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Make sure they don't put their fingers in their mouths. Keep an eye on any young children handling poultry to make sure they don't kiss the birds or bring them near their faces. It is important to wash your hands after handling poultry or anything that they have come into contact with. Every year CDC reports multi-state outbreaks of human salmonellosis linked to contact with backyard poultry. There are some important things to remember though. In addition, raising a small poultry flock is a good way to introduce youth to animal agriculture (for food or fiber) and to help build a sense of responsibility (since animals need to be taken care of 365 days a year). As a hobby and/or for poultry exhibitionsĪ small poultry flock is relatively inexpensive, requires less space than most animal enterprises, and doesn't require much time.For family consumption of meat and/or eggs.For-profit through the sale of meat, eggs, and/or chicks.There are many reasons an individual or family may want to raise poultry: The chickens are kept at ambient temperature, except for the brooding period (first 4 weeks), where chicks receive additional heating. īird flu - Information for hunters and taxidermistsīird flu - Considerations for pets and non-farm animals Meat chicken flocks are typically based on slow-growing local breeds (45 months to reach a market weight of 1.6-2.0kg), raised as single age and confined in a dedicated house/pen. Additional information on biosecurity for backyard flocks can be found at. In addition to practicing good biosecurity, all bird owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds and report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to State/Federal officials, either through their state veterinarian or through USDA’s toll-free number at 1-86. APHIS has materials about biosecurity, including videos, checklists, and a toolkit available at. USDA APHIS | 2022 Highly Pathogenic Avian InfluenzaĪnyone involved with poultry production from the small backyard to the large commercial producer should review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds. A commercial flock of turkeys has also been confirmed with HPAI in Webster County. In addition, 2 dead snow geese tested positive in Ballard County, 4 hunter-harvested gadwalls tested positive in Henderson County and 4 live mallards tested positive in Meade County. NEWS UPDATE:USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial broiler flock in Fulton County, Kentucky.
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This backyard flock owner likes to have a cup of coffee while watching the antics of his chicken flock. Backyard flocks can be a source of great entertainment.