What should I do if I suspect bird flu on my farm?

If you suspect bird flu on your farm, immediately contact the local agricultural authorities. Implement strict biosecurity measures, including disinfecting equipment and housing, and restrict access to the farm.

How often should I clean house and equipment to prevent bird flu?

Regular cleaning is essential to prevent diseases such as avian influenza. • Perform a thorough cleaning and disinfection at least once a week. • Clean feeders and waterers more frequently. • During periods of risk or nearby outbreaks, increase cleaning to daily. Maintaining good hygiene reduces the risk of virus transmission.

How can I protect my feed and water sources from bird flu infection?

To reduce the risk of contamination: • Keep feeders and waterers protected from wild birds. • Store food in closed, rodent-proof containers. • Clean and disinfect containers regularly. • Prevent water from being exposed to the outdoors. • Keep feeding areas dry and clean.

Are there vaccines against avian influenza?

Yes, there are vaccines against some strains of avian influenza. However: • Their use depends on the regulations of each country. • In many cases, the main strategy continues to be biosecurity and health control. • A veterinarian can recommend whether vaccination is appropriate for your farm.

Can bird flu be transmitted to humans?

In rare cases, some strains of the virus can infect people who have had direct contact with infected birds. The risk to the general population is low, but poultry workers should: • Use protective equipment. • Avoid contact with sick or dead birds. • Follow official health recommendations.

How does avian influenza enter a poultry farm?

The virus is usually introduced into farms through: • Contact with infected wild birds. • Contaminated clothing, equipment, or vehicles. • Contaminated water or feed. • Movement of birds between farms. • Therefore, implementing strict biosecurity protocols is the best form of prevention.

Bird flu - Poultry

Guard your chickens against Bird Flu (Avian influenza)

Avian influenza is a highly contagious viral disease that affects domestic and wild birds. It can cause high mortality in poultry farms and significant economic losses.

The best way to protect your farm is to implement strict biosecurity measures, maintain good hygiene in your facilities, and act quickly if you suspect an infection.

Since 2021, Europe has experienced one of the largest outbreaks of avian influenza in its history, mainly caused by the A(H5N1) virus. In Spain, outbreaks have also been detected in domestic birds and numerous cases in wild birds in different autonomous communities.

The 4 steps to prevent Bird Flu

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What is bird flu and what causes it?

The bird flu, also known as Avian Influenza (AI) is caused by the Influenza type A virus and can infect all avian species. There are Low - (LPAI) and Highly (HPAI) - Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus strains. Their subtypes are based on two proteins, hemagglutinin (H1 to H16) and neuraminidase (N1 to N9). To date, the Highly Pathogenic HPAI viruses are often H5 or H7 variants.

The HPAI virus affects internal organs, with a mortality rate up to 90% to 100% in chickens within 48 hours.

How does the Avian Flu spread?

Avian influenza can be introduced into a farm by:

Contaminated visitors
Clothing and footwear
Tools or equipment
Transport vehicles
Wild bird droppings
Contaminated feed or water
Pests (rodents or insects)
Airborne dust

The 4 steps to prevent Bird Flu

What are the symptoms of bird flu in chickens?

There are two Bird flu symptoms in poultry. The low (LPAI) and highly pathogenic (HPAI) variants have different clinical signs. The below signs are for the hazardous HPAI variant:

Sudden very high dropout rates
Swelling of head and neck
Dullness, trouble walking
Tissue necrosis
Bleeding in legs, comb, wattles
Respiratory problems (coughing)
Decreased egg production
Nasal discharge and infection
Watery, bloody or green diarrhea
Ruffled feathers

Biosecurity measures against Avian Influenza

Good biosecurity is the most important defence that poultry farmers have to prevent the introduction of Avian Influenza to their farms.

Implementing clear hygiene protocols and measures for visitors, vehicles, feed and goods entering the farm are important to prevent the introduction of AI.

Protect your chickens from bird flu with the 4 essential measures below.

The 4 steps to prevent Bird Flu in chickens

Step 1

Start cleaning like a pro

A strict cleaning and disinfecting protocol needs to be set-up for all vehicles, tools and equipment that enter the farm. Cleaning and disinfection is the most important weapon farmers have to prevent the introduction of the Avian Flu. How to clean and disinfect a poultry barn

Step 2

Contain the threat: set-up a colour system

Dedicated colours for tools, equipment and clothing can help to prevent cross contamination between farms, locations or barns. If bird flu is detected in one barn, this practice ensures that it stays only within that barn, making containment easier.How to set-up a colour system

Step 3

Guarantee a safe visit with hygiene protocols

Each person that enters the poultry farm could carry bird flu with them. Visitors need to shower and wash thoroughly to prevent the transmission of disease. How to set-up a hygiene protocol for visitors

Step 4

Ensure safe drinking water

A steady supply of clean and healthy drinking water is essential to maintain the health of your animals. Cleaning and disinfecting the water lines helps to prevent the introduction of Avian Influenza through the drinking water system. Especially when using surface water as a source for drinking wateHow to secure a clean water supply