Avian Flu (H5N1) - Discussion

[cluckmecoop7]

To me, the problem isn't if my birds get it. It's if the govt sets up quarantine zones, like they did on SoCal with vND. It won't matter if your birds are sick or showing symptoms, the govt will come in and kill all of your birds if you live within a certain radius of an outbreak. I haven't heard of that happening yet with this HPAI outbreak, thank goodness. I'd rather have my birds all die from AI than from inept "euthanasia."

Do you know how big the radius is? If that happened here, and my birds were completely healthy, I'd outright REFUSE to let them get near my flock.

 

[All4Eggz]

Do you know how big the radius is? If that happened here, and my birds were completely healthy, I'd outright REFUSE to let them get near my flock.

Refusal = fine ($).
That’s how it is in today’s world. Sadly. It’s getting more and more corrupt as we speak.

 

[The-White-Elephant]

Oh, ok. Which ones are you taking?

Like the names?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

HPAI (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza), as opposed to LPAI (Low Pathogen) is a catch all phrase for a group of H5 and H7 strains of AI which have mutated in ways which make them both highly transmissible, and highly lethal to chickens. After exposure, mass cullings remains the only **effective** way we have of trying in some fashion to blunt the spread of the disease, which is carried by other birds (waterfowl particularly) with much lower rates of lethality.

Numerous LPAI strains remain within the environment at all times, primarily in waterfowl. These strains can transmit to chickens, and are generally non-lethal or have low levels of lethality, often taken for simple respiratory issues consistent with a large number of poultry diseases. LPAI H5 and H7 strtains can spontaneously mutate in chickens to become HPAI vaireties of the same via well understood biological processes - usually involving chickens with other viral infections at the same time where transposition errors in viral replication result in new fragments being attached to the resulting genetic material. Mostly in self defeating ways, but occasionally in ways which make the virus in some fashion more effective.

Tracking of AI by Gov't programs is decades old, not just here in the US, this isn't some "new thing" or part of any modern conspiracy. Europe and the Near East have been struggling with HPAI outbreaks for several years, and have multiple strains currently active across the pond. The US has an HPAI outbreak roughly once a decade.

It is commercially devastating, and has the potential to put a serious dent into the US food supply - chicken being one of the most readily affordable animal protein sources for the majority of Americans. The same is true in other nations, and the disease is heavily studied. Current US policy, similar to that of other nations, is to attempt to isolate and destroy pockets of HPAI when detected before they get to commercial processing, where a small flock of birds could infect (and quickly kill) tens of thousands of others being held awaiting butchering. Such an event would shut down the packing plant until it could be thoroughly sanitized as well, a process of at least two weeks duration. Given the concentration of commercial poultry packing into just a few facilities, a shut down is a regionally significant event - part of why PotUS declared meat packers and poultry processors to be key personnel like Drs. and nurses at the start fo the COVID pandemic. Without them, the US doesn't eat.

I hope that, in the unlikely event one of your flocks is infected, you do the responsible thing and ensure both testing and if confirmed, complete irradication of your flock (saving many from a painful death) rather than a misguided attempt to "protect" your flock via a method which is the poultry equivalent of placing an extended family in the home of someone with Ebola and then hoping for the best - only HPAI is MUCH more lethal.

I have high hopes my own flock will remain uninfected - but if I start seeing a sudden die off, I'll be on phone and text immediately with my State offices to arrange on site testing and "containment" - though it would end my egg business, virtually destroy my efforts at culling my way towards a bird better suited to my local conditions, and be emotionally painful to my wife.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Refusal = fine ($).
That’s how it is in today’s world. Sadly. It’s getting more and more corrupt as we speak.

How could I sit there and watch them kill my precious babies??? There is absolutely no way!

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Like the names?

Names and breeds?

 

[Folly's place]

If you want your birds to be safe, keep them inside under a roof, and practice very good biosecurity! Aren't 'your babies' worth it?
Public health and the safety of our food supply matters!
Mary

 

[The-White-Elephant]

Names and breeds?

