03/07/2026
Hi guys!! With the recent arrival of the H5N1 Avian Influenza in Australia I thought I’d post some advice for any of our customers that are unsure on how to safeguard or limit exposure of your babies during this time.
I worked for DPIR Biosecurity and Emergency Response, so when setting up our farm for production we took many measures to prepare for any possible outbreaks or illnesses that could affect our flock at any time.
I have attached some advice from the Australian Government for Poultry/ Bird owners. There are more detailed instructions on the government website.
From day 1 at the Young Ranch we have never free ranged our flock. Our pens have been made big enough, food and drinking water covered at all times. This prevents both wildlife and predators from entering our pen areas.
There are many, many illnesses and diseases that can affect a flock at any time, so with this in mind we have 4 deliberately segregated areas that house our flock. In the event that any illness was to affect our precious flock any one of those areas can be individually quarantined to safeguard the rest of the flock. It’s a lot of work, and takes a lot of planning!!
All our pens are either hard covered with tin or a portion of the runs are covered with netting. Birds do not like elastic netting, and it’s a very rare occasion that I will see birds roosting around our pens, as the risk of being caught in the elastic netting is not something the birds want to risk!!
We have suspended any stock onto the property until offical Biosecurity Advices are announced after the current Surveillance period. We are not willing to risk our flock until a better idea of affected wildlife is announced.
Any suspicious illnesses or deaths are reported and tested by DPIR!! In the event there are any deaths or illnesses on our property we contact DPIR immediately, we take birds in for testing or postmortems. During this time we would regard the property as under a NO MOVEMENT QUARANTINE!! We would never allow birds to leave the property during this time. This ensures the safety of our customers and native wildlife.
Our personal advice during this time is to not purchase from Coastal Areas. The current status appears to be that Migratory birds ONLY are affected at this time. These birds have been detected along the coast of Australia. Personally, the lowest risk of purchasing birds right now comes from properties that are based inland, although no native or poultry stock at this time have tested positive anywhere, even along the coast. This is just a personal choice that we would be making in the event H5 does affect poultry long term in the future.
Build pens that are large enough to keep your flock from free ranging, with large areas to range that are covered with netting, start thinking about the worst case scenario over the coming months, and plan for your flock to be comfortable without free ranging in the event H5 escalates.
If you choose to purchase during the coming months extend your quarantine period to 6-8 weeks. As hard as this is, our property has always quarantined for these periods at all times.
Quarantine ANY sick birds away from your flock. We ensure no bird feathers, chicken dust, waterers or feeders are shared or able to be transferred to any healthy birds.
Report any suspicious illnesses or deaths to DPIR or the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800675888.
Monitor your flock daily or at least 3 times a week for any illnesses, quarantine accordingly. I have attached a list of symptoms to monitor.
Although we have no evidence H5 has spread to any poultry or native species, it’s important to be prepared and informed of how it spreads and symptoms at this time.
Although it’s in the early stages, it’s impossible to predict the movement of birds, making this particular illness high risk. H5 can be transmitted to other species, including humans although rare. Do not touch any migratory birds, do not allow your pets to be exposed to potentially infected birds. Keep dogs in a leash, keep cats indoors.
More info can be found here-
https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/pests-diseases-weeds/animal/avian-influenza/resources
Although it is early days and we shouldn’t panic, we had many questions from our customers and hope this gives a bit more insight into how to protect your flock and resources for you to peruse 😊
