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Coloradans Urged To Join Webinar on Avian Influenza

Because Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) continues to present a threat to birds across Colorado, the Colorado State Veterinarian’s office has issued updated guidance for poultry events, such as swaps, meets, and competitions. The guidance asks poultry owners to increase safety precautions and biosecurity practices, monitor their flocks for illness, and report any sick or dead birds to the State Veterinarian’s Office.

Chaffee County Fair entries. Photo by Brooke Gilmore.

The State Veterinarian’s Office will hold an informational webinar: “What you should know about Avian Influenza” from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 that is open to anyone to attend. New poultry owners and people interested in learning more about HPAI and how to protect their flocks are encouraged to attend.

“The most important thing poultry owners can do right now to protect their birds from avian influenza is to improve their safety and biosecurity by keeping their flock away from wild birds, separating and monitoring any new birds for at least 14 days, and reporting any abnormal sickness or death events to our office,” said Colorado State Veterinarian Dr. Maggie Baldwin.

“While we are leaving the decision to postpone or cancel any scheduled poultry events to the organizers, we are strongly recommending event organizers implement extra precautionary measures before, during, and after their event,” she added.

Conducted by Baldwin and animal health experts from Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Colorado State University, the free webinar will provide a background on Colorado’s response to the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus. Whether you’re a backyard chicken owner, waterfowl hunter, or simply a Coloradan wanting to learn more, you’re invited to join this presentation and discussion to hear from state experts.

The live event will include presentations and will be followed by a live Question and Answer session. The public can submit their questions ahead of time and register for the webinar at ag.colorado.gov/hpai.

Chickens love to eat bugs on the ground and in the grass. photo credit- S. Hobbs.

New poultry owners can learn about biosecurity basics, get more resources, and report any suspicious poultry illnesses or deaths at ag.colorado.gov/hpai.

The guidance identifies commingling events as posing a risk for the introduction and transmission of HPAI among Colorado domestic birds. Co-mingling means an event that mixes multiple flocks, owners, and equipment together, by bringing them into the same area.

The State Veterinarian’s office is asking organizers of commingling events to ensure participants monitor the health status of flocks before entering the event, develop biosecurity plans for events, and remind attendees to keep their birds separated from the remainder of their flock for at least 14 days after an event.

The guidance provides additional resources for youth organizations, including free courses through “Bring Home the Blue, Not the Flu!” You can read the full guidance document here.