Avian Influenza Update

[Suki]

Absolutely John, & that way they will have natural immunity, a basic tenet in immunology.  or to paraphrase Nietzsche "what does not kill them, makes them stronger"   it's a breeders duty to cull and not just palm off their weaklings.  but to be honest I think this fear is overdone & really only affects the mega-hatcheries.  closing things down makes sense so there is less for the regulators to watch so they can focus on the real issues

so forget this nonsense &  enjoy the beauty out there.  the weather is fantastic and everything here is in bloom.

-brownie

[The Malcolms]

I agree with John overall.  However right now it seems the reaction is kill everything that MAY have been exposed to an AI positive bird.  On the one hand I get that the huge commercial operations cannot take a chance as they only get reimbursed for live birds.  On the other hand AI is here to stay and we cannot just kill every domestic and wild bird.  I feel backed into a corner here in Colorado where screening is mandatory at every bird show.  Since the test takes 72 hours, by the time results come back it is too late to avoid exposure.  If they want to continue screenings maybe they should require birds to be tested before the show instead of at the door or develop an instant test.

[Tailfeathers]

Thank you, John.  I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that feels that way.  Only your biosecurity is probably a lot better than mine.  Mine is pretty well non-existent. 

I too stopped medicating/vaccinating my birds years ago.  When I first started out with Barnies, everybody was having health problems with their birds.  More than a few were telling me they were getting out of them for having to constantly treat them for CRD and losing many to Mareks.  I was constantly treating for CRD here.  So one day I read an article by Kenny Troiano that talked about not breeding any birds that got sick.  Made since to me.  I culled down to one male and 2 females that never showed any sign of CRD.  The next year I had few sick birds.  Subsequent years resulted hardly ever a sick bird. 

This year I just got my first 2 Ameraucanas that got CRD.  Not sure why.  I should say that I do put bleach in the water and I think that has helped prevent the CRD too.  I debated on whether to cull the 2 Ameraucanas but I'm thinking if they get better on their own maybe their offspring will be more resistant to it.  Haven't decided yet whether I should breed the pullet or not.  The other is one of my BW cockerels and he's already been in the breeding pen for 2wks.  Trying to decide whether to toss all those eggs or not.  Thinking I won't and will just cull any birds that show CRD from him.  If none of them get CRD that may tell me something.

Lastly, as for AI, one might say I've been playing Russian Roulette.  My birds free range over a couple of acres.  Plus I have ducks, geese, guineas, and peafowl AND on top of that I have wild ducks that come and go from my ponds everday.  In fact, during the winter months I think I might be feeding half the North American flock of mallards!   Some might call me wreckless but I've just put it all in God's hands.  If I get AI and they put all my birds down, I guess that'll be a sign that it's time to be done with chickens and buy that RV I've been eyeballing. 

[Suki]

From the venerable Money Magazine website

http://time.com/money/3857188/egg-chicken-prices-bird-flu/

[Harry Shaffer]

Here is a chart of what is killing people.             https://www.yahoo.com/health/death-in-your-state-whats-the-most-distinctive-119022157667.html


Check out the green areas,  look familar to a flight path for wild fowl.

[Harry Shaffer]

https://www.morningagclips.com/pennsylvania-puts-quarantine-on-poultry/?utm_content=articles&utm_campaign=NLCampaign&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_term=newsletteredition&utm_medium=email

[Suki]

Ah, but does the post office know?  If they don't it's all moot.

[Russ Blair]

Perfect, now it's not just poultry shows and swaps. Hopefully this doesn't catch on, is there any states not affected by a ban left?