Avian Flu - Washington State

[niman]

What are the symptoms? I am losing one chicken per week.

High-path AI:
Swollen combs or wattles
Bluish comb, wattle or legs
Nasal and eye discharge
Blood-tinged nasal or eye discharge
Tilting head
Lack of coordination
Depressed/ruffled feathers
*Sudden death
High death rate
*Note: When poultry are infected with highpath
AI, they may die before symptoms
appear.

http://agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/AvianHealth/Docs/AvianInfluenza2014.pdf

 

[ni22]

So.... I am within the quarantine area of Benton City, WA.

I am 10 miles or maybe a little less from the farm that it was first found at. Here is the quarantine rules that were just released by the Dept. of Ag.

http://agr.wa.gov/LawsRules/Rulemaking/AH/docs/WSR15-03-004attachment.pdf

So I have some questions....

The flock that this was found in is being called a backyard flock but really it wasn't, they had somewhere around 200 birds and they operated a small home poultry business.

How does this affect those of us who really are small backyard flock owners? Other than monitoring the health of our flocks? I suppose we can't sell any of our eggs/birds right now. What about purchasing birds from non quarantined areas? I ordered chicks last fall and I am going to be so upset if I have waited all this time and can't get them!

My birds are healthy and don't have contact with migratory waterfowl (the dog dissuades them from landing on our property) but there is a flock of finches that live next door and hang out with my chickens- and we live less than a mile from the river. The chickens currently free range my 1.25 acres that is fully fenced.

 

[niman]

So.... I am within the quarantine area of Benton City, WA.

I am 10 miles or maybe a little less from the farm that it was first found at. Here is the quarantine rules that were just released by the Dept. of Ag.

http://agr.wa.gov/LawsRules/Rulemaking/AH/docs/WSR15-03-004attachment.pdf

So I have some questions....

The flock that this was found in is being called a backyard flock but really it wasn't, they had somewhere around 200 birds and they operated a small home poultry business.

How does this affect those of us who really are small backyard flock owners? Other than monitoring the health of our flocks? I suppose we can't sell any of our eggs/birds right now. What about purchasing birds from non quarantined areas? I ordered chicks last fall and I am going to be so upset if I have waited all this time and can't get them!

My birds are healthy and don't have contact with migratory waterfowl (the dog dissuades them from landing on our property) but there is a flock of finches that live next door and hang out with my chickens- and we live less than a mile from the river. The chickens currently free range my 1.25 acres that is fully fenced.

I am not sure about the rules of getting new birds while in the quarantine area (I suspect you can still get new birds as long as they are not from within the quarantine area.

FYI the OIE report on Benton has just come out. They list 178 birds for the index farm. However, they cite TWO linked farms. Do you know anything about these two farms?

Here is the OIE report
http://www.oie.int/wahis_2/public/wahid.php/Reviewreport/Review?reportid=16914

 

[niman]

So.... I am within the quarantine area of Benton City, WA.

I am 10 miles or maybe a little less from the farm that it was first found at. Here is the quarantine rules that were just released by the Dept. of Ag.

http://agr.wa.gov/LawsRules/Rulemaking/AH/docs/WSR15-03-004attachment.pdf

So I have some questions....

The flock that this was found in is being called a backyard flock but really it wasn't, they had somewhere around 200 birds and they operated a small home poultry business.

How does this affect those of us who really are small backyard flock owners? Other than monitoring the health of our flocks? I suppose we can't sell any of our eggs/birds right now. What about purchasing birds from non quarantined areas? I ordered chicks last fall and I am going to be so upset if I have waited all this time and can't get them!

My birds are healthy and don't have contact with migratory waterfowl (the dog dissuades them from landing on our property) but there is a flock of finches that live next door and hang out with my chickens- and we live less than a mile from the river. The chickens currently free range my 1.25 acres that is fully fenced.

On a related note, I have been maintaining a map on H5N2 cases. I have a marker for the index farm based on the exclusion zones. Can you check and see how close I am to this farm? For the second farm, the marker is on the farm in the media reports. It is close to the Richland airport and the marker is on one of the sheds, indicating the farm is precisely matched
https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zv94AJqgUct4.kB0Jt6F7NlIM&hl=en

 

[enola]

I don't know how all states designate backyard flocks, but some states consider any flock that is not a commercial flock to be a 'backyard' flock.

 

[Amberjem]

 

[PulletNewbie]

What an eye-opener this thread has been for me! Thanks to all of you who clearly know the threats and have felt the heartbreak for sharing your experience.

First thing this Oklahoma gal will do is make sure the wild birds that like to share the compost pile with my girls are discouraged and redirected to bird feeders 200 yards away.

Bless you BYCers!

 

[niman]

So.... I am within the quarantine area of Benton City, WA.

I am 10 miles or maybe a little less from the farm that it was first found at. Here is the quarantine rules that were just released by the Dept. of Ag.

http://agr.wa.gov/LawsRules/Rulemaking/AH/docs/WSR15-03-004attachment.pdf

So I have some questions....

The flock that this was found in is being called a backyard flock but really it wasn't, they had somewhere around 200 birds and they operated a small home poultry business.

How does this affect those of us who really are small backyard flock owners? Other than monitoring the health of our flocks? I suppose we can't sell any of our eggs/birds right now. What about purchasing birds from non quarantined areas? I ordered chicks last fall and I am going to be so upset if I have waited all this time and can't get them!

My birds are healthy and don't have contact with migratory waterfowl (the dog dissuades them from landing on our property) but there is a flock of finches that live next door and hang out with my chickens- and we live less than a mile from the river. The chickens currently free range my 1.25 acres that is fully fenced.

FYI, The latest I have is that the third farm is close to the index, but no birds were symptomatic and testing was negative, so my understanding is that there are only the two confirmed farms, designated on the map.

 

[ni22]

I am not sure about the rules of getting new birds while in the quarantine area (I suspect you can still get new birds as long as they are not from within the quarantine area.

FYI the OIE report on Benton has just come out.  They list 178 birds for the index farm.  However, they cite TWO linked farms.  Do you know anything about these two farms?

Here is the OIE report
http://www.oie.int/wahis_2/public/wahid.php/Reviewreport/Review?reportid=16914

The third farm was only tested and is negative. From what I understand the owners of the second farm are friends of the original farm owners. I believe the second farm had around 500 birds.

 

[niman]

The third farm was only tested and is negative. From what I understand the owners of the second farm are friends of the original farm owners. I believe the second farm had around 500 birds.

Yes, that matches the latest info I have. Is the location of the index farm close to the marker on this map?

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zv94AJqgUct4.kB0Jt6F7NlIM&hl=en

I am pretty certain that the second farm is accurately marked. Do the two confirmed farms have posted notices?