Bird Flu

[alforddm]

I am sooo glad I have my rabbits now and didn't wait. If this bird flu thing gets any worse, commercial chicken and eggs are going to be exorbitantly expensive. The price of beef is already out of sight. We haven't bought beef in forever. The last three times we ate beef we were given it when my dad then the in-laws butchered a calf.

The only silver lining is that, if they are not feeding all those chickens, the price of feed might go down.


Those of you that have your own flocks, I hope you're not affected.

http://gawker.com/iowa-declares-state-o ... 1701752802

 

[Marinea]

Very scary stuff indeed. I am keeping a closer eye on my flock.

 

[Miss M]

I knew it was spreading, but it is getting alarming.

I'm so glad we have the meat rabbits going!

We have several up and coming pullets, and will be getting some more. Egg production has dwindled.

 

[Zass]

Oh boy. One more thing we could all live without.

We have been living on rabbit, backyard poultry, fish, and hunted gamed for a few years now.
To tell the truth...I'm not even not sure how other families afford to purchase meat at the current prices!

 

[LopLover]

So glad we've got about 6 hens setting right now. Can't imagine the price off pullets in the future.

 

[Wheels]

I got notice from the Ext. Office that Due to bio-security risks and and Avian Influenza outbreaks across the USA County Agents ARE NOT allowed to administer Fowl Pox Vaccinations to Poultry in Youth Projects. We'll be vaccinating ourselves. I thought it odd that they were not allowing county agents to vaccinate but after thinking it though I sure wouldn't want someone who's been to 50 other farms handling birds to come to my place and put hands on my chickens.

 

[Miss M]

To tell the truth...I'm not even not sure how other families afford to purchase meat at the current prices!

I know! I can't tell you how long it's been since I bought beef. Or fish. Way too expensive. The popularity of catfish has made it so the less well-off locals can't afford it. We do as much of our shopping as possible at the grocery salvage store (think scratch & dent & past date). Also shop the clearanced meats at another grocery store, when they're trying to get stuff sold before they have to toss it.

So glad we've got about 6 hens setting right now. Can't imagine the price off pullets in the future.

Yes, I've wondered if the price of pullets was going to rise because of this.

I got notice from the Ext. Office that Due to bio-security risks and and Avian Influenza outbreaks across the USA County Agents ARE NOT allowed to administer Fowl Pox Vaccinations to Poultry in Youth Projects. We'll be vaccinating ourselves. I thought it odd that they were not allowing county agents to vaccinate but after thinking it though I sure wouldn't want someone who's been to 50 other farms handling birds to come to my place and put hands on my chickens.

That does make sense. Good luck with the vaxes!

 

[alforddm]

Just keeps getting worse. They still haven't gotten a handle on it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/22/busin ... .html?_r=0

 

[LPH_NY]

I don't have TV at home... so I only learned of this a couple days ago.

Something in my gut told me to stop selling my eggs at hubby's work and start putting them in the freezer for the annual "winter egg famine." I would be devastated to lose my little backyard flock. I was considering adding 6 new pullets from outside this year, but I might hold off now. I don't think the avian flu has come into this area, but I'd hate to add more risk to my birds just in case.

 

[LopLover]

I heard something about an order to slaughter all of the chickens in Iowa or something. Has anyone heard anything about this?

 

[alforddm]

I heard something about an order to slaughter all of the chickens in Iowa or something. Has anyone heard anything about this?

I haven't seen anything about ALL chickens in Iowa. However, a MASSIVE number of birds have been culled on farms were the virus was found.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nati ... /27533993/

 

[katiebear]

Interesting article,It said that the virus thrives in cool dark conditions...I wonder if the warmer states have had any problems? It is good to know that backyard operations are largely unaffected though...I was talking to hubby this morning about getting some more chicks before the price goes up...His head is firmly in the sand though. .I have 4 layers 3 are about 1 and 1 is 2, I know they will lay for a while longer just not sure how long...

 

[DBA]

I wish I had a couple broody hens. I had two that i thought were broosy, Di I finally started leaving eggs with them, within 3 days, they both abandoned the nests.
I need an incubator.

 

[katiebear]

I have one the older one that goes broody every few months...no rooster though, been scouring Craigslist but everyone wants like 25 bucks for a rooster!!! guess I will have to buy some straight run chicks, but with the way things have been going for me they will be all roosters. :lol: :x

 

[alforddm]

Arkansas was affected in March but as far as I know hasn't been since.

 

[FourRingCircus]

I only recently heard about this as well (no TV for us either). It will be interesting their reasoning why backyard flocks aren't as susceptible since they say it comes from wild birds. In theory the other chickens have never had contact with outside birds... rarely (if ever?) do they even see the light of day! I have lost a few hens this year which is unusual for me - one I think was from flies/maggots in the vent area, one had sour crop, and the other was acting a little off one night on the roost (made a mental note) and found her dead by morning. I have 12 chicks in a separate coop now - here's hoping they all make it for next year! My main laying flock is getting a bit older now - one is 6 years old (I assume she's not laying anymore), majority 3 years old, and a handful of "homegrown" chicks that are 1 or 2 years old (my lone survivor from last year is a rooster, of course).

 

[alforddm]

It seems that it has been mostly confined to commercial layers. That makes me wonder if the layers are more susceptible or if it just happens they are affected more due to location (ie more layer flocks in the outbreak center). If it is because of some susceptibility in the layers, then homestead flocks may not be affected to the same extent.

I guess it's just one of those situations where we will have to wait and see. At the present our family is dependent on commercial eggs and we eat quite a lot of them. I'm not looking forward to having to cut back because of price. I've tried to talk hubby into getting some chicks but he wasn't too enthused. At least I have the rabbits.

 

[Miss M]

We were already adding some new pullets to bring our egg production back up, but we just bought more because they're saying this could have an impact for 18 months +.

 

[Truckinguy]

My flock is outside all day and there is a flock of birds that lives in the bushes surrounding the run but I've had no problems so far. I think backyard chickens are more resistant to diseases in general because their immune systems deal with everything on a daily basis. I have a mixed flock of about six different breeds so the variety keeps it interesting.

I've been eating and selling my own eggs for a few years now so I don't really keep up on egg prices. Now the price of feed is another story!

I usually have one or two hens go broody each year and I have a small styrofoam incubator which I hatch a few chicks each year so that keeps up with any turnover.