Small Flock Owners Receptive to NCDA Meetings

Earlier this month there was series of meetings across the state for backyard and small flock owners to talk about bird flu.  Dr. Sarah Mason, director of poultry animal health programs with NCDA says the turnout was good:

“We had a very good attendance and a lot of questions. The bird owners were curious about the disease and the risks. They wanted to know ways they could protect their birds.”

Earlier in the summer, NCDA asked that all flock owners, small and large, register their flocks with the department strictly as an avenue to disseminate information.  Mason says most people that attended the meetings were receptive to that concept:

“The people that came were not bothered by the registration question. They wanted to have their questions answered. We didn’t require them to register.”

Preparations are ongoing against the potential arrival of bird flu in the east, and Mason had this:

“We are continuing to try and prepare ourselves for what might come in the fall. The migration has already begun, but is just a trickle compared to what will come the next few months. We are getting our lab system ready and our personnel trained so we can be prepared.”

And Mason had this piece of advice for small flock owners:

“They need to keep their birds away from wild water fowl. If they have puddle ducks or other ducks, they should be kept separate from chickens and turkeys because they are known t have the disease and now show signs, but still affect other birds. So it’s best to keep those two species separate.”