12/21/2023 0 Comments Chicken flocks![]() That’s what happened with the 2015 outbreak, Richards said. There is a chance that as migratory birds move north, and disperse instead of gathering in large flocks, the virus would not spread as easily and burn out. ![]() Philadelphia backyard chicken owners, like Doug Zajaczkowski, are concerned that the avian flu spreading through the U.S. Also, this time around there are more species affected, including migratory birds like Canada geese. and Canada this time, there are more than 700 so far, Richards said. In 2015, there were about 100 wild birds affected in the U.S. He said he’s concerned as a backyard chicken owner himself, with 13 hens at home. Richards said he and his colleagues, along with partners at other federal agencies and tribal nations, have been tracking this avian flu since the first case in Canada late last year. ![]() Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center. was in 20, but that was not as widespread as this outbreak, said Bryan Richards, emerging disease coordinator at the U.S. The last outbreak of bird flu in the U.S. “Every time we open the door, they try to escape … we have a couple that are very sneaky and that can try and get by us very quickly and get out, and we’ve had to run and catch them.” It seems ridiculous, but they know that if they make a lot of noise, that generally, we’ll go out there.” “They will yell and cluck very loudly at the door and try and call us. But since hearing about the spread of avian flu, Sanka has not let her chickens outside their coop and fenced-in run. Normally, she would let her hens free range in her yard under her supervision, so that they can dig for worms. She said both she and other people she knows who have chickens have been nervous about the flu since a wild bald eagle died from an infection in the county last month. They are trying to protect their birds - which they see as pets - from getting infected.Īllison Sanka, a financial counselor and small business coach in Chester County, keeps five hens at home. A Lancaster County poultry farm killed more than a million birds earlier this month to keep the virus from spreading further, with more than 100 farms within a six-mile radius under quarantine.Īlthough the avian flu poses low risks to the public, and there have been few cases among backyard chickens, owners in the region are still concerned. As of last week, Pennsylvania had the second highest number of affected birds in the country, after Iowa. This story comes from our partners at WHYY.Ī deadly flu virus has been spreading in birds across the U.S.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |