Preparing for this BirdFlu outbreak?

[addctd2plnts]

Found a few sites for info.
I found it interesting that they keep repeating
"this bird flu is not transmittable to people" Yet there are certain strains that are possibly transmitted to people.
I know we are all hoping for the best, we don't want to lose our birds or people to this virus.

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/avian-in-humans.htm

https://www.wattagnet.com/articles/...influenza-outbreaks-in-north-american-poultry

https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nwhc/science/avian-influenza-surveillance

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/avian-flu-summary.htm

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ou...e-information/avian/avian-influenza/2022-hpai

They know it is transmissible to people. See: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/2515135518821625 At the end of 2017, per this medical journal article, there had been 860 cases confirmed by laboratory analysis in 16 different countries. What is VERY disturbing is that 454 resulted in DEATH. Some of this is because medical suspicion was low, so people didn't get treated in time. Some is because they were in 3rd world countries. What they aren't explaining is the real reason, beyond avian influenza affecting our food supply, that the CDC and all agencies are so worried about this. They already know that on occasion they have cultured it out of pigs, and it has infected humans. There are a few cases they believe may have been human to human, but I assume the family members affected were also handling the household poultry, so not sure how they could have ruled that out. The real issue is that when it jumps to pigs or has the ability to infect humans (although uncommon), it proves the virus is only a few mutations away from possibly making the permanent jump to humans and spreading between humans on a routine basis. Normally, if it wasn't post Covid, it might not seem like such a doomsday scenario. But we lost over 50 million birds in the last outbreak. If we had to deal with human to human transmission, so soon after Covid, coupled with losing another 50 million birds (possible food supply issues), the outcome is truly unknown. Certainly, it would be a world crisis. A 50% human death rate has to be weighing on all their minds at the CDC.

The other thing I'm surprised they are not putting bulletins out about is that housing free range ducks with your chickens is a REALLY REALLY bad idea because ducks don't show symptoms usually but are carriers. I've read another medical article that said they tested Avian Influenza in cold bodies of water for several weeks after wild waterfowl was present. People need to understand their ducks do NOT have to touch noses with wild waterfowl to get this and be carriers! Chickens lack some essential immune functions against this Avian Influenza, and cannot mount a response to it. Maybe as poultry lovers we should really steer new people AWAY from housing separate species together, to prevent future outbreaks? Just a thought....

 

[jBabychickn]

It is worrisome. We care about our birds, & we care about wildlife too.

In February, here in Delaware, we still had the pretty Snow Geese gleaning the farm fields, before their migration northward. I always loved to see them. I took my little videos of them flying over, or doing "the wave" in the farm fields. But on those "viral years" I also felt anxiety as I walked, looked down & saw some goose turds...wondering if any of them may be spreading the virus.

Those geese have flown northward now.
Migratory Osprey have arrived. Some hawks & falcons migrate, too. Songbirds, etc. So far, so good, right here where I am, but yeah, I am very contentious of keeping my "clean routine" like I've done for decades.
I have particular shoes & boots & washable gloves for specific purposes.
Chicken
Pigeon
Yardwork
Work work
Shoes & gloves that leave my property
Shoes & gloves that never leave my property
Yeah, I know...that's alot of gloves & shoes .
All "goin outside" shoes, boots & gloves are kept in my mudroom...had to revamp it with cubby holes, a bench & coat hooks. If you prep your area, it becomes easier to follow a protocol & actually it is nice to be organized.

A good practice is also having a disinfectant tray to step in, before entering any area, pen, or building, at the doorway. Also, clean all doorknobs, latches, light switches & disinfect your vehicle's tires, side step, floor mat & gas pedal, brake pedal, clutch pedal as well as door handles, steering wheel, knobs, buttons, signal handles, etc. Just go over everything you touch with some sanitizing wipes, you determine how often based on what you're doing & where you've been. It sounds like a lot, but it only takes seconds or few minutes, once you get a routine. Just consider where you're going & where you've been, what your hands, gloves & shoes touch.

I've never even worn shoes all the way inside my house, a habit since childhood (remember mom buying new carpet back in the day?)
All shoes & boots stop at the mudroom & have their own boot trays, which also get cleaned, right by the bench to sit on where I put footwear & coats on prior to going out. The washing machine is there when I come back in & peel off the layers of chore clothes, they go right into the wash, they do not come inside the house, I use my mudroom as "the barrier" & it helps that there is a door to open, to get into the rest of the house. So that halts you, the dog, whoever, it minimizes the "overall dirt coming in" with a door there. Even the dog knows she gets her feet wiped & a quick brushing before going into the house, she sits wagging her tail waiting & she'll get a little treat for her patience. Brushing her & wiping her feet, she actually loves it.

When you grow up with lots of animals & allergies, you learn how to best minimize pollen, fur, feathers & dander getting spread throughout the house...it just happens to minimize spreading germs, too. If you set it all up, with trays & disinfectant ready, wipes handy, dog brush, etc., putting chore clothes (outer wear) directly into washer, (so yeah you may want a robe ready so you don't walk through house in your skivvies or long underwear) go directly to shower, using hamper for underwear & inner wear only (clothes that directly touch your skin) then get a shower asap. It all becomes a natural habit.

