Poultry
Protecting Backyard Flocks
1 min read
Good hygiene and common sense practices help prevent disease.
What is avian influenza?
- Virus carried by migratory and domesticated waterfowl (ducks and geese).
- Domestic poultry (chickens and turkeys) are susceptible.
- Virus originates from waterfowl breeding grounds in northern Canada and spreads by wild geese and ducks.
- Migratory bird flyways cross the United States.
How is the disease transmitted?
- Foot traffic.
- Secretions from mouth, nostrils, eyes, excrement.
- Contact with infected droppings.
- Movement of infected birds.
- Contaminated clothing and equipment.
Protecting Backyard Flocks
- Cover coops and runs.
- Wear dedicated clothing and shoes
- Wash hands before and after entering coop.
- Lock all birds in coop and run.
- Change food and water daily.
- Remove birdhouses, feeders, and baths.
- Clean and disinfect equipment in contact with birds or droppings.
- Avoid feed stores, vet offices, and other places with small flocks, as much as possible.
Reviewed April 2022, Protecting Backyard Flocks, ANR-2399