HEADS UP AVIAN INFLUENZA ALERT

[LeslieDJoyce]

Backyard flocks have not entirely escaped the problem. I saw a graphic today that listed about 7,200 backyard birds affected in 17 different backyard flocks.

 

[chicknmania]

What are the signs of Avian Flu in ducks?My one duck has been sneezing alot and has been having diarrhea

Where are you??? Those are two of the signs......

 

[chicknmania]

Backyard flocks have not entirely escaped the problem. I saw a graphic today that listed about 7,200 backyard birds affected in 17 different backyard flocks.

That doesn't sound right. Look at the stats on the USDA site. There aren't that many. Just a handful of backyard flocks and although a few were pretty large, they don't total that many birds.

 

[TXchickenchick]

That article was very interesting. The possible reasons they list (the breaches in security) just don't make sense. If that was the cause, all backyard flocks in those areas would be infected. Someone used pond water...unless every factory farm used pond water how can that be even a possibility for what's happening? I have a really bad feeling something far more sinister is going on and this may be just the beginning.

 

[Caroline14]

Where are you??? Those are two of the signs......

I'm from Pennsylvania.

 

[WalnutHill]

That doesn't sound right. Look at the stats on the USDA site. There aren't that many. Just a handful of backyard flocks and although a few were pretty large, they don't total that many birds.

One of the backyard flocks was something like 5700 pheasants. That skewed the numbers quite a bit.

 

[chicknmania]

I'm from Pennsylvania.

WEll, if the duck's still alive by now, and you don't have any others sick, that's a good sign for starters. But I really don't know, since waterfowl can be carriers without getting sick. If I were you I guess I'd post on emergencies or duck forum and see what kind of response you get.

 

[Caroline14]

WEll, if the duck's still alive by now, and you don't have any others sick, that's a good sign for starters. But I really don't know, since waterfowl can be carriers without getting sick. If I were you I guess I'd post on emergencies or duck forum and see what kind of response you get.

Thank you for your help,I hope they aren't sick!

 

[mg15]

Heard on the news in Iowa 36 million birds.

The facts for me are: One bird in a factory quanset gets the flu. That bird is in a cage with six to ten other birds.
Those birds are infected sitting inches away from ten other birds in a cage, does not take long for 100,000 birds to get it. Spreads like wildfire. Just like in elementary school when one kid gets something they all get it.
Then the droplets of virus go airborne in the rain, wind and dust to the next host.
The industrial owners brought this on themselves. Mega profits in their minds overcame common sense and good judgement.
They are the ones to look at for a cause.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Heard on the news in Iowa 36 million birds.

The facts for me are: One bird in a factory quanset gets the flu. That bird is in a cage with six to ten other birds.
Those birds are infected sitting inches away from ten other birds in a cage, does not take long for 100,000 birds to get it. Spreads like wildfire. Just like in elementary school when one kid gets something they all get it.
Then the droplets of virus go airborne in the rain, wind and dust to the next host.
The industrial owners brought this on themselves. Mega profits in their minds overcame common sense and good judgement.
They are the ones to look at for a cause.

My understanding is that if only one bird in a flock tests positive then the entire flock is condemned. That is the only intelligent way to proceed.

However I understand that waterfowl may be immune to the effects of AI while still being active carriers of the virus. This means that a duck for instance can have it without being sick. This will result in the culling of a flock of seemingly healthy ducks.

There is so much hysteria about everything today that I halfway expect people to begin advocating the culling of humans.

Remember when Ebola victims were allowed into this country that despite all the precautions that at least one human who had never been to an Ebola area in Africa contacted Ebola and died from it. Let this guide your bio-security efforts. Your flock can't catch it unless like Ebola its going round the neighborhood.

However you can bring AI back on your shoes by just visiting the feed store after a Positive flock owner has been in the same feed store. Not likely, but possible. The reservoir of the AI virus is in the wild (a.k.a.) "Natural" waterfowl population it is not something endemic to commercial poultry farms, although some want you to think that it is for their own reasons. Avian Influenza is very much an equal opportunity infection, of both commercial and backyard poultry flocks, don't give it the opportunity to infect your flock!!!