AI, BC Restricted Zones and the Wetaskiwin Poultry Show

We have many people who show on this forum. Many of those people in BC. Up until a few weeks ago I was looking forward to the upcoming Wetaskiwin Poultry Show in February and seeing many of the fanciers I only have a chance to talk to online. How does the AI outbreak change your plans? Were you planning to stay home even before the outbreak? Do you think the outbreak will still be active and will you be restricted? Will you be cautious about traveling with your birds even if all AI worries are done and over with? Even if you are not in BC will you rethink attending chicken shows and sales now? Care to share your thoughts?

While I was not attending, even had I thought of it I would say it's a no go. Most of us are located in the Primary zone and all require a permit to move any birds. While I am hours away from the restricted zone my flock is on lockdown for the time being. I prefer not to risk anyone else's birds nor my own as we all know there are people who don't play by the rules. I was on a phone conference with CFIA and the vet from the Lab in the Fraser Valley and the strain of AI is very hot. Just my thoughts

Heather

Heather, Will this flu outbreak put a stop on the plans for the annual Winter Carnival show ?

Bob
I am trying to contact Dudley to see what he thinks. I will let you know as soon as I know. How are the Moderns doing?
Heather

The pigeon show is a large part of the Wetaskiwin event. Are there the same movement restrictions on pigeons as on poultry?

Sue , yes even pigeons and all cage birds are not to be moved without permits. Heather , the moderns are doing fine , just wish I could let them outside .

I've already decided. Being frank, it's not worth putting my flock at risk. We will be sitting the Wetaskiwin show out this year.

toybarons wrote:I've already decided. Being frank, it's not worth putting my flock at risk. We will be sitting the Wetaskiwin show out this year.

I too have your concerns. We have come so far with those Houdans. I am really starting to feel protective of them.

I have a great idea. A virtual Chicken show! We can post pictures and maybe someone (hint, hint) will step up to judge! Would anyone be interested in this?

We will hopefully be adding another show in east central Alberta this year, in July, by which time hopefully the AI is more controlled. Stay tuned ....

Oh a virtual show would be fun. Toybarons I get where your coming from it's up to the owners to make the call. If I was 100 percent sure that no one is getting birds from that area hey no problem but there are many small keepers of fowl out and about that are likely not even aware of the crisis which is why some sharing in these forums is important and it is up to people like us to spread the word which helps CFIA keep it contained as when things like this affect the commercial population it also comes to bare on us too, not to mention the billions of economic dollars at stake.
The worry now is that the Spring migration will be coming with those same carrier birds going back on the same routes to their nesting grounds. We can only hold our breaths and wait and see. I for one am not too worried about my flock as we work hard to keep the wild birds out of all of the pens with golf course netting and we are not close to wild waterfowl but that being said 2 years ago the corn fields were loaded with migrating swans and such which have many broiler barns right there. This year there were none at all, so who knows. So I prefer to be safe rather than sorry if I can help it.
Heather

authenticfarm wrote:We will hopefully be adding another show in east central Alberta this year, in July, by which time hopefully the AI is more controlled. Stay tuned ....

So you are looking into that one? Awesome.

Heather, I agree that we do need to get information out there. Sadly though, correct information is being lost in a lot of mis-information. Then there are those who simply have poultry who don't think any of this is a big deal. Right now I am worried about the spring migration. I do practice bio-security already, but admit I am going to beef up as migratory waterfowl do pass yearly over head. Not just in the spring either but during the summer. I worry cause for 20 years I had no neighbours with poultry until last year when out of the blue, next door decided to get layers. They built their coop literally on my coop's doorstep, not 200 feet away. They dont' practice any bio-security. Thy feed and water outdoors. Their outdoor run is wide open. I did contact them explaining what was happening and my concerns for the spring. Said that in the very least maybe we can watch each other's back and if we notice any sudden die off to let the other know. They have a huge firepit and are always buring something so I suggested that maybe in future they might want to start burning their deadstock to prevent the chance and spread of disease.

I was pretty much ignored. I can only hope that maybe someting I said might have planted a seed. If I could pick up my barn or build a new coop away from them, I would but I can't. I still have concerns all the same though.

Toybarons, we can only do what we can do. I am in broiler barn country here and a new one is being built just 3 lots away from us, so it is in my best interest to keep up on these things. I have a very good rapport with CFIA in Vernon as they are out often doing testing and health papers for me. And I plan to keep it that way, they are great with our flocks here being very good to only go to my farm on the days they have to be here and always suiting up.

Heather

toybarons wrote:So you are looking into that one? Awesome.

Yes ma'am. Proposal has been submitted, just waiting to hear back.

authenticfarm wrote:We will hopefully be adding another show in east central Alberta this year, in July, by which time hopefully the AI is more controlled. Stay tuned ....

That would be great. I have such a hard time trying to travel with the weather in winter up here.

Perryschofield wrote:

authenticfarm wrote:We will hopefully be adding another show in east central Alberta this year, in July, by which time hopefully the AI is more controlled. Stay tuned ....

That would be great. I have such a hard time trying to travel with the weather in winter up here.

Me too. Wetaskiwin is still about 3 hours away for me, which is pretty far in poor weather.

Hoping to hear back from the ag society's board soon as to whether they want to run the show in conjunction with the annual fair. If not, we'll look at running it on our own.