Backyard Poultry Biosecurity
How to Protect Your Flock
It's important to again note that, to date, H5N1 has not been detected in the U.S. Still, keeping your flock healthy from any infectious disease is always a smart and prudent thing to do.
The following information in this section, on keeping your birds healthy, is a word-for-word recommendation of the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service which can be found at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/birdbiosecurity/hpai.html.
- Keep Your Distance
Restrict access to your property and your birds. Consider fencing off the area where you keep your birds and make a barrier area if possible. Allow only people who take care of your birds to come into contact with them. If visitors have birds of their own, do not let them near your birds. Game birds and migratory waterfowl should not have contact with your flock because they can carry germs and diseases. - Keep It Clean
Wear clean clothes, scrub your shoes with disinfectant, and wash your hands thoroughly before entering your bird area. Clean cages and change food and water daily. Clean and disinfect equipment that comes in contact with your birds or their droppings, including cages and tools. Remove manure before disinfecting. Properly dispose of dead birds. - Don't Haul Disease Home
If you have been near other birds or bird owners, such as at a feed store, clean and disinfect car and truck tires, poultry cages, and equipment before going home. Have your birds have been to a fair or exhibition? Keep them separated from the rest of your flock for 2 weeks after the event. New birds should be kept separate from your flock for at least 30 days. - Don't Borrow Disease from Your Neighbor
Do not share birds, lawn and garden equipment, tools, or poultry supplies with your neighbors or other bird owners. If you do, bring these items home clean and disinfect them before they reach your property. - Know the Warning Signs of Infectious Bird Diseases
Early detection is important to prevent the spread of disease.
- Sudden death
- Diarrhea
- Decreased or complete loss of egg production, soft-shelled, misshapen eggs
- Sneezing, gasping for air, nasal discharge, coughing
- Lack of energy and appetite
- Swelling of tissues around eyes and in neck
- Purple discoloration of the wattles, combs and legs
- Depression, muscular tremors, drooping wings, twisting of head and neck, in coordination, complete paralysis
- Report Sick Birds
Don't wait. Early detection can make a difference. If your birds are sick or dying, call your local cooperative extension office, local veterinarian, the State Veterinarian, or U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Veterinary Services office to find out why. USDA operates a toll-free hotline (1-866-536-7593); [for wild birds: USDA Wildlife Services, 1-866-4-USDA-WS (1-866-487-3297)]
Pets & Bird Feeders
As previously mentioned, H5N1 infection has occurred in domestic cats and ferrets outside of the U.S. - either in their natural environment or experimentally. It's not known definitively at this time whether or not dogs can become infected with H5N1.
In regards to bird feeders, if H5N1 does reach the U.S., the concern is whether or not infection can occur in bird types normally at feeders, i.e., perching birds (order name: Passeriformes). While there have been some documented cases of H5N1 causing death in some types Passeriformes, the risk of H5N1 infection in this type of bird is low. Waterfowl (geese, gulls, ducks) and shorebirds (herons, storks) include most of the wild birds that are traditionally associated with avian influenza. Still, it's always prudent to take care regarding any infectious disease, e.g., Salmonellosis, Trichomoniasis, Aspergillosis, and Avian Pox, that can be found among feeder birds:
- avoid bird crowding - a key factor in spreading disease - by providing ample feeder space
- clean the feeder area of waste food and droppings
- clean and disinfect feeders at least twice monthly (ideally weekly), using a solution of 1 part liquid chlorine bleach to 9 parts water; make enough solution to immerse and empty feeder two or three times; air dry
- make sure your feeders don't have sharp edges that can cut the birds; open wounds provide internal access for bacteria and viruses
- keep food clear of rodents which can carry and spread some bird diseases
Shows for chickens and pigs
Reports of H5N1 infection in pigs are rare. However, H5N1 spreads aggressively and rapidly through poultry flocks, with a high death rate. And again, as long as H5N1 has not spread to the U.S., your chickens are safe in regards to this virus. As a general precaution for any infectious disease that can be found among chickens, it would be wise to follow the recommendation from the USDA:
Have your birds been to a fair or exhibition? Keep them separated from the rest of your flock for 2 weeks after the event. New birds should be kept separate from your flock for at least 30 days.
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| © This site is a collaborative effort of the New Mexico Department of Health, the New Mexico Cooperative Extension Service, the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, the New Mexico Livestock Board, and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.
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