Confirmed Case of Asian Bird Flu in Arkansas

[WoodlandWoman]

I'm not stressed about this, because I don't live there. It isn't the virulent strain that is such a big problem in other parts of the world. It is a milder strain, that has been here for a long time and occasionally crops up in commercial flocks. The birds weren't sick and dieing. This was only caught because they showed antibodies to this disease in a routine test. One of the routine screening tests they do all the time, because even a mild disease can wipe out factory farmed poultry in a hurry.

This is terrible for anyone living in the area, because their birds are at risk. I am of course concerned for all of you. A bird doesn't have to be sick or have an active case of a disease, to show antibodies to the disease. Rules about containing avian disease were written to protect big factory farms and they never gave much thought to anyone else when they were writing them. I think there's been a little more thought given to regular people, after so many pet parrots were so senselessly killed in the California Newcastle disease outbreak a few years ago. Indoor pets that hadn't even been tested, were killed in people's living rooms, right in front of their kids. It was bad. Really bad.

I hope that this is over soon and that none of you suffer anything worse than a little inconvenience and a lot of worry.

 

[okiemommy]

Indoor pets that hadn't even been tested, were killed in people's living rooms, right in front of their kids. It was bad. Really bad.

that is absolutely terrible! I had never heard of that. How absolutely sad for those families.​

 

[horsejody]

The biggest threat is not to human health. The biggest threat is that factory farms will have a bad outbreak and their inbred and overcrowded birds will get sick and die. Then they will insist that all of the backyard flocks be culled in the name of protecting factory farms. The bureaucrats will use it as an argument to institute NAIS policies. IT STINKS!

 

[bayouchica]

Here's another post about it earlier this month.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=60488

 

[tiki244]

Quote:
EXACTLY

 

[tiki244]

Quote:
EXACTLY

 

[okiemommy]

ok so question though...Havent I read multiple times that this strain could mutate and become harmful to humans? Is that wrong information?

 

[tiki244]

when people post these things they should be required to post the STRAIN in the TITLE.......
and please CALM down people!!!!! I

think the media has stirred up people so much that any speak of the bird flu sends most people into a total fright,,,,,,,

I am sorry for anyone who has had losses to this or inconveniences

 

[tiki244]

Quote:
COULD and only because of all the media coverage have you heard this, there are so many other things that are of great threat to us that the media does not cover

 

[okiemommy]

COULD and only because of all the media coverage have you heard this, there are so many other things that are of great threat to us that the media does not cover

I understand, and agree. I'm not actively worrying about it. Just for the record, I don't advocate culling birds out if paranoia alone, and I don't really know if that's what they did or not, or if it will lead to that. My point earlier was that we shouldn't just say oh it's no big deal, and leave it at that. I'm not sure if you are referring to my post or not, but I didn't mean to come across as I did. I sent the person whom I responded so harshly to, a PM and apologized.​