Official BYC Poll: What Are You Doing to Protect Your Flock From Bird Flu (H5N1) Infection?

[townchicks]

I'm not currently doing anything differently, as it has not been reported in California yet. I do have a covered run and they can and will be confined to that if an outbreak occurs.

 

[BigECart]

We kept our flock in their run for a week while I researched the situation. There aren’t any cases near us so they are back to free ranging. I monitor the map of identified cases and will take additional precautions if I see any cases near us. Voted “nothing”.

I had an order of chicks from McMurray that was pushed out to next year because of their outbreak.

 

[jBabychickn]

We're still finishing our run. If wild birds have already dropped poop in it, should I be concerned? My babies still have several weeks left in the brooder before going out there? Is there anything to spray the run with prior to putting them out there?

Oxine!! Its wonderful and may be used everywhere in animal care facilities and confinements. If I were you, I’d use it as a premise spray before unleashing the babies into their new outdoor set-up. Just search for it online…

 

[HostileMatron]

I think my biggest advocate for keeping AI away would be my dog. He is very protective of his ducks and doesn't allow any unknown birds, rodents, or anything else for that matter into the yard.

I keep the food and water inside their runs, change out the hay and bedding every couple of days, and do complete changeovers with disinfectant weekly. Until now I have used a hospital grade disinfectant, but will be switching over to oxine as soon as I find it. (Thanks jBabyChikn! )

I should add that I only have 14 ducks and a small yard, so I probably have it much easier than many others here

 

[Poodlemum]

I think my biggest advocate for keeping AI away would be my dog. He is very protective of his ducks and doesn't allow any unknown birds, rodents, or anything else for that matter into the yard.

I keep the food and water inside their runs, change out the hay and bedding every couple of days, and do complete changeovers with disinfectant weekly. Until now I have used a hospital grade disinfectant, but will be switching over to oxine as soon as I find it. (Thanks jBabyChikn! )

I should add that I only have 14 ducks and a small yard, so I probably have it much easier than many others here

The dog is my concern too. How am I supposed to be constantly sanitising her??? Our temps aren’t quite ready for me to move the bantys outside overnight

 

[Ons3Saam]

1) The percentages on the vote doesn't make any sense?

2) The "current outbreak" must only be in the USA because all of us in the rest of the world are scratching our heads. Maybe say this is the title and description. Alternatively call the site BYCUSA or realise that the world doesn't end at the borders to Canada and Mexico.

 

[Poodlemum]

1) The percentages on the vote doesn't make any sense?

2) The "current outbreak" must only be in the USA because all of us in the rest of the world are scratching our heads. Maybe say this is the title and description. Alternatively call the site BYCUSA or realise that the world doesn't end at the borders to Canada and Mexico.

It’s a huge issue in Europe right now and has been for many months. Lockdown with drones monitoring any people not complying, etc. We get the benefit of high temps stopping it, so we’ll be free from it in a few months here in Utah. It’s not just a US issue. There’s been cases in Canada recently as well with the migrating birds returning. Mexico won’t be affected as the temperatures aren’t conducive to incubation

 

[addctd2plnts]

I dont do nothing different as I want to see backyard flocks who got it and not facorties or people with 400 plus birds...If mine get it and die then thats it for me I wouldnt bother getting more ever.

You statement interested me, because as a doctor I know high density situations always result in higher spread of the disease. I was surprised to see backyard flocks are being affected too. I think they don't get as much media coverage:

Article showing comparison of backyard cases commercial flocks: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ou...pai-2022/2022-hpai-commercial-backyard-flocks From this, it's 1/3 the total cases are in backyard flocks, but I'm guessing the backyard flock total is wildly under reported because most backyard people wouldn't know who to contact, or care that it was important to even report it. I'd guess that backyard flocks were TEN or 30 times higher than the total they are giving.

Here's some individual backyard flock reports. I'm sure there's a lot more but this is what I found in 5 minutes:

1. Ohio: https://ocj.com/2022/03/avian-influenza-found-in-franklin-county-backyard-flock/

2. Wisconsin: https://lacrosse.extension.wisc.edu/2022/04/05/responding-to-the-avian-influenza-outbreak/

3. Colorado: https://denver.cbslocal.com/2022/04/09/usda-avian-flu-domestic-flock/

4. Utah: https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/ar...-detected-in-backyard-bird-flock-17090442.php

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I’m in Oklahoma that has had one wild duck test positive last month, and it was in my county. We live near ponds and have a pond ourselves, so are visited often by shorebirds. Birds in our three coops have all been confined to runs since that wild duck tested positive a month ago. Runs are incompletely covered, so my main goal is to keep our poultry out of the pond. One coop has guineas that free range to control ticks. That coop is my biggest concern as it’s acting season and there are too many aggressive cocks in that run. I had planned to let them out this weekend, but saw that we just had a ton of birds migrate through out area, plus I saw a dead goose on the side of a road yesterday. Those two things concerned me enough that birds are still confined. I’ll be hoping I can confine them for two more weeks.

https://birdcast.info/

 

[JeanetteDunn]

I have extended the run and covered the extension with canvas tarp. Everything is wire meshed in. Keeping the girls locked in until this is over. I have rubber clogs just for going in to do work in there and disposable bootie covers I bought on amazon. When I rake and clean in the run, I wear an n95 mask. I do have one wild bird feeder and some bird baths. I only put out a couple of cups of wild bird food for them. (They have nests all over my yard.) I don't want to attract rats, so I keep feeding the wilds to a minimum; so all their food is gone by mid day. I have been growing food for my girls in the garden and making sure anything that looks like it had bird poo on it is not used. (Same for my food.) No one ever says about US getting it from eating leafy greens from the garden.