Let’s Talk About Bird Flu

[AGeese]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-new...7XoKRdDlQQ87VIkwZA_aem__ML4rZkhWNpfKLlcqnePYg

18 miles from me

So are you gonna move?

 

[AGeese]

I can't believe my eyes, an article on natural immunity!

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-...nx-s1-5312998/bird-flu-h5n1-immunity-pandemic

Of course they couldn't totally refrain from drumming up potential fear by omitting the very facts on 50% mortality rates in humans which they cite from other studies.

Why not just show the number? They think I'm not smart enough to click the link and read about the actual incredibly low number of deaths relegated mostly to Asia over decades.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-new...7XoKRdDlQQ87VIkwZA_aem__ML4rZkhWNpfKLlcqnePYg

18 miles from me

The article is written like a dateline saga. Weird. This happened in January; however, the article was written (or published) today.

It is scarier when it hits closer to home as we just had it happen a few months ago in my area. My birds are just itching to get out of their run, but I'm too scared to let them out. But, then on the other hand, the birds in most of these situations are cooped up. It's like what is worse?

 

[AGeese]

The article is written like a dateline saga. Weird. This happened in January; however, the article was written (or published) today.

It is scarier when it hits closer to home as we just had it happen a few months ago in my area. My birds are just itching to get out of their run, but I'm too scared to let them out. But, then on the other hand, the birds in most of these situations are cooped up. It's like what is worse?

I'm of the complete opposite mindset. I never intended to confine my birds, I have wild birds all over the place. I provide bird baths around the property. I'm not raising production birds, I'm raising heritage birds so they're supposed to be multi-purposed and I accept the risks of doing so.

I don't have any issue with people who confine their birds as long as they give them adequte space, but I'm raising them so that I can breed them for hardy traits.

The other thing is, if I didn't have bird baths and feed out, I'd have my pond finished. My neighbor has a much larger pond so we're always going to have wildlife.

Sometimes a lot of this sound like eco-horror anyone remember that show The Monsters Inside Me? After watching that who would want to go camping or live on a farm?

If there's any horror it's found in the mass production.

 

[Molpet]

The article is written like a dateline saga. Weird. This happened in January; however, the article was written (or published) today.

It is scarier when it hits closer to home as we just had it happen a few months ago in my area. My birds are just itching to get out of their run, but I'm too scared to let them out. But, then on the other hand, the birds in most of these situations are cooped up. It's like what is worse?

I have too many birds to confined to the coops designed for overnight. The acre+ poultry yard is full of trees and not getting covered
I have long covid and no energy to make covered runs for 70+ birds.

 

[Iluveggers]

I'm of the complete opposite mindset. I never intended to confine my birds, I have wild birds all over the place. I provide bird baths around the property. I'm not raising production birds, I'm raising heritage birds so they're supposed to be multi-purposed and I accept the risks of doing so.

I don't have any issue with people who confine their birds as long as they give them adequte space, but I'm raising them so that I can breed them for hardy traits.

The other thing is, if I didn't have bird baths and feed out, I'd have my pond finished. My neighbor has a much larger pond so we're always going to have wildlife.

Sometimes a lot of this sound like eco-horror anyone remember that show The Monsters Inside Me? After watching that who would want to go camping or live on a farm?

If there's any horror it's found in the mass production.

I feel the same. My birds have a covered tarped space for winter (we had 6 feet of snow this year and the refused to try to enter the wall of snow outside the run), and the rest of my yard and garden has 6 ft fencing around it that they have access to all day. (Can’t free range in my town as birds have to remain on owners property). We have woods and a stream in the back part of the property, and wild geese migration pattern goes right over my backyard. When bird flu was an issue a few years ago, I was extremely paranoid. This time I am much more relaxed. There is only so much I can control.

The one thing I am careful about is the pair of shoes I wear when I go to farm stores. That is the only pair of shoes I wear each time, and I won’t wear them in the back side of my yard where the chickens range. That’s not for bird flu though, also Marek’s and such. There’s a few Amish farms around here where Marek’s has taken hold. It’s an easy thing to do, not 100%, but I think it’s smart.

 

[Apis mellifera]

I'm of the complete opposite mindset.

Me too and I'm raising a dual purpose heritage breed as well. Confining my flock sounds like standing 6 feet apart during covid. I can't worry about something I can't control. If my flock did get a virus, I hope that there would be survivors to breed from and maybe have resistance. If not, I would just start over.

 

[AGeese]

What I'm most worried about with the wild birds and mice is what I learned today. I've got an ailing girl with mites and they got on me when I was trying to feed her and so it begins!

 

[Molpet]

What I'm most worried about with the wild birds and mice is what I learned today. I've got an ailing girl with mites and they got on me when I was trying to feed her and so it begins!

A lb of sulfur powder in the dust bath

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I have too many birds to confined to the coops designed for overnight. The acre+ poultry yard is full of trees and not getting covered
I have long covid and no energy to make covered runs for 70+ birds.