Avian Flu - Washington State

That is why I use best practices regarding bio-security. Fortunately, I don't live near anyone. I'm keeping my chickens in a huge, covered enclosure to prevent contact with wild birds. I have a science background, including lab certifications; testing wastewater and drinking water. I also worked in the field, monitoring lakes and streams, collecting samples and running bio-assays. I wrote weekly, monthly, semi-annual and annual water quality monitoring reports and filed them with the state I was working in at the time. I was required to undergo FEMA and HAZMAT training, to be a first responder in the case of a disaster, such as an accidental chlorine gas release, for example. I was also on a confined space rescue team, as required thru my employment with a large water agency.

The knowledge and training I received, along with working closely with various government agencies enlightened me. The #1 priority is to protect human life. Yes, I listen to George Noori on Coast to Coast radio, I love the conspiracy theories. I arm myself with knowledge and don't live in fear. Bad things can and do happen. My best advice is to learn everything you can about bio-security and put those recommendations into practice. Keep your coops clean, feed your chickens high quality food, keep their drinking water clean, make sure they have adequate space, grit and calcium, clean dusting bath areas (chickens love to take a dust bath) give them healthy treats and observe them daily. If they appear sick, seek out the advice of a professional. It could be one of over a 100 different diseases that can affect poultry. www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo

Cluckadoodledo said:

Upon reading about the recent Avian flu outbreaks in Washington and British Columbia, it got me thinking. Infected Geese and duck droppings were cited as a possible vector for the avian flu, yet British Columbia health officials said that the geese they tested were negative for the flu. Washington officials said the geese they tested six miles from the Canadian border tested positive for the flu. Washington health officials also stated that no commercial poultry operations have been affected with the avian flu, only backyard chickens. This puzzled me. So, I started searching and came across this interesting article written in 2006 about the Avian flu outbreak in Asia. This is a "must read" for the "backyard chicken" person in us all!
http://www.grain.org/article/entrie...ndustry-s-central-role-in-the-bird-flu-crisis

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That was an illuminating read. Just wow.

The WA outbreak is about an hour and a half from me, and we also live right on--and I mean less than 50 feet--from a small creek that is home to lots of ducks, quail, etc. My partner and I are just getting started with about 120 bird, and this worries the heck out of me...our original intent was for free-range layers and pastured meaties in electric runs. Now I guess both are going to be fenced. Covering a 1/2 acre field isn't an option. Would having wild birds from the area tested help, or be an option? If that question has been answered, my apologies, I have not read the thread in it's entirety.

I wouldn't be overly concerned. There have been no other avian flu outbreaks on the Olympic Peninsula. There was only the one which initiated the six mile radius quarantine area near Sequim, WA. You're more likely to lose the occasional chicken to predators such as Eagles, coyotes and such. Even Ravens have been known to kill a chicken from time to time.

Just read on yahoo news that a Virulent strain of the avian flu H5N2 has been found in a back yard flock in Kansas.

Miss Lydia said:

Just read on yahoo news that a Virulent strain of the avian flu H5N2 has been found in a back yard flock in Kansas.

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That's bad news, here is a link to info:https://agriculture.ks.gov/AllNewsI...of-confirmed-positive-case-of-avian-influenza

and another: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/stakeholders/downloads/2015/sa_hpai_kansas.pdf

Quote from last link: "CDC considers the risk to people from these HPAI H5 infections in wild birds, backyard flocks and commercial poultry, to be low."

Any news about the flu in your area lately?

I've read through many, many posts and links. Can anyone point me to the 'latest and greatest' information on the current outbreak of this avian flu - especially information to guide the backyard flock owner? I am in Clark County, in Southwest Washington. Thanks!

The avian flu quarantine was lifted the first week of January, 2015 for the Clallam County area of WA (Olympic Peninsula) after no more cases appeared. There are some links on previous comments on this thread which will assist you in finding information about the avian flu in your region. I suspect the quarantine has been lifted in your area, but you need to verify that for yourself. On- line regional newspapers are helpful, just use their search tab for articles related to avian flu.