Topic of the Week - Biosecurity, Quarantine and Infectious Disease Management

@sumi and everyone else who has contributed! I'm really glad this was a topic of the week. It's really good to get everyone's opinion about what their practices are and why. I imagine for most people, it's something they will only worry about, "if and when it happens". Hopefully this thread encourages some people to get educated about developing their own best practices. For me, it's about making smart and practical decisions when thinking about risks and rewards. The more one knows, the better informed decisions one will make.
 
I wasn't sure if I should make a new thread or tag along with this one... Perhaps this is a good place so we can continue the discussion.

I've included the links and pulled abstracts that I thought were pertinent.

Brief:

Highly pathogenic H7 avian influenza (HPAI) of North American wild bird lineage in a commercial chicken breeder flock in Lincoln County, Tennessee

Initial outbreak was detected on March 3rd. This means that the virus was active and in incubation well before the increased mortality. The last outbreak of this HPAI bird flu was in January 2016. It's high mortality rate might actually help stop the spread of this flu, but seems to be incredibly contagious.

1) https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAAPHIS/bulletins/18b5193#.WLx73MI3usY.facebook
Abstract: Samples from the affected flock, which experienced increased mortality, were tested at Tennessee’s Kord Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory and confirmed at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa.

2) http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-birdflu-usa-idUSKBN16C0XL
Abstract: The facility in Tennessee's Lincoln County has been placed under quarantine, along with approximately 30 other poultry farms within a 6.2-mile (10 km) radius of the site
HPAI bird flu was last found in a commercial turkey flock in Indiana in January 2016.
Tyson said precautions being taken include disinfecting all vehicles entering farms and banning all nonessential visitor access to contract farms.
Tyson, the USDA and the state did not name the facility involved. Tyson said that it did not expect disruptions to its chicken business.

3) http://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/...lu-detected-lincoln-county-chickens/98778246/
Abstract: Report any sudden increases in the number of sick or dead birds to the state veterinarian’s office at 615-837-5120 or the USDA at 1-866-536-7593. State vet: Dr. Charles Hatcher.

4)http://www.elkvalleytimes.com/usda-confirms-high-path-h7-avian-influenza-in-local-chicken-flock/
Abstract: This version of H7 HPAI is confirmed as a North American wild bird lineage.

5) http://abcnews.go.com/Health/bird-flu-found-tennessee-chicken-farm-virus-surges/story?id=45938138
Abstract: Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert stated: "The virus is unlikely to spread widely among people in the U.S. due to the nature of the virus and the fact that people rarely interact with live poultry. People who live extremely close to poultry as they do in parts of China, are at increased risk for large exposure to the virus. Fortunately, picking up that genetic material happens very rarely."
 
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In UK, we've got the H5N8 strain going around. See https://www.gov.uk/government/news/avian-influenza-bird-flu-in-winter-2016-to-2017 for more information.

I went to a talk by a vet earlier this evening and apparently it's spread through bird poo (often via water) more than any other way, so washing shoes and not letting other people who keep birds near your coops is high on the list of things that will help reduce the risk of transmission. Supposedly the flu will clear up by itself come summer as it doesn't tolerate warmth that well.
 
Human visitors do not get past the fence to the back yard. I do have plastic overshoes if someone needs to go in there. I have special shoes and boots that I wear in by the chickens. I also have a jacket specifically for going to the chickens and working in the run.

I do not reuse egg cartons.

New chickens are kept seperate for a month and then the run is divided in half using chicken wire. They can see each other, but not interact. After a few weeks of that, both groups are allowed in the yard together under supervision. When they are mingling without hassles, the divider in the run comes down and we are back to 1 flock.
 

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