Avian Flu.

[athelsel]

Is this anything to worry about? i only have a small flock of 6 free ranging around my yard (and neighborhood sometimes hehe). It said it was contracted from migratory birds?​

 

[speckledhen]

Georgia just put a ban on all sales at flea markets, auctions, swaps, etc. because of the TN and AL outbreaks. Depending on who you talk to at the Ag Dept, they'll tell you it does not apply to individuals or it does apply, so conflicting information. Someone was told hatching eggs are in the ban, but that is ludicrous. AI is not passed through eggs to the chick.

I swear, sometimes, I think these outbreaks are just chances to stop backyard flocks altogether. They are saying you MUST be NPIP certified to sell anything and every bird tested and leg banded during this outbreak. Well, no stinking way I would ever be NPIP. It never means your flock is healthy, never. NPIP breeders are responsible for quite a few outbreaks themselves. Seems a way to get folks into that government program so they know who you are and what you have. Not this gal. If my birds are ill, I'll put them down. No government lackey is coming here to gas my flocks. But, thankfully, they haven't had anything contagious, nothing. Commercial flocks are more likely to come down ill than well-managed backyard flocks because of the crowded conditions.

 

[speckledhen]

I don't believe everything I hear or read and can usually filter through a lot of propaganda, ignorance and BS, In saying that, I would rather bank on the side of awareness and caution to what might be, rather than to ignore that which might be a fools warning.

Is the fool the one who does or does not believe in possibility and potential?

If a chicken keeper is managing the flocks properly, nothing changes during an outbreak of whatever it is at the time. You just keep doing what you're doing, practicing biosecurity, etc. I take every single word from government sources with a grain of salt, though, and I do believe the agenda is to discourage backyard flocks.

We see it in the different messages from depression times from Uncle Sam and now-back then, they encouraged everyone to keep a flock of chickens and put away food storage. Now, if you have more than a certain amount of food put away, and it's a ridiculously small amount, you are called a hoarder and are looked at like the Unabomber. So, there is a different vibe now, the world is upside down.

 

[NCcitychicken]

I agree with you. They are pushing for control on a lot of stuff that is none of their stinking business.

Yep I agree. I tell ya the world is smomething else now, I do what I can with gardening, chickens, hunting and fishing, but my family still eats way too many processed meals. I really hope one day I can live on a farm again and grow more. I grew up like that and I feel my children and family deserve it. I would be really happy if I had some land and a tractor. My dream is to have a garden market like my great grandpaw on his land, which I hope to get one day, so I can pass it to my children.

 

[Isaac 0]

Avian Flu is pretty uncommon unless there is a outbreak in your area your hens will be fine.

 

[speckledhen]

Makes me wonder if back yard flocks are the answer.......if we didn't have highly concentrated barns full of chickens that never see the light of day or grass under their feet, perhaps, just perhaps, where it begins and spreads, eventually to all of us..... would be eliminated.

I can tell you one thing. If they eliminate backyard flocks, they will also kill off heritage and/or dual purpose breeds. Commercial flocks are full of production Leghorns and hybrid layers for the most part, plus the CornishX for meat, of course. Breeders and backyard flocks keep those old dual purpose breeds alive. Eventually, I'm afraid they'll dictate that you cannot own chickens unless you are part of the government NPIP program, under the guise of "keeping us safe". That will make us outlaws or just make many folks quit keeping poultry altogether. That will be a sad day. It means they have more control over your family's food supply, not that it's "safer".


They can't protect your flocks. The "we only want to know where all the chickens are so we can protect you" is bunk. Really think about that. How would they even do that? Put a dome over your property? Kill all the wild birds? Crazy stupid idea, the government/USDA protecting your flock. It's obvious why they want to know where your flock is.

 

[speckledhen]

If I recall, the beef industry was decimated in Great Britain when they pre-emptively slaughtered herds of cattle, millions of head of cattle, to supposedly prevent the spread of mad cow disease back in the mid-80's. It was a long, long time before it recovered and I don't know if it fully recovered, was not clear on that. They did not test herds prior to the slaughter, either. Of course, chickens don't get "mad chicken" disease and I am not at all clear how killing healthy backyard flocks within a certain area of a discovered hot spot is supposed to stop the spread of any disease if it's wild birds spreading it. Let's just say I will not be registering my flock, whether they make it a law or not. None of their business what's here.

I hope this uproar vanishes as fast as the West Nile stuff did. We get "the sky is falling!" then, nothing comes of it.

 

[speckledhen]

I'm not making it easy on them. Got my incubators cranked wide open

Folks can't stop living. They always should be cautious, no matter what is floating around, but we don't want heritage and rare breeds to just die off because the government only supports commercial industry and not the little guy.

On a poultry swap Facebook page we are in to sell our hatching eggs and extra chicks, it's obvious that people don't understand the "ban". Someone thought it meant they could not have more than a certain number of birds in their backyard flock, no idea where they got that. And others are passing it around that ALL sales of ANYTHING chicken must stop until the gov't tells them to continue, even though the GA memo says no such thing. All it says are that places that birds gather together like swaps, flea markets and auctions have to be suspended for the time being. Says nothing about individual sales or hatching eggs. I wish folks would just READ and quit calling to get them to tell them more restrictions. And if someone says, "hey, you can't do that!", you point them to the copy of the memo and say, "where does it say that?".

Mark my words, soon, you'll quit hearing anything about it and it will be business as usual again. I have some chicks that are almost 5 weeks old with broodies and when mama(s) let them go, they will be for sale.

 

[NCcitychicken]

Sometimes I think the government is pushing to deep with stuff like that. I'm not gonna register my dogs, chickens, geese, ducks, or anything else. A better system would be a educational program on what to do or who to contact if you suspect avian flu and how to identify it.

 

[speckledhen]

KY is under a ban for Swap Meets and Trade Shows as there is an outbreak in Western KY.

I don't have my birds as yet but am hoping to find some for my small backyard coop today. Holding my breath that I get healthy pullets and they stay that way. I found a couple I'd love to have in Northern Ohio but don't think it's legal to transport them across state lines even in a personal car. Sure I could just go ahead and do it but the consequences could be devastating.

There is no ban on sales from hatcheries via places like Tractor Supply unless you want better than hatchery stock. My best friend lives in Kentucky so I'm usually up on what's going on there. You'd avoid any issues by buying that way. There is no ban on private sales, either, but going across state lines, not sure on that one. I do not buy adult/started birds myself, but no matter what is going on in the world, you always need to be cautious when buying from anyone.

Oh, welcome to BYC!