Avian Flu in the news?

[3bird]

I think because they could be grazing where a wild bird pooped if the tractor was moved. It’s a good question.

That is now my understanding as well. My question had been how long one needed to let the area be fallow (e.g., free of any wild birds) before it was "safe" for our ducks, but my research leads me to believe that the virus remains active in manure for 3+ months. So that eliminates the moveable run idea unless we had a floor or did something practive to clean the floor area. Ugh.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have 34 birds and their "run" is half-acre fenced. No way I can do anything with this property to make it safer for my birds. Yes wild birds are everywhere and not a thing we can do about it either. I am going to be as biosecure as I can by not having anyone with birds here and not going anywhere where there are birds [talking about poultry] Changing my shoes after going to feed store etc.

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

However, I think we can be certain that if there is an epidemic, hatcheries will be stopped by State and even Federal Departments of Agriculture from distributing ducklings if there is a risk of transmitting avian flu

One would like to think that responsible hatcheries would not be distributing if there was known risk of sending sick birds.
I personally am avoiding feed store/chain store birds currently, not due to individual reputations but it just seems like several unnecessary opportunities for exposure.

 

[donkeydew2farms]

hi guys hope all is well with every one. i have over 20 geese and 14 chickens and 4 turkeys. they have a big fence in area that they free range in except the chickens they have a coop and a run. there is no way i can confine them. could you imagine what would happen keeping geese all together during breeding season.not good. is any body a member of the livestock conservancy they are having a webinar about AI . it is today at 5 o clock. i cant get it at home grr. if any body watches it can you let us know what they say. thanks.

 

[3bird]

I have 34 birds and their "run" is half-acre fenced. No way I can do anything with this property to make it safer for my birds. Yes wild birds are everywhere and not a thing we can do about it either. I am going to be as biosecure as I can by not having anyone with birds here and not going anywhere where there are birds [talking about poultry] Changing my shoes after going to feed store etc.

I hear you, and the challenges are immense. Up here, some people with larger flocks are keeping them all in their barns. We live close to the shore, and we have gulls all over our property regularly, and the wild mallards have started to show up on our little ponds. Turkey are regularly hopping our fence into the ducks pastures. With avian influenza in our county (within a few miles of us), we just can't justify the risk, so everyone will remain in a covered run for the foreseeable future. Even for our small flock, this is going to create some big challenges. I just started a brainstorming thread about that. Not a great time :-(

 

[3bird]

One would like to think that responsible hatcheries would not be distributing if there was known risk of sending sick birds.
I personally am avoiding feed store/chain store birds currently, not due to individual reputations but it just seems like several unnecessary opportunities for exposure.

That's such a good point to avoid feed stores. I'm going to add that to my brainstorming thread. Thanks.

 

[3bird]

hi guys hope all is well with every one. i have over 20 geese and 14 chickens and 4 turkeys. they have a big fence in area that they free range in except the chickens they have a coop and a run. there is no way i can confine them. could you imagine what would happen keeping geese all together during breeding season.not good. is any body a member of the livestock conservancy they are having a webinar about AI . it is today at 5 o clock. i cant get it at home grr. if any body watches it can you let us know what they say. thanks.

Here is a webinar from last year that's pretty informative:

With avian influenza confirmed so close to us (two flocks already euthanized), we can't justify not keeping our birds in a covered space. We have a small flock at present, which makes it way easier, but even with a small flock it poses serious challenges.

 

[Miss Lydia]

One would like to think that responsible hatcheries would not be distributing if there was known risk of sending sick birds.
I personally am avoiding feed store/chain store birds currently, not due to individual reputations but it just seems like several unnecessary opportunities for exposure.

How are you going to avoid feed stores I have to go to the one in our town to buy feed no choice. To expensive to order online.

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

How are you going to avoid feed stores I have to go to the one in our town to buy feed no choice. To expensive to order online.

I meant that i am going to avoid feed store birds, the big open containers of hundreds of birds exposed to dozens of people just seems like a bad idea to me.

 

[3bird]

How are you going to avoid feed stores I have to go to the one in our town to buy feed no choice. To expensive to order online.

We've started buying our duckfood from Chewy. It's cheaper than TSC, and they are more reliable. We started during the pandemic and never switched back.