HEADS UP AVIAN INFLUENZA ALERT

[gjensen]

"Taxpayers should not be obligated to support hobbies"

It is not necessarily a hobby for a lot of backyard flock owners. There's a lot of time and money invested, and the flock does generate some revenue, if only on a smaller scale. They also provide a source of food. Counties here will compensate a poultry owner if their birds are killed by stray dogs. There is no difference in this situation, IMO.

I invest more than most. I have no little amount in what I have, growing out, etc. Then there is no price tag I could put on the progress I could lose. I could not count the many hours I have spent going through my many birds from day to day evaluating etc.

I still to hold to the position that Taxpayers should not be obligated to support hobbies. If I lost everything I had to dogs, and the option you speak of was an option to me, I would not use it. I made the choice to do what I do, and it is my responsibility alone to protect what I have invested. If I lose birds to dogs I am in part responsible because I did not secure my birds. Otherwise it is between me and the owner of those dogs, which I would pursue if it could be known.

My view shifts when the birds are part of a flock that is an authentic and recognized farm that actually contributes in a substantial way to the food supply. I am not speaking of someone selling extra eggs. WalnutHill would be what I am referring to. In these cases the public (taxpayers) are dependents, and would starve otherwise. In this case they should have an invested interest in the food supply that feeds them, and their families.

 

[enola]

I was not talking about the "hobby" farmers either.

 

[chicknmania]

OK, well, if we can stay on topic that would be appreciated. The topic of this forum is the flu itself, tracking it's progress, and people's concerns, fears, and questions about it, or any other useful information regarding it. It is important to a lot of people. If someone would like to discuss the pros and cons of Government compensation, feel free, but lets please start another thread to do that. Off topic conversations kind of derail a lot of threads here, and then the jist is lost, and people find it hard to sift through all the arguing to find what they're looking for.

Thanks.

 

[chicknmania]

And speaking of that....found this on another thread....

http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAAPHIS/bulletins/10192a7

This sucks.

 

[WalnutHill]

4300 dozen eggs a year is more than a hobby. It's clear that you take the Farm Bureau stance that if you don't have a CAFO, you're not a farmer.

 

[lopinweapon]

Saw a article this morning that some wild birds had tested positive for H5N2 in Kentucky.

 

[chicknmania]

That's what the link I posted is. That article.

 

[chicchic25]

And speaking of that....found this on another thread....

http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAAPHIS/bulletins/10192a7

This sucks.

Thank you for posting this article. This is way too close for comfort. We only have 6 wee ones (they will be 6 wks old this Saturday) but we have grown sooooo attached to them and we will protect them as best as we can. We have already implemented rules regarding them that our neighbors find to be way over the top but from what Im reading it's just basic biosecurity. We aren't allowing any visitors in our backyard, hand washing before and after is a must, set of shoes/clothes to be used for the pen/coop only etc.

I was thinking and Im sure many will think I'm totally ignorant but I just don't understand the thought process of culling thousands of birds on farms etc if only a few were found to have it within that farm. I'm not knocking the USDA and their efforts I truly just don't understand the thought process behind it.

To give an example - Farmer Brown has 8 buildings and AI was found in 1 of the buildings... why cull the other 7 buildings? Is it because they are afraid that employees or vehicles unknowingly carried the germs to the other buildings? Why not let it play out and see if any birds become sick in the other buildings before culling them? I'm sure this sounds ignorant to most but I can't help but think are they culling more than truly needs to be? Being totally new to chickens I've always thought AI wasn't something we would probably ever have to deal with, and hopefully we won't ever have to but it is a possibility now nonetheless.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Thank you for posting this article. This is way too close for comfort. We only have 6 wee ones (they will be 6 wks old this Saturday) but we have grown sooooo attached to them and we will protect them as best as we can. We have already implemented rules regarding them that our neighbors find to be way over the top but from what Im reading it's just basic biosecurity. We aren't allowing any visitors in our backyard, hand washing before and after is a must, set of shoes/clothes to be used for the pen/coop only etc. 

I was thinking and Im sure many will think I'm totally ignorant but I just don't understand the thought process of culling thousands of birds on farms etc if only a few were found to have it within that farm.  I'm not knocking the USDA and their efforts I truly just don't understand the thought process behind it.  

To give an example - Farmer Brown has 8 buildings and AI was found in 1 of the buildings... why cull the other 7 buildings?  Is it because they are afraid that employees or vehicles unknowingly carried the germs to the other buildings?  Why not let it play out and see if any birds become sick in the other buildings before culling them?  I'm sure this sounds ignorant to most but I can't help but think are they culling more than truly needs to be?  Being totally new to chickens I've always thought AI wasn't something we would probably ever have to deal with, and hopefully we won't ever have to but it is a possibility now nonetheless.    

It doesn't sound ignorant to me as far as the other buildings go. Chances are it hasn't reached those buildings. Of course if even one bird is found to have it, it is assumed that the virus has spread to others, especially those in the same building, it is just incubating and not showing visible signs yet. However, the problem with lettting it play out in a flock with such extremely large numbers (those thousands in a building) is that it give the virus the chance to mutate to possibly a more dangerous strain, even a strain that may infect humans. So, I can understand not letting it play out in a building. I still don't understand the need to cull other houses that have no symptoms. Unless they just feel it is inevitable that they will be infected. I don't know why they would feel that way though.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Good points.