Bird feeder biohazard?

[theautumnalfox]

I'm still in the research phase of getting birds and have a question that my search inputs failed to answer. Currently we have a bird feeder close to the house for cardinals, titmouse, chicadees, house finches, and several species of woodpeckers.

My question is if/ how much of a biohazard having wild bird feeders pose to domestic ducks, quail, and exotic (impeyan/ trogopan) pheasants? I would love for the tree near my house to have several feeders and a waterer, but realized that might encourage the spread of germs and viruses. My intention is to keep my birds confined to pens, but the possible location for the pheasant pen would be near (20ft from) the wild bird tree. Is flyover/ bird droppings or seed parts an issue?

Thank you for your time.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Interaction of wild species can always be a biosecurity problem. That said, I rely on vigor and resistance because I don't have a way to exclude wildlife from 6 flocks of free range fowl.

 

[pibb]

I have 2 bird feeders near the house and my coop is ~50 yards from the bird feeders. I've never seen a wild bird in my chicken feed. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen since I don't look 24/7. The chicken feed is in a fenced in run and not in the open which I'd assume helps. I am sure the flyover bird droppings come in contact with my hens though but this area would probably have the same amount of bird droppings even if I had no bird feeders.

 

[Folly's place]

The wild wrens enter my coop when they can, and it's a constant battle keeping mites at bay because of these interactions.
Mycoplasma gallisepticum is a bad disease for chickens, and can be brought in by those birds too. I don't know if your poultry will be at risk though.
I do feed the wild birds, and those feeders are not where the chickens have access. I also stop feeding the wild birds when opossums or raccoons show up, and they will.
Mary

 

[imnukensc]

I have a bird feeder which I keep filled year round. My chickens free range daily and make daily trips to peck up fallen BOSS under the feeder. I don't worry about it. Others do.

 

[Folly's place]

Over two decades, I've seen a sick/ dying wren twice. Both times that bird vanished, the bird feeders came in, and the neighbors also stopped feeding wild birds for a month. MG, if it arrives, spreads at bird feeders, and the little wild wrens die of it.
Mary