Consolidated Kansas

[chicken danz]

Well bird flu is brought in by migratory birds. There are several cases of bird flu in Canada and all the migratory birds follow one of several flight patterns across the United States from Canada. Here is a map of the flyways.


Most of the avian flu has been in the pacific flyway in Canada but crosses over to other regions as well. Washington and Oregon have been hard hit. Obviously it has hit the Mississippi flyway and has filtrated south. The real danger is if it begins to infiltrate the farms then native wild birds will pick it up and spread it to local back yard flocks. Unfortunately keeping people out isn't going to do much in the way of preventing it. I don't let anyone go in my pens. And I always ask customers to wear shoes that they don't wear around their own birds.
Unfortunately there is no vaccine against bird flu. There are several types that are related but the real danger is if the flu mutates like it did in Asia so humans can catch it.
I actually ordered Lysine last week. I take lysine on a regular basis because I don't have a good immune system. I plan to start giving my birds small amounts of lysine to help them fight off viruses. It's fairly pricy but I think it might help keep resist viruses and stay well.

 

[Ralph Moyer]

I also use the DLM method in my coops & it works well. I clean mine out every 6 months & it needs it right now. I do it spring & fall, that way it gets cleaned right after winter is over & before winter so it starts out clean. I take all the litter out & spread it on my compost area & let it break down to use for garden or whatever. I haven't had a garden for a couple of years due to having goats roaming around but this year they're finally contained in the field. I do leave windows open in the main coop all winter to help with ventilation. In my breeder coop there is ventilation at the top so I don't worry about it so much.

Yes, someone posted this report on the Kansas Poultry Swap so I read it this morning. It had been only in the Washington area over Northwest but now it looks like it's spreading, it is very scary. Some of us have a lot to lose if it came to our farm.

I agree on the wild birds zigzag but I am tightening down on anyone going around my pens that comes here. It really does aggravate me when someone comes to pick something up & they let their kids out of the car & let them run all over. I had someone do that the other day. I try my best to keep my birds healthy & that is a risk I'm not willing to take with people who have chickens already trekking around my pens. I know people like to see your setup but I'm afraid here they're going to have to look at it from the driveway.

On another note, I finally got the little lamb integrated back into the flock, he spent his first night all night out there last night. I'm so thrilled to have him out of the house, I can't tell you how happy I am about that. I also started him on what is called a teat bucket today for feeding so he can eat when he wants. I just have to go out at intervals & make sure he still has milk in there & that he's eating. That will save me a lot of time & energy if it works out.

Deerfield, you would be great to teach those kids about chickens & your setup. HEChicken would also be good but she is pretty busy now with milking a cow, taking care of her sheep & goats, & birds. She hasn't been posting here for awhile. For those who don't know, she also publishes a blog on Self Sufficiency, which they try to practice at her place as much as possible. She & I also run two swaps on FB, a poultry one & a farm animal one as well as she has a pet swap for her county & I help with a pet swap in mine.

As I am in Cherokee County, I checked on were the quarantine area is in force and it is 6 miles west and 6 miles north and south of the Missouri state line,; at Asbury, MO. No birds of any kind can move in or out of that area. This includes eggs. I do have some people in that area that are my egg customers, and I have notified them, that I can not sell them any eggs, until the quarantine is lifted. My dogs will be eating lot of scrambled eggs.

I am glad I did get most of my Muscovy ducks sold last week, along with many quail. I still have 30+ Muscovy hens, but maybe they will find that the bird flue was only at the turkey farms, as that was where it has been found so far.

 

[Trish44]

I'm sorry Ralph, I just saw the quarantine map for Kansas since the area is right over the border from where the disease was found in Missouri. Here is a link for everyone that I think is worth reading regarding bio-security. I'm sure we all try our best but it's a good reminder or some good info for new people getting into chickens: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/2014/pub_bioguide_poultry_bird.pdf. This is some scary stuff & the word is starting to get out on FB & I'm sure on here as well as people hear about it. I just hope they can contain it in Missouri so we don't get it in our state. So far there aren't any known cases here.

 

[chicken danz]

