMANAGEMENTPLAN
Manureutilizationandsoilamendmentareanimportantpartofsustainableagriculture.Therearevariouswaysforyou tomanagepoultrymanurefromyourbackyardflock: DirectapplicationtoyourgardenApplicationshouldbeintheearlyspringandthesoilmustbeturned.Never addfreshmanuretoediblecrops.Freshmanuremay"burn"yourplantsandexposeediblestoharmfulbacterial growth. CollectionforcompostingFormoreinformationoncompostingrefertotheDepartmentofEnvironmental Protectionswebsite(http://www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/reduce/compos01.htm). Disposalinthetrashlargerquantitiesmayrequirehiringaremovalservice

IMPLEMENTRODENTANDPESTCONTROL
Ensurepoultryhousingareaisfreeofanytrashanddebris,astheseconditionsmayprovidehidingplacesornesting areasforrodents.Spilledorsoiledfeedswillattractrodentsandpestsandshouldbedisposedofpromptly.Remove anystandingwaterotherthanthatwhichisprovidedforthepoultrytodrink.Shouldtheuseofinsecticides, rodenticidesortrapsbenecessary,besuretocheckthelabelforproductsafetyaroundpoultry,andensureitsuseisin accordancewithstatelawsandregulations. MDARDivisionofAnimalHealthBestManagementPracticesforBackyardPoultryKeepers2

PRACTICEGOODBlOSECURITY
Ifbirdsareremovedfromyourflockforanyreasonandthenreturned,isolatethemawayfromyourresidentflockfor tentofourteendays.Bevigilantandwatchforsignsofsickness.Ifyourflockisexperiencingahighnumberofmortalities orsickbirdspleasereportthesituationimmediatelytotheMassachusettsDepartmentofAgriculturalResourcesat(617) 6261795.Anynewbirdsthataretobeaddedtoyourresidentflockmustbeacquiredfromacurrentpullorumclean testedflockandshouldbeisolatedfortentofourteendaystowatchforsignsofillness.Cleananddisinfectallcrates usedtotransportpoultrytoandfromyourproperty.Sincesomediseasescanbecarriedonapersonsclothingor shoes,inordertoreducetheriskoftransmittingdiseasetoyourbirdsitissuggestedthatyourestrictaccesstoyour flockbyotherswhoalsoownpoultry.

TOCONSIDERWHENBUYINGANDSELLINGPOULTRY
Alwaysobtainreceiptsinanypoultrytransaction.Recordthenameandaddressofbuyerandseller,dateofpurchase, numberandtypeofbirdspurchasedorsold,andacopyofthepullorumcertificateorthedateofthelasttest. AVOIDPROBLEMSASSOCIATEDWITHBACKYARDPOULTRYINSUBURBANORURBANSETTINGS Astheinterestinkeepingpoultryincreasessodoestheneedforeducation;neighborsandelectedofficialsmayhave concernsaboutdisease,odors,noiseandtrespass.Inthisregardtheresidentialflockownerhassomenewobligations. Beopentoneighborconcernsandmakeeffortstoalleviateissues.Ifissuesariseafterthebirdsareinplace,theseare possiblesolutionstosomecommoncomplaints: Constructorplantsoundandsightbarriers Modifypoultryhousingtoreducesounds Restrictdaylighttoreduceearlymorningactivity Modifymanuremanagement

CONTACTINFORMATION
MassachusettsDepartmentofAgriculturalResourcesDivisionofAnimalHealth 251CausewaySt.,Suite500,Boston,MA021142151 (617)6261795 PoultryInspectors: EdwardHageman(617)6261796 MeganMegrath(617)6261798 AlexanderMacDonald(617)8729961 MDARDivisionofAnimalHealthBestManagementPracticesforBackyardPoultryKeepers3