Have you changed your flock management practices because of HPAI?

[DobieLover]

I am in upstate NY, green star on the PA border in the below map.
HPAI has been found in the counties marked with red stars. Number of stars show the number of confirmed cases, not precise locations.
Initially all cases were downstate until one showed up in Monroe county (which incidentally borders Lake Ontario) on 3/29/22.
So nothing within 100 miles of my location.

I give my flock access to a 1/3 acre pen that their coop/run setup resides in. See below.
I have continued to allow my birds out of their "wild bird proof" run, in green rectangle below.
I do have a lot of ponds around my property, 2 closest ones circled in blue, but no ponds on my property and have never had any water fowl on my property but they occasionally fly over the pen, outlined in purple.
A few song birds nest in the quince bush in the chicken's pen and have every year.

Down the road from me is a BYC keeper with a small flock of hens, maybe 6, and a small flock of geese, again, maybe 6. They have a pond on their property. I have not seen their flock in many weeks. I think they are keeping their birds confined but I would too if I were in their situation with domestic waterfowl and a pond on my property.

What is everyone else using for criteria in a situation where HPAI is in the country, maybe in your state, but we are not REQUIRED to confine due to the current risk level?

Yesterday.

 

[CrazyChicken Lady]

I stopped all free ranging although I let the ducks out occasionally to swim and nibble on grass. We have a pond right down the hill from our coop but get mallards on it. I have a spacious run with 6 foot tall walls- dog pen- and a open top. That’s the best I can do in my situation

Edited to add-Avian fly was found in my county near by. Rosses Goose had it

 

[RoyalChick]

I am in upstate NY, green star on the PA border in the below map.
HPAI has been found in the counties marked with red stars. Number of stars show the number of confirmed cases, not precise locations.
Initially all cases were downstate until one showed up in Monroe county (which incidentally borders Lake Ontario) on 3/29/22.
So nothing within 100 miles of my location.
View attachment 3046800

I give my flock access to a 1/3 acre pen that their coop/run setup resides in. See below.
I have continued to allow my birds out of their "wild bird proof" run, in green rectangle below.
I do have a lot of ponds around my property, 2 closest ones circled in blue, but no ponds on my property and have never had any water fowl on my property but they occasionally fly over the pen, outlined in purple.
A few song birds nest in the quince bush in the chicken's pen and have every year.
View attachment 3046823

Down the road from me is a BYC keeper with a small flock of hens, maybe 6, and a small flock of geese, again, maybe 6. They have a pond on their property. I have not seen their flock in many weeks. I think they are keeping their birds confined but I would too if I were in their situation with domestic waterfowl and a pond on my property.

What is everyone else using for criteria in a situation where HPAI is in the country, maybe in your state, but we are not REQUIRED to confine due to the current risk level?

Yesterday.
View attachment 3046843

I am in NJ and following the situation in surrounding states closely. So far nothing has been reported near me but it is hard to believe we will be spared. Similar to you I don't have ponds on my property but there are some close by.
So far I am doing the same as you are with a similar (but somewhat smaller scale) set-up. I am not sure what trigger I would use to confine my flock - maybe a case within 30 miles? But that is completely arbitrary. I am really at a loss.

 

[Mrs. K]

I think this depends on you, and your ability to manage the risk. I would follow the advice given. I have lost birds before, and accept that as a part of having them. A lot of people on here, have greater sensibilities, and suffer terrible depressions with a loss of birds or their flock.

If you are more like that - then keep them in. But do know, that this disease is a great deal like the Covid-19. Diseases are very difficult to control and really all the strategies used did not stop the spread from one place to the other.

I think you have to realize that there is a real possibility that you could get it, do your best to follow the guidelines, and do not feel guilty if you do. Do know there is a chance of getting it even if you do keep them in.

It has to be at your comfort level. Some people might depopulate the flock, so that they cannot have it on their place. Some people may be required to depopulate the flock for the greater good. For most of us, this is a hobby, but to me, the real people with risk, are the people whose very living comes from the birds.

Mrs K

 

[DobieLover]

I am not sure what trigger I would use to confine my flock - maybe a case within 30 miles? But that is completely arbitrary. I am really at a loss.

That's my concern. I just don't want the be THE case that is first found in my county.

 

[Mrs. K]

Awe - yes, that would be awkward.

 

[DobieLover]

I am in upstate NY, green star on the PA border in the below map.
HPAI has been found in the counties marked with red stars. Number of stars show the number of confirmed cases, not precise locations.
Initially all cases were downstate until one showed up in Monroe county (which incidentally borders Lake Ontario) on 3/29/22.
So nothing within 100 miles of my location.
View attachment 3046800

I give my flock access to a 1/3 acre pen that their coop/run setup resides in. See below.
I have continued to allow my birds out of their "wild bird proof" run, in green rectangle below.
I do have a lot of ponds around my property, 2 closest ones circled in blue, but no ponds on my property and have never had any water fowl on my property but they occasionally fly over the pen, outlined in purple.
A few song birds nest in the quince bush in the chicken's pen and have every year.
View attachment 3046823

Down the road from me is a BYC keeper with a small flock of hens, maybe 6, and a small flock of geese, again, maybe 6. They have a pond on their property. I have not seen their flock in many weeks. I think they are keeping their birds confined but I would too if I were in their situation with domestic waterfowl and a pond on my property.

What is everyone else using for criteria in a situation where HPAI is in the country, maybe in your state, but we are not REQUIRED to confine due to the current risk level?

Yesterday.
View attachment 3046843

This is a video uploaded by the farm in Upstate that lost their flocks to HPAI totaling 400 birds. They are about 4 miles from the coast of Lake Ontario and about 125 miles from me as a crow flies.
The farm down the hill from me released their geese yesterday.

 

[Sally PB]

I have never let my chickens free range. Too many predators, land and air. I put a solid roof over half of my run last fall, and a tarp over the other half. I am the only person who goes into the coop/run now. I'm dreading when I go on vacation in July. A neighbor will be taking care of the birds then, and I know I will worry.

There are lot of wild geese in the area, and a few cranes. I'm on a river, and just upstream from my property is a dam and reservoir. There are two chicken flocks that I know of within 3 miles of me, and I'm sure there are many, many more that I don't know of. There are commercial chicken operations within 20-25 miles of me too. Yeah, I'm worried.

To answer the question in the title, I guess the answer is no, I haven't changed anything. I am more aware, and if I can learn of something more that I can do, I'll do it.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Im two counties over from that ny farm ive always practiced biosecurity. People should of done this way before. I started this after people tried dumping mg infected birds off on me now no one goes in my area.

 

[K0k0shka]

I only have 7 chickens and thus not a lot of wiggle room for losses, so I don't take any unnecessary risks like free ranging, regardless of the existence of a bird flu or not. Maybe if I had a bigger flock, and if they were livestock, I wouldn't care as much, but these 7 chickens are family pets that my kids love, so I'm not taking any chances. Outbreaks have been reported in two counties in my state, both about an hour away from me, which makes me extra nervous. They're not THAT close to me, but at the same time, we have a lot of woods in the state so if a bird died in the woods, who would even know? The reported cases are only the ones that have been found and identified, it doesn't reflect the true spread of the virus.

I'm keeping my chickens in their covered run as always, changing shoes/clothes whenever I tend to them, I don't go to feed stores in person (I order with delivery instead) or to farms that have birds, and I don't let outsiders into my chicken area. I also took down my wild bird feeders. That's about as much as I can do.