Biosecurity Key For Bird Owners As Temperatures Cool

As more and more birds are migrating across the Northwest, its key bird owners, whether that's a backyard flock or a larger commercial operation, focus on biosecurity to stave off avian influenza.

Idaho State Veterinarian Dr. Scott Leibsle said increased migration means increased opportunities for the H5N1 to spread from wild birds to ducks, chickens or any other birds you have on your property. The first thing bird owners need to try and do, Leibsle said, is limit the interaction with wild waterfowl as best they can.

"So if you're near a slough, waterway, irrigation canal, pond, anything like that, don't promote interaction between domestic and wild birds," Leibsle said. "The wild waterfowl are endemic. Especially ducks and geese, will shed the disease without showing symptoms. And it may or may not show symptoms in your domestic flock. The chickens and the turkeys are very susceptible. Ducks and geese seem to have some degree of immunity, but it's kind of hit or miss."

Keep The Birds And Your Clothes Separate

Leibsle added keeping wild and domestic birds separate is only part of the equation. He encourages bird owners to be mindful of what they are carrying onto and off of the property. He stressed that can largely be accomplished by leaving a single set of barn clothes and boots that never leave your property.

"And that's the only set of clothes that you go out and feed or work with your animals in and wash your hands when you're done and you never wear those clothes out and about to the supermarket and certainly not to another livestock facility," said Leibsle. "And then if you do purchase additional or acquire additional animals, it would be wise to keep them separated from the rest of your animals for a period of time to see one, if there is any susceptible pathogens that one could give to the other, and two, just give them some time to acclimate to their new environment."