GOSHEN, Ind. — My grandparents owned a very traditional farm in the 1960s. There were 10-15 Jerseys to milk, a few hogs, and Grandma’s laying flock.
Those were good times. I remember reaching under the hens to gather those warm eggs, learning how to pull an udder, and watching the dog attempt to catch a chicken. Great memories from what seems like a simpler time. Over the Christmas holiday, my sister and I recalled watching Grandma butcher a chicken, a memory that has stuck in both our heads for 50 years.
With the recent price hike in eggs, there has been some renewed interest in raising chickens in the backyard. While a fun hobby, backyard poultry can be quite costly at the initial startup if you are beginning with all new equipment. With feed costs being high now, it can take years to recoup your investment.
One of the reasons egg prices have soared is avian flu, something a few of our local growers experienced last year. This is a deadly disease in chickens and turkeys and debilitating in ducks.
Avian flu has not gone away. There was an outbreak in southern Indiana turkeys in January 2023, and news reports of large numbers of geese dying in Colorado this week. In South America, the news is worse. Birds are dying by the thousands, particularly pelicans and other seabirds along the coasts.
The scary part is the annual migration of birds from South America will be happening soon. As those birds arrive here, they will be crossing paths with local wild birds and backyard flocks, stealing feed from feeders and drinking from waterers. That is how the disease cycle will continue and expand.
There are a few things to do that may help reduce the chance your birds are not affected. First, keep your birds in an escape proof enclosure, such as a backyard run, preferably covered with wire or netting. Our local commercial growers pulled their birds indoors to reduce the risk last year.
Another wise step is to have dedicated shoes and outerwear when caring for the flock. Leave boots and coveralls in an adjacent container between visits. Be sure to wash your hands going in and out of the flock.
Do not be misled by some of the poor information online. While writing this article, I saw one person claiming her birds are fed organically, and therefore are not susceptible to the flu. Tell that to our local organic growers who buried thousands of birds last year. Information posted at Extension sites like Purdue, Penn State, Iowa and Minnesota are much more reliable than “Mary down the street on Facebook.”
The Indiana Board of Animal Health is in charge when a flock breaks out with avian flu in Indiana. When that happens, they are very good about communicating with people near the affected area, if they know you are there. I would suggest you register your flock at https://www.in.gov/boah/traceability-and-premise-id/ or by calling (317) 544-2400.
–Purdue Extension Elkhart County
Purdue University
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