Have you changed your flock management practices because of HPAI?

[U_Stormcrow]

I have not, and was fortunate in that the FL cases were concentrated in the Eastern Flyway, while my grounds are almost fully flown over by Central Flyways birds, and the spread from East to Central seems to have occured at some point north of me. I also have higher risk tolerance than most.

That said, I expect this fall to be much more widespread HPAI movement, coming down from the Canadian feeding grounds, and expect to cull heavily to reduce the number of free ranging birds able, potentially, to be exposed.

 

[Brooks_]

I expect this fall to be much more widespread HPAI movement, coming down from the Canadian feeding grounds

That's my concern, as well. I don't think thinning my small flock would do much. Covering my run is not a realistic option. It's something I'll have to watch and make judgement calls on as more info/evidence becomes available. Is "I don't know" an acceptable answer?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

That's my concern, as well. I don't think thinning my small flock would do much. Covering my run is not a realistic option. It's something I'll have to watch and make judgement calls on as more info/evidence becomes available. Is "I don't know" an acceptable answer?

I sure hope so - its my answer! Like you, covering the grounds, or even the run, just isn't practical.

 

[DobieLover]

Is "I don't know" an acceptable answer?

Of course.
I'm playing a balancing game of tolerance. Not surprisingly my birds race to get out of their run and into their pen everyday. So confining them to the run is tough for me.
I do not see huge amounts of waterfowl flying over my property. I do see a pair occasionally. But directly over the pen? Not really. They tend to fly over the woods behind my property where the ponds are. So, yes I am taking a risk. But as the days grow longer and hopefully someday when the sun shows up, that will help kill the virus and mitigate the risk.
If anyone actually watched that video, the owner did state that the birds that were in the covered pens did not contract the virus. The ones that contracted the virus were his free range flock. But he has huge amounts of waterfowl flying over his property due to his proximity to one of the Great Lakes.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Of course.
I'm playing a balancing game of tolerance. Not surprisingly my birds race to get out of their run and into their pen everyday. So confining them to the run is tough for me.
I do not see huge amounts of waterfowl flying over my property. I do see a pair occasionally. But directly over the pen? Not really. They tend to fly over the woods behind my property where the ponds are. So, yes I am taking a risk. But as the days grow longer and hopefully someday when the sun shows up, that will help kill the virus and mitigate the risk.
If anyone actually watched that video, the owner did state that the birds that were in the covered pens did not contract the virus. The ones that contracted the virus were his free range flock. But he has huge amounts of waterfowl flying over his property due to his proximity to one of the Great Lakes.

But the ones that didnt get it still were put down so why bother covering them?

 

[DobieLover]

But the ones that didnt get it still were put down so why bother covering them?

Because if everybody had been in a covered pen he probably wouldn't have gotten the virus into his flocks in the first place.

 

[Mrs. K]

Because if everybody had been in a covered pen he probably wouldn't have gotten the virus into his flocks in the first place.

I don't think you can really say this. Diseases are tricky. I think you might reduce your chances, but there are a lot of variable factors that spread disease, all any of us can do, is do the best you can, and hope you are lucky.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I don't think you can really say this. Diseases are tricky. I think you might reduce your chances, but there are a lot of variable factors that spread disease, all any of us can do, is do the best you can, and hope you are lucky.

If the infectionsd of large commercial poutry ops suggest anything, its that covered "pens" or commercial chicken houses are vulnerable to humans bringing in disease either by breaking biosecurity (such as failing to change shoes, cover clothing, etc) or by inadequate biosecurity methods to prevent same.

Enclosing the faciliies may greatly reduce risk, but can't completely eliminate it. Just as having masses of migrating ducks wading in the nearby pond and waddling across the parking lot significantly elevates risk.

 

[K0k0shka]

I don't think you can really say this. Diseases are tricky. I think you might reduce your chances, but there are a lot of variable factors that spread disease, all any of us can do, is do the best you can, and hope you are lucky.

The point is that a covered pen is better than free range, hence the recommendations. Not perfect, but much better, in terms of the risk.

 

[DobieLover]

I don't think you can really say this.

The owner of the infected flock stated that and that is what happened on his property.
It would most certainly reduce the likelihood of transmission if an infected bird pooped in the chicken run while flying over and the chickens ate it.