Bird Flu in bobwhites?

[StoneyAcreFarm]

I've got a covey of 16 bobwhites that were born April 2022. In the last few months, I've lost 3 or 4...when I haven't lost that in total for the last 2 years. I feel like that's pretty young for them to start dying off. I also have a batch of about 30 young ones that I've raised for butchering. I don't think it could possibly be bird flu (no symptoms, just dead), but that's all you hear about. On the off chance that's what we are dealing with, is the meat safe to eat at butchering time?

 

[Susan Skylark]

FDA has confirmed pasteurization kills bird flu in milk so cooking should kill it in bird meat, but in general I can’t recommend eating anything that dies from an unknown cause (heard a retired state vet tell a tale about a whole family getting anthrax after eating a randomly dead cow!). But also meat quality is affected by fever and bacterial toxins (clostridium or e. Coli wouldn’t be all that tasty!). As for your suddenly dead birds, what is the lifespan on a bobwhite (as this is elderly for coturnix I wouldn’t be surprised in them). In wild birds and large flocks they are ‘just found dead’ because nobody notices symptoms (lethargy, off feed, droopy, depressed, respiratory and gi signs) but small well observed flocks you should see something. Sudden death I’d look for toxin (feed, aerosol (neighbor spraying weeds, high temp Teflon cooking)), heat stroke, terror (predator attack), or some really noxious bug (clostridium, e. Coli…). Any changes management, outside or inside environment, extreme weather…could give you clues.

 

[StoneyAcreFarm]

FDA has confirmed pasteurization kills bird flu in milk so cooking should kill it in bird meat, but in general I can’t recommend eating anything that dies from an unknown cause (heard a retired state vet tell a tale about a whole family getting anthrax after eating a randomly dead cow!). But also meat quality is affected by fever and bacterial toxins (clostridium or e. Coli wouldn’t be all that tasty!). As for your suddenly dead birds, what is the lifespan on a bobwhite (as this is elderly for coturnix I wouldn’t be surprised in them). In wild birds and large flocks they are ‘just found dead’ because nobody notices symptoms (lethargy, off feed, droopy, depressed, respiratory and gi signs) but small well observed flocks you should see something. Sudden death I’d look for toxin (feed, aerosol (neighbor spraying weeds, high temp Teflon cooking)), heat stroke, terror (predator attack), or some really noxious bug (clostridium, e. Coli…). Any changes management, outside or inside environment, extreme weather…could give you clues.

Oh, I should have been more specific. We wouldn't be eating the random dead birds. I just plan on butchering the younger covey and was hesitant to eat the meat if that was a possibility. As far as age span, I'm unsure. I thought I read when we first hatched these, that 5 years was typical. But now I see it's more like 2-5. So hopefully it's just age.

 

[007Sean]

I've got a covey of 16 bobwhites that were born April 2022. In the last few months, I've lost 3 or 4...when I haven't lost that in total for the last 2 years. I feel like that's pretty young for them to start dying off. I also have a batch of about 30 young ones that I've raised for butchering. I don't think it could possibly be bird flu (no symptoms, just dead), but that's all you hear about. On the off chance that's what we are dealing with, is the meat safe to eat at butchering time?

Probably not bird flu but without a necropsy being preformed there's no way to tell what caused the death(s). Unless, I see the bird flush up and break it's neck, I personally wouldn't eat the carcass.
What is their enclosure/ housing like...got pics? Are they in close proximity to other poultry? What are you feeding them, including treats, if any? Do you have a mosquito problem?

 

[StoneyAcreFarm]

Probably not bird flu but without a necropsy being preformed there's no way to tell what caused the death(s). Unless, I see the bird flush up and break it's neck, I personally wouldn't eat the carcass.
What is their enclosure/ housing like...got pics? Are they in close proximity to other poultry? What are you feeding them, including treats, if any? Do you have a mosquito problem?

I should have been more specific. We wouldn't be eating the random dead birds. I just plan on butchering the younger covey and was hesitant to eat the meat if that was a possibility. My two covers are about a 10 ft distance from one another. No other birds (besides 3 ducks). They both are fed the same game bird feed that they've always had. No mosquitos...or I guess no infestation.

...thank you...you always help when I have questions!

 

[007Sean]

I should have been more specific. We wouldn't be eating the random dead birds. I just plan on butchering the younger covey and was hesitant to eat the meat if that was a possibility. My two covers are about a 10 ft distance from one another. No other birds (besides 3 ducks). They both are fed the same game bird feed that they've always had. No mosquitos...or I guess no infestation.

...thank you...you always help when I have questions!

As long as they are healthy, then butcher them and enjoy the meal. If they look sick, then don't butcher or eat.

 

[Loving my girls]

Personally I wouldn’t eat them until you can identify the problem,

 

[Ruby Law]

I haven't had chickens in over a year due to a highly deadly strain of Marek's they contracted as day-olds. Just my luck. But there are lots of anti-viral and generally immune boosting herbs that chickens can have. For instance, St. John's Wort is very anti-viral and chickens can have it.

DG specifically from Chinese licorice (do NOT use it from American or European licorice) is antiviral in humans and chickens. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24920229/.

There's also baicalin. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33008383/

Those are the strongest I could find for chickens. And of course, adding regular herbs like thyme, oregano, etc. boost their immune systems too.

I hope everyone starts understanding that we need to get our chickens around the country stronger and more resilient. Cull the weak and sick, and keep the strongest to breed. I am so sick of disease running rampant in our chickens!
Good luck to you!