Bird Flu in the U.K.?

[Cheekon]

I just heard someone say that there have been confirmed cases of bird flu in wild birds in the U.K. Is this true? If so what will this mean for backyard poultry keepers?

 

[BJ]

??

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/health/dn13171-bird-flu-strikes-uk-wildlife.html


If you google "bird flu in uk", you will find several articles over the last several years. It seems to be a common thing. I wouldn't worry.

 

[tarazod]

Small flocks of backyard poultry, specifically those chickens that have plenty of access to the outdoors where they are in the sun and wind, are the least likely to contract bird flu. The virus does not survive when it becomes dehydrated.

For more information on the truth about bird flu, check out Dr. Michael Greger's site

 

[Cheekon]

I have seen most of the sites i just wanted some actual hobby poultry keepers advice not USDA statistics.

 

[tarazod]

That's the cool thing about Dr. Greger. He's not with the USDA. What he says is in support of the backyard hobbyist.

He suggests that we go back to more traditional, more humane ways of keeping poultry rather than those employed by the typical factory farm.

 

[kstaven]

Yes there have been confirmed cases of AI in almost every country in the world. The problem with the media is they do not always mention which one of the strains it is. Most are virtually harmless.

Even saying it is an "H5 type" is a very misleading thing. Yet all to common in the media.

What does it mean to backyard poultry? That is going to depend on the media portrayal and public hysteria.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Quote:
Wild birds have the H5 virus all the time, especially waterfowl. Of the wild birds tested in the US and Canada last summer about 3% of them showed H5.

What does that mean to us? Don't use pond water where wild waterfowl poop as a supply for your poultry. Use a water supply that is fit for human consumption. Seriously the one outbreak of H5N7 we had here in Canada traced back to a farm where the city water supply was low so they doubled the commercial price, the farmer could not pay it so he got a pump and used the water on his property. It worked fine for over a year then some migratory waterfowl stopped by for a rest and his layer hens got sick.