Bird Flu in the US

What do we know about Bird Flu in the US? Symptoms in birds, prevention, precautions, etc. I I think we should start talking about this and prepare ourselves and our flocks. I understand that there has been an outbreak at a poultry farm in the west, I think in California. I can get a reference on this if needed.

Hi there,
There have been a couple of outbreaks in the UK & Europe, but I haven't heard anything from the US. The current strain in the UK is H5N8 - 'highly pathogenic'.
For the protection of our flocks (& ourselves), we need to practice good biosecurity. Don't let other people visit your flock without stringent measures in place, likewise for you visiting anyone elses' flock. Waterfowl migration is suspected in UK, but as you know, any wild bird is subject to it.

There are two outbreaks in the USA - Washington and Oregon. You need to take very strict biosecurity steps. Flocks that are tested positive are removed by the Ag Department, every single chicken. And at least one of the flocks the flu was found in was called a backyard flock.

In WV any time avian flu is suspect the commercial chicken companies quarantine their flocks. This means humans do not leave the premises, wives and kids go stay with family members so they can go to work or school. Groceries are delivered to the end of the driveway until the quarantine is lifted.

There are at least two threads on this site about the out reaks.......

boskelli1571 said:

Hi there,
            There have been a couple of outbreaks in the UK & Europe, but I haven't heard anything from the US.  The current strain in the UK is H5N8 - 'highly pathogenic'. 
     For the protection of our flocks (& ourselves), we need to practice good biosecurity.  Don't let other people visit your flock without stringent measures in place, likewise for you visiting anyone elses' flock.  Waterfowl migration is suspected in UK, but as you know, any wild bird is subject to it.

Click to expand...

Think about all the shoes that track around in the feed store, too! Don't wear those shoes on your property.

But! These outbreaks are linked to migratory birds, they claim. The timing seems wrong to me since birds don't typically fly north for the winter in the US.

Thank you for replying and thanks to the support staff. I think this is an important thread and I will make sure it keeps going. I found posts on bird flu in the UK, but missed anything in the US. Please direct me. There was an outbreak in British Columbia, Canada also and all birds were destroyed. Alarming. Korea has stopped importing poultry products from the US for the time being. I will get back to this thread at the end of the day with documentation. The biosecurity will be very hard to maintain for our birds, ourselves and others for those of us who live in the country and keep chickens and have a "regular job" in town. To be continued.....

I hope everyone in Canada, Washington, Oregon and any nearby states is reading this thread. Avian Flu of any strain is devastating. I can not imagine my flock being destroyed after all of the time and money I have invested over the years.......

As promised, here is the follow up on Bird flu that I was able to get from the USGS information bureau.
The first part of the response is in the next posting as I couldn't get the "copy" process down right. Read that first, then come back to this one.

The USGS studies wild birds only. For information concerning domestic birds and poultry, please contact the USDA.

Please take a look at the following links for more information:

● Dec 16, USGS Wildlife Health Bulletin on current outbreak in Washington: http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/publications/wildlife_health_bulletins/WHB_2014-05_H5N8.pdf
● USGS NWHC: http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/avian_influenza/
● NWHC FAQs: http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/avian_influenza/frequently_asked_questions.jsp
● http://www.flu.gov/
● USGS Alaska Science Center: http://alaska.usgs.gov/science/biology/avian_influenza/
● USGS Western Ecological Research Center: http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ResearchTopicPage.aspx?id=17

Here is the beginning of the response from USGS that I just figured out how to copy. :>)


Thanks for your email. The USGS detected an H5N2 avian influenza virus from a Northern pintail (a type of duck) that was involved in a mortality event at Wiser Lake, Whatcom County, Washington State. Three other birds from the same event have tested H5 positive by the Washington State Agriculture Diagnostic Laboratory. In addition, another highly pathogenic avian influenza strain, H5N8, was confirmed on Dec. 14 in a gyrfalcon that hunted and fed on a wigeon in the same area near Wiser Lake. There were about 100 wild birds involved in the die-off at Wiser Lake, including mallards, northern pintail, wigeon, trumpeter swan and northern shoveler. Here's the USDA news release: http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=4079#.VJis0UC2A.

Additional sampling by the USGS, USDA, and other partners may help determine the species affected and the current spatial distribution of these H5 strains in North America, as well as places it may spread to. So far, this virus is not known to have infected any people, but the zoonotic potential of this virus will need to be assessed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC). Avian influenza is primarily a disease among birds, not people. There is no evidence to date that these H5 strains of the virus infect people. However, hunters and others should take precautions when handling any wildlife.