Oreo Penguin, Silver laced cochin, Ruby (red cochin), Marshmallow (White Cochin), Hawk (WJG), Joy (WJG),and Fluffy. Who was labeled as EE and made a blue egg or 2, and now lays creme. So I don’t know what she is.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

HPAI (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza), as opposed to LPAI (Low Pathogen) is a catch all phrase for a group of H5 and H7 strains of AI which have mutated in ways which make them both highly transmissible, and highly lethal to chickens. After exposure, mass cullings remains the only **effective** way we have of trying in some fashion to blunt the spread of the disease, which is carried by other birds (waterfowl particularly) with much lower rates of lethality.

Numerous LPAI strains remain within the environment at all times, primarily in waterfowl. These strains can transmit to chickens, and are generally non-lethal or have low levels of lethality, often taken for simple respiratory issues consistent with a large number of poultry diseases. LPAI H5 and H7 strtains can spontaneously mutate in chickens to become HPAI vaireties of the same via well understood biological processes - usually involving chickens with other viral infections at the same time where transposition errors in viral replication result in new fragments being attached to the resulting genetic material. Mostly in self defeating ways, but occasionally in ways which make the virus in some fashion more effective.

Tracking of AI by Gov't programs is decades old, not just here in the US, this isn't some "new thing" or part of any modern conspiracy. Europe and the Near East have been struggling with HPAI outbreaks for several years, and have multiple strains currently active across the pond. The US has an HPAI outbreak roughly once a decade.

It is commercially devastating, and has the potential to put a serious dent into the US food supply - chicken being one of the most readily affordable animal protein sources for the majority of Americans. The same is true in other nations, and the disease is heavily studied. Current US policy, similar to that of other nations, is to attempt to isolate and destroy pockets of HPAI when detected before they get to commercial processing, where a small flock of birds could infect (and quickly kill) tens of thousands of others being held awaiting butchering. Such an event would shut down the packing plant until it could be thoroughly sanitized as well, a process of at least two weeks duration. Given the concentration of commercial poultry packing into just a few facilities, a shut down is a regionally significant event - part of why PotUS declared meat packers and poultry processors to be key personnel like Drs. and nurses at the start fo the COVID pandemic. Without them, the US doesn't eat.

I hope that, in the unlikely event one of your flocks is infected, you do the responsible thing and ensure both testing and if confirmed, complete irradication of your flock (saving many from a painful death) rather than a misguided attempt to "protect" your flock via a method which is the poultry equivalent of placing an extended family in the home of someone with Ebola and then hoping for the best - only HPAI is MUCH more lethal.

I have high hopes my own flock will remain uninfected - but if I start seeing a sudden die off, I'll be on phone and text immediately with my State offices to arrange on site testing and "containment" - though it would end my egg business, virtually destroy my efforts at culling my way towards a bird better suited to my local conditions, and be emotionally painful to my wife.

Same here. As much as it would break me to do (And if there was a time between confirming positive testing and culling, I would begin myself to try and do as many as I could humanely before the cullers were there), I would report if I suddenly started losing birds that showed symptoms. It's the only responsible thing to do in my opinion

 

[SarahLadd]

Nearly 3 million birds in my state have been put down as of today. Approximately 15 backyard flocks containing less than 100 birds have been affected. The vast majority have been commercial turkey farms, and almost every incidence has been traced to a mallard duck. A half hour south of me, an entire family of 8 great horned owls was found dead and tested positive.

If you think this is a "joke" to "incite panic", get lost. This is a colossal deal to those of us in the middle of it.

https://www.bah.state.mn.us/hpai/

Minnesota Avian Influenza Hotline: 1-833-454-0156

Report sick or dead raptors or waterfowl, and to report groups of five or more dead wild birds to the DNR.

Department of Natural Resources: 888-646-6367