Currently, the HPAI virus circulating in wild birds throughout the United States is considered a low risk to people according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, but is highly contagious to other birds, including commercial and backyard flocks of poultry.
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Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI or “bird flu”) is a real threat to the poultry industry in North Carolina, the United States, and other poultry producing countries around the globe. HPAI frequently wipes out entire flocks when infected. To help prevent this, producers, both big and small, should continue to practice proper biosecurity protocols to keep commercial and domestic flocks away from wild birds and their droppings.
In addition to routine biosecurity protocols, other things for flock owners to consider at this time include: relocating flocks away from bodies of water where wild birds have a tendency to gather, covering the top of any open or screened runs with metal and/or plastic to prevent wild bird droppings from falling into the bird area, and removing wild bird feeders or distancing them from backyard flocks as much as possible.
If your birds are more confined than usual, consider adding forms of enrichment to discourage birds from pecking one another such as tree branches, cabbage, melons, pecking blocks, hanging aluminum pie pans, etc. Additionally you can limit visitors to your farm.
Humans and other animals coming and going can track viruses into your flock via feces on shoes and paws. While boot washes and other biosecurity measures can reduce this risk, limiting visitors lowers the chance that something slips through.
If your birds are dying in rapid succession, report it right away to your local veterinarian, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Division at 919-707-3250 opt 2, or the N.C. Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System at 919-733-3986.
Currently, the HPAI virus circulating in wild birds throughout the United States is considered a low risk to people according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, but is highly contagious to other birds, including commercial and backyard flocks of poultry. The virus is not considered a food safety threat and infected birds do not enter the food supply. That said, always practice healthy eating habits by choosing pasteurized milk and cooking eggs and meat properly.
Please take a look at our HPAI educational resource page at https://poultry.ces.ncsu.edu/2022/02/highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-educational-resources/. Share this information with other poultry keepers that you know as well. We all need to know the facts and be extra cautious during this time to protect our flocks and our industry.
If you have any questions or concerns not addressed in this article, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your local area specialized poultry agent by contacting your local Cooperative Extension Office.