Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Dreamzchaser]

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2022/02/avian-flu-expands-poultry-kentucky-virginia

I received this news this morning. I am not sure how this will play for us so far. Still reading article from CIDRAP.

 

[Sally PB]

I'd not panic about it, especially if there are not and waterways or waterfowl flyways nearby.

I'm on the Flat River, and there are nearly always geese in the area. Fortunately, the river is about 100 (?) feet below us. No worries about flooding, even when we had the "100 year" flood a few years ago.

So glad I put up a roof over my run last summer. I'll be watching to see if there's any goose poop on it.

I am kind of worried for my neighbor's birds. No roof for them.

 

[RaZ]

I hate to speculate without real details.

What?! That's hardly the American way. lol

Seriously, I am the same. I follow the "question authority" path of enlightenment. I got even worse in grad school when I learned how to read peer reviewed scientific reports. There are a few words in any report that trigger skepticism within me. Words like "maybe, might' could be, possibly," etc. Sound science is not afraid of a challenge to a conclusion. Good science welcomes others to try to replicate the data and conclusion or refute it with better analysis.
So until I read more on the current AI/bird flu outbreak, I'll refrain from personal opinion.

 

[RaZ]

On the lighter side of "news"...27 degrees here today with blue skies, brilliant sunshine, and almost no wind (2 mph). With all this sunshine my roof is melting and I have a couple of trickles falling from the frozen gutters. Under one stream, my drake was right under it, in the puddle, standing there with his head pointed up, mouth open, and catching the water run off in his bill. I have never seen that behaviour before. It was funny as heck.
Damn, poultry can be so entertaining.

 

[saysfaa]

...
Plus I believe most the places it is found is in commercial facilities where it's tracked in by employees.

The above is quoted as intro more than specific to just this quote.

This (tracking it in) concerns me more than having a roof over the chickens and not just because I have a roof over them.
The odds of a duck pooping at just the right time while flying over a few dozen feet of run doesn't seem likely.

At least not compared to the odds of duck poop sticking to the tires of the car driven through a park where geese and ducks coat the ground. Then the poop coming off on our gravel driveway where I can step on the residue. Dh likes to eat lunch at such a park.

Maybe I should be more careful than I thought.

I know someone who was a USDA inspector at a poultry plant in Iowa in 2015 (the year of the really big problem). I asked what they are doing now (vs what then did then). Now, they put every car through a wheel wash as it enters the premises (then they had employees park several miles away, walk a distance to a shuttle which went through a wheel wash and foaming cleanser for the undercarriage and sides of the vehicle). Now, they walk through a shoe disinfectant as they enter the plant and still change into shoes that never leave the plant (then they had shoes sealed in the car to change into to walk to the plant, then disinfected and changed into their plant shoes). Now, they are not to come on the premises if they have been in contact with poultry within 72 hours although defining "contact with poultry" is a bit hard to define, (then, they weren't to be in contact at all, including going hunting or fishing or such at all).

The "now" is as it has been since the 2015 outbreaks; not heightened for the recent issues.

And aphis may be the best bet in finding out how to disinfect my coop before getting more birds, if I were to lose them.
It was helpful...

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ou...se-information/avian/defend-the-flock-program

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/2016/hpai_elimination.pdf

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/emergency_management/downloads/ai-virus-table.pdf

There might be better info there, it is a bit fragmented from the perspective of a very small backyard flock.

 

[aart]

I follow the "question authority" path of enlightenment.

Am more questioning the media reporting and the publics (over)reaction to it.

 

[RaZ]

https://fb.watch/bbxmNalaPy/

A fun music video with a surprise guest appearance. Enjoy.

 

[troyer]

Picture from last summer.
After hundreds of pictures of long range zooming with a cheap camera I finally got a few satisfactory ones for the distance. Cedar Waxwing.

 

[Dreamzchaser]

So, there is so much being said on many places about this AI but in reality it is what it is. Biosecurity. I do not let my amazon or UPS driver inthe back,lol I use different shows,lol I change clothes constantly not just because of Biosecurity but also their feet are full of dirt and poop and they love to get on me every time,lol

Aside from the funny, another snow is coming Thursday night to Friday after a big melt. I am going to seach for a place to stay and leave Thursday afternoon and if it takes me 5 hrs to get there, be it. I just donot want to hassle Friday morning to get to a 30 min appointment anayways,lol Dr called me yesterday and it was not to say happy valentines day. He told me to stop the lisinopril due to the coughin and then he will give me new meds on Friday. Past 2 days it has been under 150 which is a good change. I have been between 140 and 144 which is a relief. Pinning so far I would say this BP crap is all because of stress. Anyways, all fine out this way. cold but not too windy but that will change by tomorrow afternoon. It is supposed to rain tomorrow afternoon until Thursday. If you guys donot see me much during Thursday or Friday, it could be that have no reception on cell. Finally got the app so I do not miss much. You guys are family to me.

 

[Sally PB]

Be safe, Dreamz! You're family to us too.

I am hoping to bust up some of the ice on the driveway tomorrow. And clean out a closet. We'll see if I do either.