Avian Flu Near Me

[Daveed Grier]

Hello BackYardChickens, I have a query. Recently, cases of Avian Flu popping up along the east coast. There has so far been one confirmed outbreak in my state (it was in a county a far way away from me). Should I be concerned about it appearing in my flock? The outbreak was considered non-poultry and was very small flock size (website tracking the outbreaks: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ou...pai-2022/2022-hpai-commercial-backyard-flocks). It was almost a month ago and there have been no other confirmed cases in my state. I have a chicken flock size of about 60 and a group of 5 ducks. The chickens and ducks are free ranged on my two acres and can often eat what falls off of my bird feeders, the wild birds may also drink from my duck pond. I'm wondering if there are any precautions I can take to protect my flock and my self, that is, if I need to. Should I be concerned? If so, what can I do? (I can isolate them inside my coop as I have a spacious enclosed run if needed).

P.S. My state is Virginia

 

[Miss Lydia]

I wish they'd come up with a vaccine for this one. It's killing a lot of wild birds across the country and is getting scarier all the time.

Like the one for covid? that sure did save alot of people didn't it?
No vaccines here.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

One of my Australorp hens (3-4 years) suddenly died today, no known cause of dead he comb was purple and she was still warm when I found her, she seemed to have a liquidy stomach and was oozing some out of her rear. Just half an hour ago I noticed one of my bantams not doing good, her comb is turning purple and she has yellowish diarrhea.

My dead australorp had mites crawling on her face and only on her face, my other hens are clear. I do not give them a dewormer my dead hen did not seem to have lost weight, she was behind my compost

I'm sorry about your hen.

What's in the compost?

The only way to know why she died would be to have a necropsy. Refrigerate the body and call your state lab and make arrangements to have some testing. You can find it in this link https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

Finding mites on her, I would definitely investigate their housing once it's dark. Go out there with a flashlight and inspect your birds, look around the vent and under the wings. Take a white paper towel and rub along the roosting bars too. See if you get any bugs or red smears on the paper.

I understand there's cause for concern about serious disease, but there's so many illnesses and conditions that can affect poultry, there is no need to get into a panic until you find out more.

Get a fecal float to see if worms are part of the problem. Look for lice/mites. Inspect that compost...many a chicken have become ill digging through compost. You may want to investigate that further to see if the compost is moldy, if there's a lot or rotten material and it needs to be blocked off.

 

[chicknmania]

I hope there is a vaccine, but if there were you'd think it would be in the news, and zoos would be utilizing it. As far as biosecurity, of course we're doing what we can. I'm so sick of the Oxine foot baths and keeping our flock confined, disinfecting shoes and tires and gaaah on and on. AND the stupid alarmist news stories. Yesterday I read two news stories back to back; one said this was the worst bird flu pandemic ever and we were gonna be facing it for months and months like Countries overseas; the other one said the US has it together and this will be less of a problem than the bird flu we had in 2014, 2015....OK, really? What to believe......?

 

[Daveed Grier]

Quick Update:

No new cases in my state, the closest recent cases have been in North Carolina. I haven't really done anything to protect my chickens (I'm not sure if that's the brightest idea). I did find a hurt bird last Wednesday, from what I can tell it most likely hit my house as it was still hopping around when I found it. It looked as if the bird may have had eye problems or that might have been because it hit the house, nothing else since then. I have stopped feeding wild birds in my garden where a majority of my chickens hang out, I do still feed the birds in my backyard where my friendliest hens sometimes hang out. Is there anything more I should do?

URGENT UPDATE:
One of my Australorp hens (3-4 years) suddenly died today, no known cause of dead he comb was purple and she was still warm when I found her, she seemed to have a liquidy stomach and was oozing some out of her rear. Just half an hour ago I noticed one of my bantams not doing good, her comb is turning purple and she has yellowish diarrhea. I’ve had a few soft shelled eggs recently but I though that may have been a nutrient deficiency. I am isolating my bantam. I want to call my state AG department to get them tested but I’m concerned they will kill off my flock if tested positive. This morning did have a sudden change to around 40 degrees but it warmed up later on. What should I do? Is there anything I can do to help prevent the extermination of my flock?

 

[Iluveggers]

What the heck is wrong with people? Just going into other peoples coops.

 

[jBabychickn]

Hello BackYardChickens, I have a query. Recently, cases of Avian Flu popping up along the east coast. There has so far been one confirmed outbreak in my state (it was in a county a far way away from me). Should I be concerned about it appearing in my flock? The outbreak was considered non-poultry and was very small flock size (website tracking the outbreaks: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ou...pai-2022/2022-hpai-commercial-backyard-flocks). It was almost a month ago and there have been no other confirmed cases in my state. I have a chicken flock size of about 60 and a group of 5 ducks. The chickens and ducks are free ranged on my two acres and can often eat what falls off of my bird feeders, the wild birds may also drink from my duck pond. I'm wondering if there are any precautions I can take to protect my flock and my self, that is, if I need to. Should I be concerned? If so, what can I do? (I can isolate them inside my coop as I have a spacious enclosed run if needed).

P.S. My state is Virginia

Definitely get your flock under cover right away until this blows over!! Sadly, they’re saying it will likely be 12-17 months. Many backyard keepers are scrambling right now to build shelters for their birds, including us, so that they can have a safe enclosed run area. —
I know ppl that have converted their basements, their outbuildings that once were their work offices, even one couple that made a coop up in the attic above their detached garage… it’s crazy

This stuff is NO joke! They can show no signs at all and you can just wake up one day with dead birds that just start dropping like flies. It’s been happening to fellow flock owners who I follow on Instagram — Truly heartbreaking

Also, get rid of those wild birds feeders right away. You shouldn’t encourage wild birds at all when you have poultry, they carry in all kinds of things that get to our birds…

 

[Miss Lydia]

Definitely get your flock under cover right away until this blows over!! Sadly, they’re saying it will likely be 12-17 months. Many backyard keepers are scrambling right now to build shelters for their birds, including us, so that they can have a safe enclosed run area. —
I know ppl that have converted their basements, their outbuildings that once were their work offices, even one couple that made a coop up in the attic above their detached garage… it’s crazy

This stuff is NO joke! They can show no signs at all and you can just wake up one day with dead birds that just start dropping like flies. It’s been happening to fellow flock owners who I follow on Instagram — Truly heartbreaking

Also, get rid of those wild birds feeders right away. You shouldn’t encourage wild birds at all when you have poultry, they carry in all kinds of things that get to our birds…

So if you stop feeding the wild birds to keep them from getting into your flocks feed, won't that just encourage them to start getting into your flocks feed?

 

[Gypsi]

I feed the wild birds at the same time as I feed my hens, not a lot, strictly first come first serve, but enough to draw them away from my birds

 

[chicknmania]

I'm still waiting to hear who "they" are who are saying it would be 12 to 17 months. I asked this question before on another thread. Who, exactly, are "they"? What information source?