27-01-2025
Bird flu wipes out a backyard flock in Guilford: Is there risk that it will spread to humans?
GUILFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — The bird flu wiped out another backyard flock in Connecticut: this time in New Haven County.
The first flock was in New London County and now the second one is in Guilford.
The owner of that flock, Kameron Shahid, showed News 8 the outdoor coop where he used to keep his backyard flock. He had chickens, Guinea Hens and ducks.
Bird flu confirmed in backyard flock in New London County
Shahid says his flock became infected with the bird flu because his ducks would mingle with wild ducks on this river next to his Guilford home.
'The ducks were actually coming back up and hanging out here in close proximity to the chickens, and that's how we got into the situation we're in,' Shahid said.
It started with one Guinea Hen showing signs of sickness.
'I could tell its call was very raspy,' Shahid said. 'Something was wrong with it and I went to the bird and it was visibly sick.'
Within 48 hours, half a dozen of his birds were dead. The state then put down the rest of the flock.
'Once it impacts a flock there is no cure, there is no ability or vaccine for the flock and so the end result is the flock will end up dying,' Bryan Hurlburt, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, said.
Shahid says the biggest concern people have is if they can get sick.
'At this point, there's no threat to humans but one of the things we're paying a lot of attention to is if that jumps, as we saw in 2024, it jumped from birds to cows,' Hurlburt said.
Bird flu detected in New Haven County
Health officials want Shahid's coop to remain empty with no birds in it for 120 days just to be safe. They want to make sure it is clear of any disease before any other birds are brought into it.
Shahid says other bird owners are concerned their flocks will also be affected.
'People who have backyard flocks, they live in the woods, or they just got a small yard there's almost no risk that their birds are gonna get sick,' Shahid said.
He says being near a river or along the shoreline where they can be exposed to waterfowl is much more risky.
The state asks anyone who sees a sick bird to stay away from it and give them a call right away.
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