The following questions and answers were not addressed during the webinar due to time constraints but are provided below for informational purposes:
Avian Disease and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza – The latest updates and what it means for poultry health (March 18, 2025)
Q: Why does it seem like HPAI is only affecting the egg laying chickens, we don’t see the price of anything else going up
A: HPAI has hit the egg laying houses really hard, harder than the meat bird flocks. There have been many more bird losses in the egg layer houses.
Q: Why aren’t we calling HPAI H5N1?
A: We use the term “HPAI” to cover highly pathogenic avian influenza more broadly. H5N1 is a strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza, but not the only strain out there across the globe.
Q: How can we protect poultry that are also ranging and providing pest control?
A: Avoiding ranging them in areas where wild waterfowl congregate is your best method of prevention.
Q: Do we know if it spreads asymptomatically?
A: The disease has a 7-14 incubation period where you may not see symptoms, and most birds will show symptoms after that time. Waterfowl show less dramatic symptoms than other poultry.
Q: So would backyard chicken keepers be considered low risk?
A: There is equal risk for backyard chicken keepers, small flock owners, and commercial flock owners. The majority of cases that we’re seeing are in backyard and small flocks in NYS. Nationwide, it’s a more even split, but backyard flocks still have more infections. We are unique in NYS because of the city’s live bird markets, which have been greatly affected too
Q: What is your response to someone like Joel Salatin who has been on TikTok saying that we need to “let the chickens live” if they get avian influenza to get immunity to this virus rather than euthanizing 100% poultry when it has been detected on a farm?
A: The death rate is 90%-100% within 24-48 hours of symptoms showing in infected flocks. Leaving poultry to live without a disease mitigation strategy in place creates a large pool of virus that can continue to infect other poultry, wild birds, and mammals.
Q: Is pandemic on term only used for human? Is the scale of H5N1 great enough to be consider “panndemic”
A: If you want to be specific, it’s technically called the North American epornitic
Q: Isn’t there evidence that this virus is airborne?
A: Yes, there is evidence of spread via the air, but it has yet to be confirmed.
Q: How long does it last in feces?
A: Research reports from the USDA conclude, “Can survive in surface waters. Viable in liquid feces for 30−35 days at 4 °C and for 7 days at 20 °C. Survived 4 days in chicken feces held between 25−32 °C in the shade. In water, can survive 26−30 days at 28 °C, and 94−158 days at 17 °C. Composting kills virus within poultry carcasses in less than 10 days.”
Q: Do you recommend not free ranging to avoid infection?
A: Keeping birds in their coops is a great way to protect them.
Q: Does that mean that having a backyard flock of waterfowl is more dangerous than chickens? In terms of transmission to humans?
A: No, I would argue that the risk is equal between flocks of different species. The risk to humans remains low and keeping poultry is still considered a safe practice.
Q: Is there any data on transmission to beef cattle?
A: There is currently no data on the spread of HPAI to beef cattle.
Q: How would you dispose of infected manure if you live in an urban environment?
A: If you have a confirmed positive infection, NYS Department of Ag and Markets will work with you to clean and disinfect your property to eliminate the virus.
Q: How worried should we be about mammalian vectors, especially in rotational grazing type of situations? Is there any way to mitigate risks of rotational grazing given its multiple other benefits?
A: The number of mammalian vectors are relatively low compared to the number of wild avian vectors. So, you shouldn’t be too worried. The best way to mitigate the risk is to not rotate your poultry into areas that wild waterfowl frequent.
Q: Can I let my chickens free range around the yard, or no to prevent them getting the disease? They have a lot of space to themselves.
A: If you don’t have exposure to wild birds in the yard, especially wild waterfowl, you have the option to manage your chickens in a way that makes sense for you (:
Q: Are songbirds significant carriers?
A: No, they’re not. Wild waterfowl, raptors, and corvids (crows, ravens) are a significantly higher risk.
Q: In our rural area, roadside egg stands are quite common. Am I taking a risk purchasing from local home stands?
A: The virus is killed through cooking, so your risk is very low.
Q: Most of these stands don’t appear to wash the shells before putting them out. I was wondering about the dried manure being a risk.
A: That’s fair! There is a very small risk from the adhering feces. In NYS, eggs should not be sold if they’re dirty. Clean shells prevent nearly no risk.
