Avian influenza found in South Carolina

[3KillerBs]

Because it's been a month since a case was reported in NC and since summer heat has arrived, I decided to set up the fence and let the birds out this evening.

The two roosters led all the senior birds outside while the youngsters stayed in the coop.

 

[Dinogrrl]

Yeah the avian vet I just took my rooster and cockatiel to yesterday said he hadn't heard of any cases in NC since April and that it should be fine to let flocks out now.

 

[3KillerBs]

Yeah the avian vet I just took my rooster and cockatiel to yesterday said he hadn't heard of any cases in NC since April and that it should be fine to let flocks out now.

I've got a pack of juveniles in the flock right now and they need some additional elbow room.

 

[Folly's place]

The last reported case here was May 11th, so hoping this trend continues so our birds can go out later in June!
Mary

 

[Iluveggers]

Anyone know how Idaho is testing? There was like double digit cases this month in only 2 counties…all backyard flocks.

Wondering if they are force testing everyone within a certain radius. That’s a lot of cases in the same county for a short amount of time…

 

[Molpet]

Says it is here to stay.
https://scitechdaily.com/highly-pat...ch-out-for-these-super-spreader-bird-species/

 

[Folly's place]

Definitely not good news!
Mary

 

[Tervuren]

Anyone know how Idaho is testing? There was like double digit cases this month in only 2 counties…all backyard flocks.

Wondering if they are force testing everyone within a certain radius. That’s a lot of cases in the same county for a short amount of time…

I know they’ve been going door to door if you’re near someone who has tested positive. There’s talk of it on the local chicken FB group. It’s pretty bad here, lots of dead wild waterfowl. Hard to really know how bad it is among backyard flocks, Idahoans are not known for being government friendly lol. I suspect the cases are under reported.

 

[froggyphore]

Same in Mass, last (and only) case was March 29th and it wasn't in my county. Only non-domestic cases were a songbird in April and some waterfowl on the coast. I wish I had the confidence to let mine out but I always think, in the case of a resurgence it could happen to anyone, and I have as much a chance as the next guy. Luckily for now I don't have any space issues and I'm prepared to build more covered runs if it stretches past summer

 

[froggyphore]

Just read the updates to this thread, what a nightmare it would be if it were permanent. Not only for chicken keepers and the poultry industry, but wild bird populations... I don't know a ton about this virus, but between it's adeptness at mutating and incredible level of transmissibility and lethality, that seems like it would have horrible implications for all US wild birds, as well as other countries. What are we even to do if that's the case? Never free range again, always be practicing intense biosecurity*, trying to fend off wild birds all the time? It seems to me it would be the nail in the coffin for poultry breed conservancy, backyard flocks and affordable turkey, chicken and eggs, but perhaps my ignorance is causing me to catastrophize. Is there anywhere this virus isn't present besides Antarctica?

So many epi/pandemics at the same time, covid, avian flu, now monkeypox... on top of everything else going on it's starting to feel like the apocalypse is approaching lol

*I know we should always be practicing good biosecurity, but wearing three different pairs of shoes, spraying bleach solution on so much stuff all the time, etc. seems quite tiring in the long run lol