Chicken Flu getting passed onto humans

[Fluffychickens6]

Umm.... so my mom is EXTREMELY worried that the chicken flu will be passed onto me if they get sick since I'm the one who takes care of them and cleans their coop and everything. My pullets haven't started laying either (about 16 weeks old) and I really wanted to see them lay their first egg. It's my first ever owning a chicken, so I'm not an expert or anything.

Will they lay during winter? And also should I actually let them get adopted because of the chicken flu?

I REALLY don't want to, but my mom and dad both think we should, but I love them very much and they bring a smile to my face. I live in the city in California, my neighbor use to have a chicken, but I think they gave her away because they were moving.

I'll just be broken hearted if they have to go and my mom also told me that on the news they already started killing the chickens in hong kong and china and also some states in USA. Please help.... should i? is it a good idea? If yes, where can i let them be adopted?

I absolutely don't want to, but my parents srsly think I should and so do my relatives

 

[Fluffychickens6]

oh and also im only 12.... SO IDK

 

[torilovessmiles]

Avian flu is very rare, especially in the US. Backyard flocks are even less commonly affected than large, commercial flocks. You are not very likely to contract avian flu from your chickens. If you had a large operation of with hundreds of birds, it would be different. If you keep them contained in areas where no wild birds can come in contact with them, then your risk is even less. Very, very minimal. It's quite uncommon to contract an illness from well-kept chickens.
As far as winter laying, that depends on the breed and your location (how many sunlight hours/day). They may or may not lay in the winter.
Good luck with your chickies, I'm sure they're safe and I hope you get to enjoy your eggs!

 

[Fluffychickens6]

I see... thank you!
one time a small wild bird (I think a sparrow) got into the coop and my buff orpington just started jumping kind of or lyk i wouldn't say attacking, but more like scaring it? will that affect it? I've seen the wild bird come close to the coop 3 times now.... I hung CDs and it seemed to solve the problem a bit? Should I add bird netting above the chicken's area?

The sun now typically sets around 5:00-5:30 it never really gets into the low 40s, just maybe the lowest is 50ish during day and night. There currently is a drought, but it recently started to rain a lot (1 week) and seemed to stop now. I'm in California near the coast so it's pretty sunny here. (as long as there aren't any clouds or rain)

I have 1 buff orpington and 1 rhode island red (both hens)

 

[torilovessmiles]

I see... thank you!
one time a small wild bird (I think a sparrow) got into the coop and my buff orpington just started jumping kind of or lyk i wouldn't say attacking, but more like scaring it? will that affect it? I've seen the wild bird come close to the coop 3 times now.... I hung CDs and it seemed to solve the problem a bit? Should I add bird netting above the chicken's area?

The sun now typically sets around 5:00-5:30 it never really gets into the low 40s, just maybe the lowest is 50ish during day and night. There currently is a drought, but it recently started to rain a lot (1 week) and seemed to stop now. I'm in California near the coast so it's pretty sunny here. (as long as there aren't any clouds or rain)

I have 1 buff orpington and 1 rhode island red (both hens)

Even if the do come in contact with wild birds, the possibility of them contracting avian flu in the US is quite slim, unless an alert is out for your specific area. However, those birds can transmit other diseases to your chickens (no others in the US I know of are directly communicable to humans, luckily), so if you feel uncomfortable with wild birds associating with your chickens, it wouldn't hurt to add bird netting. Mine have been around sparrows and other small birds quite often while free ranging, and they usually don't bother each other.
Some people add lights to their coop in the winter to encourage laying. They may delay their laying until late winter/early spring, as I've seen some very frustrated BYC members have some late layers!
Hope your parents let you keep your chickens, and your two girls is a great start, you've chosen excellent breeds!

 

[Fluffychickens6]

Ahh I see! Thank goodness

thank you for all ur help!