I know reading this probably sounds complicated, but it really isn't, you can make ANYTHING become a habit, if you give it a shot for 30 days.

I'm not saying you'll Never catch a cold, or your animals may never catch anything, especially if you have other people sharing your house that that will not adhere to this routine. BUT I can tell you this, I had Wicked Allergies & Chronic Bronchitis as a child & once I got into this routine, as well as my parents, plus changing the filters on the HVAC system to a better quality & I learned to just envision pollen all over me & made it a goal to clean it off asap (outer clothes go right into washer & take a shower & wash hair asap once you're indoors for the night) my allergies & congestion Diminished Greatly...& I do mean Greatly!
Plus, as a bonus, I rarely got sick when there was something "going around" at school...quite a change from before.

Fast forward to today, now I'm officially "old goat" age Lol & still practice this routine. The less pollen, dust, dander, furballs & feathers that are rolling around, the better we All breathe. The cleaner our gloves, coats, shoes & boots are, the less germs, bacteria & viruses are spread. You can't control who flies over, but you CAN diminish what clings to your clothes, shoes or gloves. We can't control everything, so just control what we can.

Just remember these facts...the majority of "spreadable things" are spread by what we touch & where we take them. The majority of pet illnesses are spread through exposure to feces, shared drinking water or contaminated feed & us...what we bring home.

My main issue decades ago, was allergies, but the side benefit of focusing on diminished pollen, dust & dander also made transitioning to diminishing germs, bacteria or viruses easy.
Hope this helps!
Hope we all stay safe.

Great post! —
I completely agree and do the same as you described and you described it all very well…

Yes, I guess it does sound a bit overwhelming, only because there’s a lot of “micro steps” to it, but these steps take just “micro seconds” to perform, so it’s not really too big of a deal after all and it becomes muscle memory…

I love our Mudroom! It’s definitely our “line of separation” in our biosecurity measures

 

[chicknmania]

Wow, that IS thorough, and good advice! I can't say I do all that but I do have separate barn and street and yard shoes, I carry disinfectant (oxine solution) in my car with which to disinfect my tires, car components, and street shoes, as well as frequently used/ touched areas of the house, and I wash my car, or at least the underbody and tires, and disinfect the tires, before I return home. It's a hassle but lately my car looks brand new all the time! And yes, shoes stay at the door. It's far from perfect, but it might help. Any virus, regardless of precautions, can spread anyway, as we know from having recently dealt with Covid. We can only do what we can do.

 

[chicknmania]

AI found in Reynoldsburg, Ohio now.

 

[chicknmania]

Where do you test for that? I would love to do that for new chicks comming

Actually, it's been said by a few authorities on birds that the main threat is from waterfowl, rather than songbirds. From what I learned, it hasn't been found in songbirds.

 

[jBabychickn]

Actually, it's been said by a few authorities on birds that the main threat is from waterfowl, rather than songbirds. From what I learned, it hasn't been found in songbirds.

The way they test the area is by waterfowl testing. If the waterfowl has it, all wild birds are affected by being in the environment as native vectors of the avian strain, so it’s spread by the songbirds

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_h...-bird-ai-surveillance-implementation-plan.pdf

 

[chicknmania]

The way they test the area is by waterfowl testing. If the waterfowl has it, all wild birds are affected by being in the environment as native vectors of the avian strain, so it’s spread by the songbirds

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_h...-bird-ai-surveillance-implementation-plan.pdf

I was given that information by someone that's worked with wildlife for the past 30 years. I imagine they know something. They didn't say songbirds couldn't carry it.

 

[Sally PB]

Where can I get Oxine? Or do I have to order it online?

 

[chicknmania]

Where can I get Oxine? Or do I have to order it online?

Here's one online source: www.firststatevetsupply.com. You will get instructions on how to use it. We've been using it for years here and consider it something we can't be without ever.

 

[sierraforest]

I was given that information by someone that's worked with wildlife for the past 30 years. I imagine they know something. They didn't say songbirds couldn't carry it.

Short story on songbirds: Back in 2015, before we had domestic birds, a song sparrow slowly hopped up to our back door, clearly in pain and probably looking for a spot to rest. I didn't know much about birds at the time but called the local Audubon Society to ask if I should bring it in or what to do. The person I spoke to said that an avian flu was circulating and it was likely the cause of the sparrow's problem. They said there was nothing they could do to save it from death but if I brought it in, that they could put it down humanely to end its suffering. I followed their directions of using gloves to handle the little thing and placed it in a box, but as I was about to back out of our driveway, saw the sparrow sort of go into convulsions and die.

The person at the Audubon Society didn't insist that I bring the bird in either way for testing and again, I knew very little about birds and even less about AI at the time, so my husband took care of disposing it and that was that. Knowing what I know now, I definitely would've taken it in to see if it confirming AI was possible. All this is to say, that one wildlife professional thought it was likely that a songbird was dying of AI.