I wish I had better news to share about the bird flu right now. In terms of spread to humans, chances are still low, but in the last 24 hours, another human became infected. This time, it was a dairy worker in Nevada. So far, there is no human to human transmission, but about 70 people have become infected from animals. And, according to research presented in a recent article in Scientific American, the virus is just one mutation away from being able to bind more efficiently to human cells.
And while transmission to humans is a concern as the virus continues to mutate, right now, outbreaks in wild and domestic bird populations are decimating populations. Eggs are so expensive people are stealing them by the truckload. I saw today that organic eggs were $11 a dozen at the grocery store. Maine has now also reported its first cases in York County, and the state has issued a high alert for the virus. I’ll speak to what we are doing and what other chicken keepers can do below, but I wanted to step back for a moment and talk about the devastation this virus is having on wildlife.
This weekend, I read an article at NPR about why the bird flu we are experiencing now is so much worse than the bird flu of the past. I have seen many people in farming and chicken forums skeptical about the dangers of the bird flu, citing evidence that bird flu has been around forever and that there have been outbreaks in the past. These things are true, but there has been an adaptation in the bird flu in recent years that has changed things. Things are not as they used to be. Nothing really is, is it?
Scientists in the article explain that, starting in 2020 to 2021, the virus adapted. In the past, sick birds would die quickly from the symptoms, which cut down on the spread of the virus. In recent years, the virus has adapted, and infected birds live longer–just long enough to spread the virus to another population. It’s causing the virus to spread differently than in the past, and there are many, many people who are in denial about this, which never bodes well for the prevention of spread.
The author of the article, Gabrielle Emanuel, citing experts who have studied the flu virus for decades, explains:
“The particular virus that causes bird flu — H5N1 — itself is not new. It’s a disease that originated in east Asia, first detected in China in 1996. The virus has mostly terrorized poultry farms and led to massive culling. It has occasionally spilled over to humans, causing some 400 deaths over the decades, but rarely spreads human-to-human. And while it has jumped over into wild birds periodically — killing many birds in many places — it never took off globally.
Then came 2020 and 2021, when the version that’s driving the current outbreak emerged.
The virus evolved so some wild birds are able to migrate just far enough to reach another bird community or mammal population to pass the virus on before dying.”
A scientist cited in the article explains it’s like “dead birds flying,” and the virus is wreaking havoc on wildlife–birds, marine mammals, and, of course, it’s spreading to both commercial and backyard chicken flocks, dairy farms, and some humans.
I guess the question comes down to this: What can we do?
While scientists keep stressing the importance of government preparedness (I read that the UK has ramped up production of vaccines), it’s not hopeful that our government is doing anything to prepare for this. In the immediate, if you live in a state like we do where there have been cases of bird flu, it’s a good idea to take some precautions.
We do not live near water, so that helps us, but it’s no guarantee, of course. We studied the migration patterns of birds and see that our greatest risk in our part of Maine is from the first of April to the middle of June. If we start to see cases in our area, we will have to lock down the flock. To make it possible to lock down the flock, Ron plans to build two covered high tunnels that he thinks will be able to withstand the wind. I’ll definitely keep you posted on Ron’s plans because he thinks his plans will be affordable and effective, and he’s usually right on such things.
In the immediate, we are keeping food and water away from wildlife. We are only feeding the chickens in the coop, and they are barely leaving the coop right now anyway because of all the snow. Last year, when we realized we had better not get new chicken babies and work on naturally downsizing the flock, who knew it was going to be so important so quickly?
It’s also important to keep people away from the flock, and we are using designated shoes for the coop, but we always do the latter. I have also not been letting the flock have driveway time this winter, which makes everyone sad.
Our ducks have also been locking themselves down for the most part on their own because of all the snow, but we do keep their feed and water outside, so I am making a canvas tent this week to connect to their duck house and put food and water in. My only worry is that those skittish runner ducks won’t stand for it. I’ll keep you posted.
If you have chickens, this site from the University of Minnesota Extension office is very helpful. I have also been following the altCDC on social media. It seems like a good idea.
Please take good care, everyone. There is so much to follow in the news that we can’t keep up with it all. It’s just exhausting. I’ll do my best to keep you updated on bird flu.
photo credit: Edouard Gilles, Unsplash
