While it may not be the peak of migration season, there’s still waterfowl moving across the U.S., and that means the threat of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza remains elevated.
Washington State Veterinarian Dr. Amber Itle says there are simple things bird owners can do to keep their animals safe, whether it’s a backyard flock or a commercial operation.
First off, she says it’s important to keep bird species separate.
“So, if you have ducks and geese, and you also have chickens and turkeys, keep those birds separate. So, we’re going to keep the waterfowl species separate from our poultry. So, chickens are over here in this pen, and they’re closed in, and ducks and geese are over here, and they’re closed in because we know that ducks and geese tend to carry these viruses, and they can actually be completely asymptomatic. So, they don’t look sick. But what happens is that as soon as they contact your chickens, those chickens will die.”
Itle noted that while it is possible for ducks and geese to show signs of HPAI, that’s typically not the case with chickens. She added that the current strain of bird flu is highly pathogenic.
“Typically, with chickens, we see a variety of symptoms, but typically it’s sudden death. So, we’ll have a lot of birds get sick, but they can get blue combs, they can have discharge in their eyes, and they can have swelling. They can, I mean, there are a lot of different clinical signs with those, but all I would say is, don’t wait. So as soon as you start to see birds that are getting sick or dying, call right away.”
Itle added it’s also important to keep your domestic birds away from waterfowl. She said it’s not a good idea to share water, feed, or any space where migrating birds might land, because HPAI can be spread hours after the waterfowl leave the area.