Avian Flu

The Avian Flu sure is making headlines these days.  We see the effects on egg and poultry prices at the grocery store.   We hear the horror stories of whole flocks being killed by the virus itself or by government agencies euthanizing them to stop the spread of the virus.  We hear of birds passing it to dairy cows passing it to humans.

I am a member of the American Pastured Poultry Producers Association, or APPPA, an organization which keeps its finger firmly on the pulse of anything to do with the poultry industry: from farm marketing to profitability, from brooder management to feed quality, from disease control to proposed legislation.  They have a page on their site dedicated to the Avian Flu specifically, with links to interviews, protocols, etc.  Most of the information below comes from APPPA’s resources, with some additional details from Dr. Patrick Jones, DVM, of the Homegrown Herbalist School of Botanical Medicine.  

According to Dr. Chrislyn Wood, DVM, scientist at the USDA APHIS, pathogenic disease can be thought of as a triangle:

Let’s address these points one at a time to see where the Collins Cluckery stands:

1)      Host:  Chickens are birds and are therefore susceptible to the “bird flu.”  But as pastured poultry producers, we focus heavily on vibrant health and immune strength, rather than on avoidance. “The best defense is a good offense.”  On day one, we treat them to “Magic Water,” a mix of water, raw apple cider vinegar, our farm-raised garlic (strongly antiviral), and raw honey.  Their daily salad bar of fresh grass and weeds is a natural immune stimulant and detoxifer.  Dandelion is antibacterial and contains high levels of the vitamins and minerals so necessary to vibrant health; plantain has antimicrobial properties, and chickens eat it like candy. They stay strong and physically active, moving daily to new pasture.  

2)      Pathogen:  Is there a huge load or a tiny amount?  Is it highly, or only mildly pathogenic?  How is it transmitted?  H5N1 is a virus transmitted either via respiratory particles, birdto-bird contact, or manure.  At this point, H5N1 is considered highly pathogenic, although other varieties of the Avian Flu are hardly harmful at all.  When it comes to our chickens, we are relatively safe.  First, we aren’t connected to the larger poultry industry, so we don’t share feed trucks and equipment. Of greater concern to us is potential contact with the wild bird population.  There are not large flocks of wild birds landing near the chickens.  There are fat red robins in the trees and little yellow chickadees in the garden.  Each spring 2 ducks and 2 geese visit our pond for a few weeks.  So there is possibility for exposure.  Significant?  Not really.  Any manure the ducks and geese drop on the grass, for instance, will sit in the sunshine for at least a month before the chickens get anywhere near it.  And pathogens exposed to the UV rays of the sun die.  But, yes.  There is a chance of exposure.

3)      Environment:  Here is where the pastured model really shines, giving us a real leg up over industrialized poultry flocks.  Environmental factors include ventilation, sanitation, stocking density, and feed quality.

a.       Ventilation:  In CAFO’s, chickens are raised inside a building, often (although not always) with subpar ventilation systems.  Poor ventilation leads to a HOST of respiratory illnesses, not just Avian Influenza.  At the Collins Cluckery, the brooder itself has good, open ventilation above the birds, and then of course once they’re out on pasture, well, there’s no better ventilation than living in an openair shelter!

b.      Sanitation:  “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”  I don’t care what disease you are considering, a damp, filthy environment will only exacerbate the condition.  The brooder is clean when the chicks first arrive.  Clean, dry, but not disinfected, and this is important, because it means when the babies are tiny and their immune systems are being developed, they are exposed to small amounts of common pathogens at levels that only build their immune systems.  After the brooder stage, they spend the rest of their lives on clean pasture, moving to a new spot every single day so that no pathogen has a chance to proliferate, and the sun has ample time to do its job of sanitization before any chicken sets foot on that spot again.

c.       Stocking Density: Dr. Wood said that bird density is one of the most critical factors of bird health and susceptibility to the flu.  Consider the density of chickens in confinement buildings, up to 125,000 at a time.  You’ve all seen the pictures:  can you say “density intensity”?  There is barely room between them.  Not only does this mean communicable diseases are easily spread, but the stressful environment these chickens spend their whole lives in lowers immune resistance.

d.      Feed Quality:  If you buy our poultry, it is likely you also buy the idea that the quality of your food matters.  You’ve watched Super Size Me and Food, Inc., and your conscience smites you when you buy the kiddoes Happy Meals.  What you eat matters, but what THAT thing ate matters, too.  Most commercial feed is full of fillers.  Poor quality feed of low nutritional value, or with synthetic vitamins added in, is no substitute for true nutrition and WILL lead to a weak bird which struggles to withstand the normal onslaught of pathogens it will be exposed to over its lifetime.  At the Cluckery, we purchase locally-raised organic feed.  

Expensive?  Oh, yes.  Nearly twice the cost of the big-name feed at the feed store.  But what’s the value of good health?  That’s the question.

I know this is a lot of information, but I hope it both informs and reassures you that when you determine to source properly managed pastured poultry, you are making a real investment in the health of yourself and your family, and you are supporting a model that is generally able to withstand the winds that rock the industry.  Could we be affected by this?  Of course we could.  Sickness and death are a fact of life in this world.  But as my dad likes to say, “I’ve got my marching orders,” and the marching orders for this homestead are to hold fast to our proven method and stay the course, following our basic, established protocols if we see signs of illness.

Are you with us?

Please let me know if you have any further questions.  

I’m always happy to talk chicken!

Your local chicken lady,

Jennifer Collins

The Collins Cluckery

810-384-8177

Jennifer@TheCollinsCluckery.com