The Kansas Department of Agriculture is warning poultry owners of a resurgence in the avian influenza. The outbreak has been ongoing for the last three years and the recent fall season has brought a resurgence of the virus. The virus has been detected in wild birds across Kansas and this month several backyard poultry flocks were confirmed with cases of the flu.
The KDA reminds poultry owners that the risk of exposure to susceptible birds in Kansas is high. The virus is primarily being transmitted through wild waterfowl like ducks and geese migrating through the region. It is recommended that poultry owners eliminate any possible exposure to wild migratory birds and their habitats by cleaning your boots/clothing after walking near ponds and lakes populated with wild birds. Keeping your poultry in an enclosure which wild birds can’t enter, and staying away from sick or dead wild birds.
The avian flu is a highly contagious viral disease affecting chickens, gamebirds, turkeys and other birds. It can cause severe illness and/or sudden death.
