Protect Your Home Chickens: Spot These Avian Flu Symptoms & Notify Authorities Fast

As the bird flu continues to pop up across the country, U.S. officials are encouraging Americans to take the proper precautions and keep a close eye on their animals.

Cases of the bird flu, also known as avian influenza and H5N1, have surfaced in several states over the past few months, primarily affecting chickens and dairy cows.

In late March, The Associated Press reported that milk from dairy cows in Texas and Kansas had tested positive for the bird flu.

A week later, the AP reported that the largest U.S. producer of fresh eggs, Cal-Maine Foods, had temporarily halted production at a Texas plant after the virus was found in its chickens in early April. The company reported that it destroyed 3.6 percent of its total flock after discovering the virus.

A person in Texas was also diagnosed with the bird flu, apparently contracting the disease from dairy cows in what was said to be the first known instance globally of a person catching this version of the virus from a mammal, according to the AP.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration provided an update on the virus on April 25, announcing that remnants of bird flu were found in about one in five recently tested samples, “with a greater proportion of positive results coming from milk in areas with infected herds.”

It said FDA testing “did not detect any live, infectious virus,” which reaffirmed the agency’s assessment “that the commercial milk supply is safe.”

The virus seems to be primarily affecting raw dairy products, according to an update Wednesday, with the agency saying the results obtained thus far “show that pasteurization is effective in inactivating” the virus.

The FDA said it will continue to “advise strongly against the consumption of raw milk and recommends that industry does not manufacture or sell raw milk or raw milk products.”

A USA Today article on Wednesday warned people who own chickens to take precautions because “at-home chickens are far from safe.”

These include avoiding unprotected contact with chickens that appear sick, avoiding contact with wild birds and properly cooking poultry and eggs, as doing so will kill the virus.

Avian Enterprises, which specializes in bird repellant products, also stressed the importance of having a proper and secure enclosure for chickens to mitigate the risk of contact with infected birds.

The report said to watch out for the following symptoms of the virus in chickens:

• Sudden death without clinical signs.
• Lack of energy and appetite.
• Decreased egg production or soft-shelled or misshapen eggs.
• Swelling of head, comb, eyelid, wattles, and hocks.
• Purple discoloration of wattles, comb, and legs.
• Nasal discharge, coughing, and sneezing.
• Incoordination.
• Diarrhea.

If your chickens show any of these symptoms, immediately contact your local health authorities.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautioned that birds infected with the virus might not show any symptoms.

The CDC advised that if any of the poultry in your flock have the bird flu, you should not touch sick or dead birds or anything they may have contaminated, you should wear the proper personal protection equipment, and you should avoid stirring up dust and bird feathers when trying to clean contaminated areas.

There are also concerns about pets.

Dr. Meghan Davis, an associate professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, spoke with Newsweek about ways that animal owners can mitigate the risk of their pets catching the disease.

“If you are someone who purchases raw milk for consumption at home, take great caution with pets and raw milk,” Davis said. “It’s not recommended that anyone in the household consume raw milk products.”

Davis also advised farmers who own dogs to exercise caution, saying animals that live on farms are at the highest risk and their owners should keep them away from dairy cows or chickens.

While the FDA and CDC noted there is no imminent cause for concern for the general public, all animal owners, especially those in rural areas, were advised to take the necessary precautions.

Properly cooking your food, exercising proper hygiene and avoiding raw dairy products are the best ways to protect yourself from the bird flu, according to the agencies.

When it comes to your animals, you are advised to keep a close eye on them, ensure their enclosures are secure and refrain from feeding them raw dairy products.