One thing that should be noted is that the Dept of animal health is calling for all owners of poultry to contact the state so they know where any flocks of birds are located if you are in either of these counties. Personally if I were in either county I would want the state to monitor my flock. I have customers there and my brother is in Cherokee county and building a chicken coop. I was going to supply him with hens. I was also going to sell a number of hatching eggs in Cherokee county but I am not going to until this is resolved. Yep I'll loose money but it's all part of the grand scheme of thing. It would be very wise not to move any birds or hatching eggs all right now from the general area.
But for everyone's sake I hope people take this seriously for the next 30 days or so.
We all stand to get hurt by this but I'd much rather be safe than see this not only kill off poultry flocks all over the country but also evolve to human disease.
KDA Establishes Quarantine Zones in Cherokee and Cr
awford Counties
MANHATTAN, Kan. – In response to the confirmed a po
sitive case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
Case Confirmed in Missouri (HPAI) in Missouri, the
Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) has establis
hed
quarantine zones in Crawford and Cherokee counties
to respond quickly and decisively to eradicate the
outbreak of HPAI.
The quarantine area is bordered by the following ro
ads:
Crawford County Kansas
•
West on 560
th
Avenue (also known as 20
th
Street) to 240
th
Street (also known as Free Kings
Highway)
•
South on 240
th
Street (Free Kings Highway) to 550
th
Avenue (also known as Kansas 126
Highway)
•
West on 550
th
Avenue (Kansas 126 Highway) to Rouse Street
•
South on Rouse Street to Ford Street
•
West on Ford Street to Broadway (also known as Busi
ness Highway U.S. 69)
•
South on Broadway (Business Highway U.S. 69) mergin
g into 220
th
Avenue to Junction with
U.S. 69 Highway at the Cherokee County line.
Cherokee County Kansas
•
South on U.S. 69 Highway to Scammond Road
•
East on Scammond Road to 85
th
Street
•
South on 85
th
Street to Star Valley Road
•
Star Valley Road to the Missouri line

 

[Ralph Moyer]

One thing that should be noted is that the Dept of animal health is calling for all owners of poultry to contact the state so they know where any flocks of birds are located if you are in either of these counties. Personally if I were in either county I would want the state to monitor my flock. I have customers there and my brother is in Cherokee county and building a chicken coop. I was going to supply him with hens. I was also going to sell a number of hatching eggs in Cherokee county but I am not going to until this is resolved. Yep I'll loose money but it's all part of the grand scheme of thing. It would be very wise not to move any birds or hatching eggs all right now from the general area.
But for everyone's sake I hope people take this seriously for the next 30 days or so.
We all stand to get hurt by this but I'd much rather be safe than see this not only kill off poultry flocks all over the country but also evolve to human disease.
KDA Establishes Quarantine Zones in Cherokee and Cr
awford Counties
MANHATTAN, Kan. – In response to the confirmed a po
sitive case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
Case Confirmed in Missouri (HPAI) in Missouri, the
Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) has establis
hed
quarantine zones in Crawford and Cherokee counties
to respond quickly and decisively to eradicate the
outbreak of HPAI.
The quarantine area is bordered by the following ro
ads:
Crawford County Kansas
•
West on 560
th
Avenue (also known as 20
th
Street) to 240
th
Street (also known as Free Kings
Highway)
•
South on 240
th
Street (Free Kings Highway) to 550
th
Avenue (also known as Kansas 126
Highway)
•
West on 550
th
Avenue (Kansas 126 Highway) to Rouse Street
•
South on Rouse Street to Ford Street
•
West on Ford Street to Broadway (also known as Busi
ness Highway U.S. 69)
•
South on Broadway (Business Highway U.S. 69) mergin
g into 220
th
Avenue to Junction with
U.S. 69 Highway at the Cherokee County line.
Cherokee County Kansas
•
South on U.S. 69 Highway to Scammond Road
•
East on Scammond Road to 85
th
Street
•
South on 85
th
Street to Star Valley Road
•
Star Valley Road to the Missouri line

Danz, I contacted the Extension department as soon as I knew about the quarantine. They gave me another number to call, so that if the area is extended, they want to know where all the birds are located; so that they can be checked. There are many turkey farm in this area, and the main feed mill is located in the center of Cherokee County. I know those trucks don't stop and disinfect their trucks before they leave each farm-stop. That may spread the disease.

 

[chicken danz]

Oh wow Ralph that is pretty spooky. Just what they might track on their boots could end up getting spread. It's got me on cleaning binge right now. Scrubbing out and disinfecting what seems like hundreds of water bowls. I know wild birds fly in the pens or over the pens and poop. Even with netting there is no way to keep that from happening. What I understood from Dr. Grosdidier head of the animal health dept in Kansas, when I talked to him on the phone a while back, is they believe it is mainly water fowl that is spreading the virus, like all these crazy geese and ducks that fly through. Other migratory birds can spread it as well but they die sooner. Also consider all the wild turkeys there are now and the wild geese. I see them both in the same fields all the time as well as quail along the outskirts.
It does worry me a lot. Wish I could just put a big bubble over my place, keep all the bad things out and keep my own animals in.

 

[Ralph Moyer]

Oh wow Ralph that is pretty spooky. Just what they might track on their boots could end up getting spread. It's got me on cleaning binge right now. Scrubbing out and disinfecting what seems like hundreds of water bowls. I know wild birds fly in the pens or over the pens and poop. Even with netting there is no way to keep that from happening. What I understood from Dr. Grosdidier head of the animal health dept in Kansas, when I talked to him on the phone a while back, is they believe it is mainly water fowl that is spreading the virus, like all these crazy geese and ducks that fly through. Other migratory birds can spread it as well but they die sooner. Also consider all the wild turkeys there are now and the wild geese. I see them both in the same fields all the time as well as quail along the outskirts.
It does worry me a lot. Wish I could just put a big bubble over my place, keep all the bad things out and keep my own animals in.

