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

[Sonya9]

I googled it. It was on several news sources.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/28/health/colorado-bird-flu-human-case-cdc/index.html

Article also says it could be a false positive since he tested negative for influenza several times but bits of the virus were found in his nose.

 

[casportpony]

I picked other since there have been no cases in my state.

 

[NanaK]

Most of the items in the poll are things I do anyway. My birds do not free range. They have a large enclosure that has always been covered with fencing or metal roofing. Early in our chicken keeping we had problems with squirrels getting in and occasionally a bird. Once we filled in those spots, no more birds and squirrels.

We did buy two heavy duty tarps to cover the rest of the top. So I feel like I've done what I can. I have several older birds in my flock I'd hate for their lives to end with this.

I wish it would BE GONE!

Well wishes for everyone!

 

[3KillerBs]

Other: I've confined my birds to their oversized and fully-covered coop.

Other: I've stopped giving them garden weeds and yard waste as feed and bedding.

 

[AgnesGray]

A lot of this we were already doing so I wasn't sure if I should check the box that we did it or if this is stuff we only started doing because of the HPAI outbreak.

 

[3KillerBs]

So, what happens? You might loose a few birds, in some rare instanses, it might ravage a flock here or there?

The High Path part of this Avian Flu's designation means that it has extremely high mortality -- often well over 90%.

 

[Folly's place]

Yes, feeding plants from the yard is just out this year, and I'm buying grit for my birds, because there's no way I'm giving them dirt/ gravel from outside either.
This would not be the way we want to loose our flock and have to start over later!
Mary

 

[Sonya9]

The High Path part of this Avian Flu's designation means that it has extremely high mortality -- often well over 90%.

According to the CDC which likely got those results in a lab by injecting the virus into the birds.

Large studies done in other countries show H5N1 has an 11% mortality rate in laying hens that are naturally exposed on farms (and a higher mortality in chicks -- up to 40-50%).

 

[3KillerBs]

According to the CDC which likely got those results in a lab by injecting the virus into the birds.

Large studies done in other countries show H5N1 has an 11% mortality rate in laying hens that are naturally exposed on farms (and a higher mortality in chicks -- up to 40-50%).

You're not paying attention to the details.

There are High Pathogenic and Low Pathogenic forms. This is the high Pathogenic strain -- very high mortality.

 

[Sonya9]

You're not paying attention to the details.

There are High Pathogenic and Low Pathogenic forms. This is the high Pathogenic strain -- very high mortality.

Actually yes, I did pay attention to the details. Can you cite some studies regarding this alleged 90-100% mortality rate along with how the study was performed?

Mortality and Pathology Associated with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 Outbreaks in Commercial Poultry Production Systems in Nigeria​

Abstract​

Commercial layer-type, pullet, cockerel, and broiler chicken flocks infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in Nigeria between 2006 and 2008 were investigated for morbidity, mortality, and pathology. Of the one hundred and fifty-three (153) farms confirmed with HPAI infection, one hundred and twenty-seven (127) were layer-type farms, nine (9) were pullet and broiler farms each, and eight (8) were cockerel rearing farms. This study revealed the morbidity and mortality of a total of 939,620 commercial layer chickens, 16,421 pullets, 3,109 cockerels, and 6,433 broilers.

Mortality rates were 11.11% in commercial layers, 26.84% in pullets, 45.51% in cockerels, and 73.92% in broilers in a total of eighteen (18) states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. A total of 316 carcasses were examined of which 248 were commercial layer, 25 were pullet, 14 were cockerel, and 29 were broiler.

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn/2014/415418/