Q: Would a covered mobile run be helpful to allow poultry out and about while providing protection from wild birds?
A: Definitely!
Q: This might be covered in a minute but is there a county break down for NYS numbers?
A: You can find that data here: https://agriculture.ny.gov/animals/poultry
Q: Should individuals who have ducks and chickens take extra precautions?
A: Yes. Keeping your poultry separate from wild birds, limiting the people who interact with your flock, and only purchasing poultry from sources where you know the health status are ways to mitigate the disease. You can keep dedicated footwear that you only use to take care of your poultry and wear nowhere else.
Q: Would you suggest not purchasing adult birds from other flock owners at this point? What are the safest ways to grow flocks at this point?
A: Purchasing poultry from NPIP (National Poultry Improvement Plan) sources are a way to know that the people or company selling the birds is adhering to strict biosecurity measures, which can help reduce risk. Buying in or hatching chicks is also a way to eliminate many disease risks. There are many more diseases to worry about outside of HPAI, which Dr. Jarra will share more about.
Q: What is meant by backyard flock (non-poultry)? I don’t understand the non-poultry part.
A: This is the designation that the government gives to poultry flocks that are not selling eggs into commercial channels (stores, institutions, schools, etc.)
Q: Is this the same degree of morbidity/mortality seen in wild fowl? what if we start seeing dead wild ducks? (I have 3 ponds and live near a huge recreational lake that hosts thousands of migratory fowl)
A: Domestic birds are more susceptible than wild birds. Wild waterfowl are the main carriers and may not show obvious signs of infection.
Q: How are the birds killed when HPAI is detected in a flock?
A: They are euthanized using a method that makes sense for the size of the flock and how they’re housed. It can happen via CO2 stunning, foaming, or ventilation shutdown.
Q: I’m sorry if I’m being repetitive but he keeps saying quickly birds will die if they have HPAI. What is quickly? Please be frank hours? Days? Minutes?
A: In 24-48 hours, you will see 90% – 100% death loss in the whole flock, especially flocks that aren’t composed of waterfowl.
Q: How long is the virus active in waterfowl poop and seed residue on the ground at backyard songbird feeders?
A: Research from the USDA states, “Can survive in surface waters. Viable in liquid feces for 30−35 days at 4 °C and for 7 days at 20 °C. Survived 4 days in chicken feces held between 25−32 °C in the shade. In water, can survive 26−30 days at 28 °C, and 94−158 days at 17 °C. Composting kills virus within poultry carcasses in less than 10 days.”
Q: Information is starting to circulate saying the depopulating birds is not a good response. How should we answer these statements/questions?
A: Right now, when we don’t have a vaccine to mitigate the disease, the only way to manage it is to euthanize the flock. Euthanizing the flock is more humane than allowing them to suffer through 24-48 hours of the cytokine storm that will kill 90%-100% of the flock. Birds that survive will not be productive and just be additional concentrated sources of virus that can affect other flocks, wild birds, and mammals.
Q: What if you don’t have 30 birds for them to swab?
A: They will likely swab all of the birds that you have on your property if you have under 30.
Q: How much surveillance is being done? Are they using sentinel chickens? What about antibodies in non-avian species?
A: The disease has such obvious symptoms in poultry that the flock essentially serves as the sentinel, so we are relying on reports of suspicious flocks to prompt testing. Very new research is showing that dairy cattle are developing antibodies to the disease.
Q: Has HPAI been detected in beef cattle or other ruminants?
A: We have seen one case in a goat and one in a camelid, but nothing yet in beef cattle.
Q: We just adopted a 1 year old cat. She’s inside only right now. Would you recommend keeping her inside only until the risk level decreases? We are a tiny homestead operations of 20 domesticated chickens and 1 duck. We would like the cat to be indoor/outdoor someday though.
A: As to my knowledge, the infected cats were infected through the consumption of raw milk and raw turkey meat, rather than simply being in the presence of infected cattle or poultry. More information can be found here: https://www.vet.cornell.edu/animal-health-diagnostic-center/about/news/testing-cats-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-hpai-h5n1-ahdc
Q: How large is the neighbor outreach zone when a flock is deemed infected? And is that outreach zone only for commercial flocks?