The quarantine of that turkey farm is for an area of ten miles in all directions, of the affected farm. They will check every place, with birds, within that 10-mile circle. If they find more in that circle, then they will expand the search area. The current quarantine is for at least 30 days. I am not sure about all the locations, but the ones in Missouri and Arkansas have been commercial turkey growers. It seems odd that water-fowl would be the source for all those cases, as the growing houses are all enclosed.

 

[chicken danz]

Yeah I couldn't figure out the turkey farm thing. Unless they had eggs shipped in for hatching from the northwest or Canada or somewhere there had been cases.
I finally got to use the skid steer I've had since last fall. As soon as I got it the weather went bad and it's either been cold, or muddy or frozen or something since then. Today it was finally dry enough that I actually used it. It's a tiny unit with very little power and lousy excuses for buckets but I did a lot of work moving trash and an old huge burn pile where my pens will go behind the building. Now I wish I was going to keep it for awhile. The owners are picking it up Monday. My weekend is booked solid so that was that. I am thrilled to have gotten some work done though.

 

[Anderson Lowe]

Looks like Leavenworth county is probably going to be next on the list:

Kansas Department of Agriculture notified of confirmed positive case of Avian Influenza

MANHATTAN, Kansas – The Kansas Department of Agriculture was notified late Friday afternoon that samples collected from a backyard poultry flock containing both chickens and ducks in Leavenworth County returned a presumptive positive result for highly pathogenic avian influenza at the National Veterinary Services Lab.
KDA will be establishing a control zone around the premise. This case is in addition to the areas of Cherokee and Crawford counties that are under surveillance after a confirmed case of the H5N2 strain of Avian Influenza was found in Jasper County, Missouri near Asbury earlier in the week.

Avian Influenza is a contagious, rapidly spreading viral disease affecting birds. Outbreaks of a strain of avian influenza have occurred in Missouri, Arkansas, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington and Idaho and are not considered to be a threat to public health or the food supply.
Dr. Bill Brown, State Animal Health Commissioner, confirmed that a response team from KDA’s Division of Animal Health and from USDA will be dispatched to the area to conduct surveillance activities and to collect additional sample from flocks within the control zone. “It is important to know where backyard flocks of poultry exist. We will be seeking information about the presence of backyard flocks in Leavenworth County.”
Avian Influenza exists naturally in many wild birds and can be transmitted by contact with infected animals or ingestion of infected food or water. CDC considers the risk to people from these HPAI H5 infections in wild birds, backyard flocks and commercial poultry, to be low. No human infections with the virus have been detected at this time.
“We are dedicated to providing the necessary assistance and precautions to avoid any possible spreading of the disease,” Brown said. Symptoms in poultry include coughing, sneezing, respiratory distress, decreased egg production and sudden death.
KDA is seeking assistance from backyard poultry owners in Leavenworth County. If you currently own poultry, the agency is requesting you self-report your backyard flock. This will assist animal health officials in helping to monitor the situation and control the spread of this disease. Please email information about the location and type of backyard flock in Leavenworth County to [email protected]. You may also contact the KDA Division of Animal Health at 785-564-6601.
If you suspect your flock has contracted the disease, quarantine the affected animals immediately. Also, be sure to restrict traffic on and off your farm and thoroughly disinfect any material leaving the farm such as tires, equipment and clothing. No effective treatment for the disease has been found. Infected animals must be humanely destroyed and disposed of properly to prevent the disease from spreading.
Although vaccines are available, they are not commonly used because no vaccine covers all 15 strains of the disease. Prevention is the best way to combat Avian Influenza. Keep wild birds away from your home or farm, and stay informed about the health of neighboring animals.
Additional information will be made available on Monday, March 16.
For more information please check www.agriculture.ks.gov/avianinfluenza

 

[MrsProf]

Question on leg bands:

Accidentally started another thread with this question on accident....grrr

Ok, my friendly Kansas chickeners...(Yes i like creating my own words)

Recommendation on leg bands
Numbered or colored ones?
Is there anywhere to purchase them besides online?
I know my local orschlens doesn't have them

Anybody tried Bluestem in Emporia or any of the TSC's
Places i haven't thought of?

Thanks in advance for all input.
Andy

I was through McPherson today and stopped at TSC, they had colored bands in their chick area. But they were 11's which are kind of on the big side.
When we needed leg bands last year for the 4-H fair we ended up making our own out of shrinky-dinks plastic. It was trial and error, but I was able to write information on them besides just a number. I have also seen some that are Velcro that intrigued me, those would be nice as legs get bigger...