EASTERN SHORE, Va. — This week, concerns about rising egg prices due to bird flu have intensified, and on Thursday, a confirmed case of avian influenza was found at a farm on Virginia's Eastern Shore.
At Ewa Mittelmaier’s farmers market, the care offered to her chickens is exceptional.
"They do get extremely good care because I feed them probiotics, electrolytes, you name it," Mittelmaier said.
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Mittelmaier has been raising chickens for years, safeguarding them from wild birds like hawks and ensuring they receive veterinary care when necessary.
"She's doing well; she's on antibiotics and she's talking to us," she noted regarding Anabelle, a chicken who just had surgery.
However, with the recent confirmation of a bird flu case in her county, there’s another threat on her radar.
"I am [concerned] because viruses, even if you can be protected, they can travel by whatever vehicle they come in," Mittelmaier added.
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Avian influenza can spread easily through direct contact, clothing, or shoes, and between different bird species.
"It is carried by wildfowl and wild birds," Helene Doughty with the Virginia Cooperative Extension said. "Currently, we have a lot of geese traveling; we also have huge amounts of blackbirds flying around."
While bird flu has affected egg production nationwide, Doughty explained that the birds on the Eastern Shore are primarily raised for meat.
"That has no impact on the egg production, just meat birds," she stated.
Despite this, she recommends that poultry owners take precautions, such as sanitizing their poultry houses and removing bird feeders that might attract wild birds.
"I took them down because they were around the house so the wild birds won't bring the flu," Doughty advised.