A: The outreach zone depends on a number of factors that are unique to each case. The outreach zone is for all poultry owners, both commercial and backyard, and those who run live bird markets.
Q: I get lots of concerns from the public about domestic cats and dogs and the HPAI effect on them. Do they get heavily affected?
A: That’s a fair question! More information can be found on the Cornell Vet School page: https://www.vet.cornell.edu/highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-bird-flu-resource-center/cats-and-dogs
Q: When we talk about wild birds being infected, have you seen any sick crows or starlings?
A: Yes, there have been infections in both species. You can search for confirmed cases here: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/wild-birds
Q: What is the age range for “old” birds
A: Older than 2 or so years
Q: We have a dairy goat herd so my question is what symptoms will my goats have? And what should I do to protect them?
A: Mammals show neurological symptoms, primarily. The biggest risk factor that we know of at this time is raising goats in direct contact with poultry.
Q: Which if any of the common chicken diseases are safe to eat culled diseased birds after cooking?
A: Across the board, sick birds should not be harvested for human consumption.
Q: Do genetics affect the mortality in Mareks? Is anyone breeding for resistance?
A: Unfortunately, no. There is no evidence of resistance through breeding.
Q: I have lost so many (~10 over the past 2 years) incoming birds to Marek’s at 8-12 months of age. All were vaccinated according to the dealer where I get them. Is it likely that the company isn’t actually vaccinating them properly?
A: The company may be either not vaccinating them properly, or the vaccine is being mishandled and is therefore ineffective. The success rate of the vaccine can be as low as 80% even in ideal conditions.
Q: Can birds vaccinated for Marek’s shed the virus to non-vaccinated poultry?
A: It depends on the vaccine used. Make sure that the turkey version (HVT) of the vaccine is being used from the hatchery you’re ordering from. This version does not revert to virulence, which means that the HVT (turkey version of the vaccine) does not cause active infection in non-vaccinated chickens in a flock of vaccinated and non-vaccinated chickens.
Q: So if I get a rooster from a hatchery he could get Marek’s?
A: If he is not vaccinated and introduced into an infected flock, yes.
Q: Can we vaccinate for Mareks if we are hatching at home?
A: Technically, yes, but realistically, it’s very difficult to a.) get ahold of a quality vaccine that has been handled properly b.) a vaccine in a small enough dose vial and c.) actually giving the vaccination is tricky (in the back of the neck, just under the skin in day old chicks). Plus, once mixed, the vaccine is only good for an hour or two before it becomes ineffective.
Q: Is the Mareks vaccine available to the public. Is there an age after which vaccination doesn’t work/make sense?
A: The vaccine is hard to find from a reliable source where it has been handled properly that is also in a small dose container to make sense for small flocks. If not given at day of hatch, it will not be effective.
Q: Outside of Marek’s can you vaccinate at any age or should it always be chicks?
A: It is highly dependent on what you’re vaccinating for.
Q: When purchasing chicks from farm/feed store(ie. Tractor Supply), are they able to provide proof of flock location, and a clean bill of health?
A: Some are able to, others are not. You will have to ask the farm supply store. There is always a risk of the chicks being unknowingly infected with diseases like Marek’s from the caretakers or the public before you purchase them.
Q: Do we know anything about how long it may be viable in seed residue from bird feeders. The shells and seeds that drop to the ground?
A: I don’t know that testing of manure/respiratory residue on seed residue is being actively explored. My educated guess is that it would be the same as the length of time it lasts in feces.
Q: Will avian flu affect 4-H kids and their showing this year?
A: We don’t know yet. Any updates will be posted on the Ag and Markets poultry page: https://agriculture.ny.gov/animals/poultry
Q: Have pigs been affected by HPAI?
A: There has been one case in pigs.
Q: What kind of Ivermectin are you talking about – paste or liquid?
A: Either one works
Q: Do you use the ivermectin orally or topically?
A: You can use either one of them
Q: What can you use to worm your flock of chickens and turkeys?
A: Fenbendazole -Safeguard is the trade name. More information about deworming practices and protocols can be found in this presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoyrnpPYy8M&t=2071s
Q: Dr. Jarra, can you explain the bacteria Coryza and does it present similar to Avian influenza?
A: Coryza is a respiratory disease caused by bacteria. It can be very severe and cause high mortality
