Avian Flu WARNING!!!

Kuntry Klucker

Crowing
12 Years
Jun 9, 2010
1,623
1,007
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Tennesee Smoky Mts.
I keep hearing about the avian flu that is making its way around the country and now making to to various states.

What are you all doing to protect your flocks? I am fairly new a chicken keeping and am starting to freak out.

Should I stop free ranging? Should I keep them locked in the coop? What is the best most sensible approach to keeping your flock safe?

Thanks
 
I keep hearing about the avian flu that is making its way around the country and now making to to various states.

What are you all doing to protect your flocks? I am fairly new a chicken keeping and am starting to freak out.

Should I stop free ranging? Should I keep them locked in the coop? What is the best most sensible approach to keeping your flock safe?

Thanks

Keep everything clean. Don't let other people with birds walk around your chicken property or handle them. Disinfect your shoes and change your clothes if you go somewhere where there are birds (well - can't do anything about the wild ones since they are everywhere than goodness). Keep your flock healthy, make sure their diet is well-balanced. If it's in your area, keep them in their run. Here's a link http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/portal/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth . I wouldn't freak out unless it's on your doorstep.
 
Keep everything clean. Don't let other people with birds walk around your chicken property or handle them. Disinfect your shoes and change your clothes if you go somewhere where there are birds (well - can't do anything about the wild ones since they are everywhere than goodness). Keep your flock healthy, make sure their diet is well-balanced. If it's in your area, keep them in their run. Here's a link http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/portal/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth . I wouldn't freak out unless it's on your doorstep.

great! thanks for the link.

I do have a question for those of out there that have been at this longer than I have. My coop sits under a large shade tree.
I like the have the chickens roaming under the shade tree during the summer because it helps to keep them cool. But the wild birds
often also perch in it and of course poop which can make it to the ground and my chickens walk in it.

Would it be unsafe to allow them to be under the tree while the Avian Flu is making its way across the nation? If so I can always keep them in their pen, I just thought I would get some opinions. Here is a pic that may help you understand my setup.

Thanks

 
That's a really, really nice set up! I think it's mainly in waterfowl this year. Personally, I'd take the risk, unless it's in your area. They'd be so unhappy! I hope some others give you their opinions.
 
That's a really, really nice set up! I think it's mainly in waterfowl this year. Personally, I'd take the risk, unless it's in your area. They'd be so unhappy! I hope some others give you their opinions.

Thanks. We built it next to the tree so that they could be out of the pen yet in shade for the summer. Its just that the wild birds also like to perch in the tree and of course their poop falls on the ground that the chickens run in. In light of the bird flu I am afraid to have them out from under their tarp over their pen. with the tree it is too hard to put a tarp over the outdoor run. I am in TN the bird flu is in most the of states around us, GA, KY, and the southern states around us.

Thanks again.
 
First: Know the facts. There is entirely too much hoopla and hype being spread around the forums about the continuing spread of avian flu.
1) The plain and simple fact is that it has currently halted it's spread. There has not been any confirmed cases since June 9. Now that may sound like a short time, but with something that spreads this fast and kills so quickly that is a long time. Whether or not that continues only time can tell, but we can only hope for the best. Most states that initialy had an outbreak along the pacific coast flyway have not had any confirmed cases in well over 90 days, some hitting the 4 month mark.
2) The vast majority of confirmed cases (95% or higher) has been in large commercial operations where large numbers of birds are confined in tight living conditions where the disease can spread through birds with already comprimised immune systems. In fact some avian veternarians believe that backyard flocks may be able to fight off the disease because of healthier living conditions. Whether true or not, it does make some sense.
3) As far as I know, there has not been any confirmed cases of avian flu in either KY or GA or any southern states, however these states HAVE taken precautions against it's spread.
4) The USDA maintains a tracking site that iupdated continuously if you would like to see where birds are being hit hardest.

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/porta.../sa_detections_by_states/ct_ai_pacific_flyway

Honestly,, I would not worry too much. I have currently around 200 chickens running free range and not one has gotten ill. Like stated this is something that is really mostly hitting the industry farms hardest... maybe mother nature is telling us something about how we raise our food.

UPDATE: Since posting this, one new case has come to light in Iowa,, this after 8 days of no cases. Still,, in my opinion it is slowing.
 
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First: Know the facts. There is entirely too much hoopla and hype being spread around the forums about the continuing spread of avian flu.
1) The plain and simple fact is that it has currently halted it's spread. There has not been any confirmed cases since June 9. Now that may sound like a short time, but with something that spreads this fast and kills so quickly that is a long time. Whether or not that continues only time can tell, but we can only hope for the best. Most states that initialy had an outbreak along the pacific coast flyway have not had any confirmed cases in well over 90 days, some hitting the 4 month mark.
2) The vast majority of confirmed cases (95% or higher) has been in large commercial operations where large numbers of birds are confined in tight living conditions where the disease can spread through birds with already comprimised immune systems. In fact some avian veternarians believe that backyard flocks may be able to fight off the disease because of healthier living conditions. Whether true or not, it does make some sense.
3) As far as I know, there has not been any confirmed cases of avian flu in either KY or GA or any southern states, however these states HAVE taken precautions against it's spread.
4) The USDA maintains a tracking site that iupdated continuously if you would like to see where birds are being hit hardest.

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/porta.../sa_detections_by_states/ct_ai_pacific_flyway

Honestly,, I would not worry too much. I have currently around 200 chickens running free range and not one has gotten ill. Like stated this is something that is really mostly hitting the industry farms hardest... maybe mother nature is telling us something about how we raise our food.

UPDATE: Since posting this, one new case has come to light in Iowa,, this after 8 days of no cases. Still,, in my opinion it is slowing.

Thank you so much for you post. I guess maybe I am getting a little too nervous about Bird Flu. I just know that it is nothing to mess with and am using
caution maybe too much. I went ahead and let them out in their little run under the tree. they love that tree and the tree loves them (best fertilizer).

I guess if the bird flu is found in tennessee than I will lock them in the pen.

Thanks again all.
 
there is nothing wrong with being cautious
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best of luck to you and your flock
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Thanks, I guess sometimes I can be too cautious. I just know that the Bird Flu is noting to mess with and want to do all I can to avoid it.
 
There aren't many big farms where I live, mainly just people with less that 20 birds, so I think I'm pretty safe. However, I have quit free ranging my birds mainly for other reasons, but it's a logical precaution as well. We have quite a few wild ducks, but, so far, there have been no cases on the Atlantic flyway.
What you can do is take advantage of the egg price increases and public panic to sell your own healthy, cage free, 'flu free' eggs.
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