Highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, is a deadly disease that affects chickens and turkeys. It is spread by wild birds on their annual migrations and it can be devastating for backyard flocks as well as large commercial operations. Poultry owners in Claiborne County are urged to keep a wary eye on their birds.
Warnings signs for HPAI include: A sudden increase in bird deaths in your flock; sneezing, gasping for air, coughing, and nasal discharge; watery and green diarrhea; lack of energy and poor appetite; and a drop in egg production or soft- or thin-shelled misshapen eggs. Other signs that HPAI may be in your flock include: swelling of the head, eyelids, combs, wattles, and hocks; stumbling or falling down; and a purple discoloration of the wattles, comb, and legs.
Biosecurity is the number one thing the flock owner should consider to protect their birds from HPAI.
“Biosecurity means doing everything you can to protect your birds from disease,” says Dr. Lew Strickland, University of Tennessee Extension veterinarian. “As a bird owner, keeping your birds healthy is a top priority. Your birds can become sick or die from exposure to just a few unseen bacteria, viruses, or parasites. In a single day, these germs can multiply and infect all of your birds.”
Strickland says if commercial and backyard producers will routinely perform some simple safety steps, they can decrease the risk of disease like avian influenza from entering their flocks and, once present, of persisting in soil, droppings and debris.
“Practicing biosecurity is an investment in the health of your birds,” he said. The basics of biosecurity boil down to these six steps. Keep your distance by restricting access to your property and your birds including other people and birds. Keep it clean by wearing clean clothes and boots before entering your bird area as well as cleaning cages and changing food and water daily. Don’t bring disease home by spraying boots and vehicle tires with disinfectant when returning from town or the neighbors. Don’t borrow disease from your neighbor by borrowing tools, supplies, or anything that can come into contact with your birds. Know the warning signs for HPAI that are listed above. And finally, report sick birds to your local veterinarian, the UT-TSU Extension office at 423-626-3742, or the state veterinarian’s office at 615-837-5120.”
Of these steps, Strickland says keeping an operation clean can be among the most daunting and demanding.
“Wear clean clothes, scrub your shoes with disinfectant, and wash your hands thoroughly before entering your bird area,” he says. “Also, 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 and remove manure before disinfecting.”
He adds that you must properly dispose of dead birds. If you have any questions about HPAI, feel free to give me a call at 626-3742. If an outbreak of HPAI happens, prompt reporting is essential. The State Veterinarian’s Office and UT Extension have plans to deal with an outbreak but we are depending on all poultry owners to help us out.