Let’s Talk About Bird Flu

[BurbMum]

The symptoms for H5N1 in chickens are shown below, but 90% of chickens who contact it die within 48 hours.

Please note that H5N1 has been found in dozens of other mammals (including raccoons, foxes, bears, bobcats, rats and squirrels see map) but is most likely to be carried by waterfowl (ducks, geese, etc) who can be asymptomatic carriers.

2/3 of California’s dairy herds have been infected, as well as 60 farm workers.

Historically H5N1 has a 50% mortality rate in humans, but the dairy strain has been less deadly so far.

Every day I’m seeing news of backyard flocks infected and culled.

This strain tends to cause eye symptoms (from ‘pink eye’ to hemmoraging) in humans as well as neurological damage (in birds, cats, humans and other mammals). All the cats who drank raw milk on the infected farms have died with neurological symptoms (incoordination, twitching, etc).

The cases are increasing daily, and the mutations they are seeing means it’s adapting to mammals.

Please keep your flocks safe and don’t handle sick or dead birds or bird poop without proper PPE (mask and eyewear if possible).

 

[AGeese]

The symptoms for H5N1 in chickens are shown below, but 90% of chickens who contact it die within 48 hours.

Please note that H5N1 has been found in dozens of other mammals (including raccoons, foxes, bears, bobcats, rats and squirrels see map) but is most likely to be carried by waterfowl (ducks, geese, etc) who can be asymptomatic carriers.

2/3 of California’s dairy herds have been infected, as well as 60 farm workers.

Historically H5N1 has a 50% mortality rate in humans, but the dairy strain has been less deadly so far.

Every day I’m seeing news of backyard flocks infected and culled.

This strain tends to cause eye symptoms (from ‘pink eye’ to hemmoraging) in humans as well as neurological damage (in birds, cats, humans and other mammals). All the cats who drank raw milk on the infected farms have died with neurological symptoms (incoordination, twitching, etc).

The cases are increasing daily, and the mutations they are seeing means it’s adapting to mammals.

Please keep your flocks safe and don’t handle sick or dead birds or bird poop without proper PPE (mask and eyewear if possible).

So I did a little reading on this. You're referring to H5N1 Human deaths. I'm not impressed with the data on that currently as it pertains to fear stats.

Globally under 1k cases (less than 500 deaths), over 21 years, in 23 different countries with it primarily being localized to south Asia and doesn't appear to spread easily between people.

This is why I hate headline news. They're geared to stir everyone up in capable of parsing out bias in reporting, let alone the will to do a little reading.

So yeah the so-called "50% mortality" in humans doesn't scare me.

 

[TOMTE]

So yeah the so-called "50% mortality" in humans doesn't scare me.

I agree but it doesn't hurt to be careful. And to be considerate of those who are at higher risk.

 

[AGeese]

I agree but it doesn't hurt to be careful. And to be considerate of those who are at higher risk.

Sure, I just think it could be discussed differently without riling people up and making them loose sleep like Molpet.

 

[TOMTE]

Sure, I just think it could be discussed differently without riling people up and making them loose sleep like Molpet.

If people get riled up over that then that's on them. I've lost a few hours of sleep over it just because my anxiety disorder makes my brain play out the what-if's over and over Doesn't matter how well informed I am. As always, do your research, people. Don't just rely on what people say on the internet.

 

[Molpet]

If people get riled up over that then that's on them. I've lost a few hours of sleep over it just because my anxiety disorder makes my brain play out the what-if's over and over Doesn't matter how well informed I am. As always, do your research, people. Don't just rely on what people say on the internet.

My long covid induced anxiety has produced similar worse case scenario. Research has shown I have a reason to worry. Dead geese from ai a mile away this week. Geese fly overhead several times a day.

The poultry yard has dzs of trees, most mature walnuts. Even if I had the energy, 200x600 ft surrounded by electric net fence, would be difficult to cover.

After all I thought since I was healthy, taking precautions, covid shouldn't change my life. Boy was I wrong . At least I didn't die like people I knew.
So I keep praying I don't go out there and find dzs of dead turkeys and chickens. Not sure what I could do with the bodies.

 

[ladybugx]

Just wondering what are the best ways to help to prevent bird flu?

 

[BurbMum]

Just wondering what are the best ways to help to prevent bird flu?

The checklist in the thread below looks good to me.

Humans that come into contact with infected poultry (as opposed to the cow strain) have had the most severe/deadly cases so I’d also include PPE and general birdie biosecurity (changing shoes/clothes, no contact with outside birds, etc)

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...r-flock-from-bird-flu-h5n1-infection.1522035/

 

[BurbMum]

My long covid induced anxiety has produced similar worse case scenario. Research has shown I have a reason to worry. Dead geese from ai a mile away this week. Geese fly overhead several times a day.

The poultry yard has dzs of trees, most mature walnuts. Even if I had the energy, 200x600 ft surrounded by electric net fence, would be difficult to cover.

After all I thought since I was healthy, taking precautions, covid shouldn't change my life. Boy was I wrong . At least I didn't die like people I knew.
So I keep praying I don't go out there and find dzs of dead turkeys and chickens. Not sure what I could do with the bodies.

Sorry Molpet. I have Long Covid too (brain, heart and POTS).

I believe the best thing to do with dead birds if you can’t deliver them to state autopsy facility is to bury them fairly deep.

H5N1 survives freezing temps and can last for 150 days in water so you’d want to avoid further spread. And protect yourself while disposing of them of course. Hopefully it won’t ever come to that.

I’m concerned at the number of wild birds and birds in within the food supply that are being lost due to this disease.

 

[SourRoses]

Just wondering what are the best ways to help to prevent bird flu?

The biggest risk is from predator birds (vultures, hawks, etc.) and migratory waterfowl (wild ducks, geese, etc.)

In my state the highest caseload seems to be found in vultures. So I don't want them anywhere near my yard.
Keeping the place picked up from stuff that would attract predators... no dead bodies (lol), no stray water sources, low or zero rodent population, not allowing the chickens to fall prey to predators who will surely return, keeping the culling area free of lingering blood odors, yada yada.

Years ago I determined vultures were attracted to the color red. Not proven by any means, so I never did post about it, but on several occasions they had landed in my chicken yard and were hanging around the red waterer. Several other waterers were available but they kept coming back to the red one. I removed it from the yard and replaced with another pastel open bucket (2gal), and the vultures never landed again. Hmmm...