The Old Folks Home

[chickisoup]

My 2 cents on FB. I use it every day mostly to just keep up on "public" stuff from news feeds, specific topics of interest etc. and I hide feeds from friends and family which sends them to a specific feed in the side bar that I don't have to look at unless I want to. I also belong to carefully chosen closed groups, am very careful who and what I post (I rarely post outside of closed groups or my family feed) and I VERY carefully screen whom I "friend". My family uses it to keep in contact usually thru the PM feature. We have one member that thinks we all want to know every time she has a pity party or video every time the kids get a case of the cutes but we all love her so most of us just hide her and send her off to the friends feed

.

FB can be a great tool and there are ways to enjoy it and still be safe as well as responsible. Problem is most folks don't take the time to explore (and use) all the features FB has to offer.

 

[vehve]

Beer, that's true, but we have an aging population, and no way are they going to vote for cutting pensions and raising the retirement age. Things that should have been done ten years ago.

 

[chickisoup]

Speaking of info from FB....................

MADISON (WKOW) – Experts say poultry owners should be mindful of recent outbreaks of a deadly strain of bird flu around the state.
The H5N2 virus, which so far has not been shown to be harmful to humans, recently infected a commercial flock of 200-thousand chickens in Jefferson County.
The same strain of the avian flu is also suspected to be behind recent outbreaks at a farm containing 126-thousand chickens in Barron County and a backyard flock of 40 different type of birds in Juneau County.
Dr. Paul McGraw, Wisconsin's State Veterinarian, said the state is still waiting on final testing results to confirm which strain of the flu was found at the latter, two cases.
“This is a highly pathogenic form of avian influenza,” McGraw said.
McGraw said the virus is likely transmitted through waterfowl like geese and ducks, who picked it up while migrating.
He said poultry at the three, outbreak sites has been quarantined. All of the birds there will eventually be de-populated, McGraw said.
McGraw said the USDA and DATCP work together on containing the virus and preventing its spread.
“We quarantine the farm. We work to get resources in to de-populate the farms that are affected, and then we have staff going out and contacting all the locations within 10 kilometers of those farms,” McGraw said. “We'll be testing birds at those sites to make sure it does not spread.”
“World, global trade agreements that are in place require us to eradicate those viruses, so we don't vaccinate for them,” McGraw said. “The risk is some of these forms could mutate into a form that could impact public health.”
Ron Kean, poultry specialist at UW-Extension, said those with poultry should work to keep their flocks isolated from waterfowl.
He also said poultry owners should be mindful of the fact that humans can carry the virus after coming into contact with other flocks.
“There's no evidence humans can get sick from this – at least at this time,” Kean said. “But humans can transmit it indirectly.”
“They can track things on their shoes, for example, from one flock to the next,” Kean said.
Kean said poultry owners should consider keeping a designated pair of boots on hand for wearing when interacting with their birds. He also said it's advisable for those with poultry to change clothes after being in contact with a different flock of birds.

********
Wisconsin has confirmed its second and third outbreaks of a form of bird flu that's deadly to poultry.
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection says they're a farm with 126,000 turkeys in Barron County and a backyard flock of 40 birds of different kinds in Juneau County. The Barron County farm belongs to Jennie-O Turkey Store.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirms the Barron County case is the same H5N2 strain that's cost Midwest and Ontario producers more than 2 million birds since early March.
The farms have been quarantined and the remaining birds will be killed to prevent any spread.
The H5N2 virus was first confirmed in Wisconsin at a chicken farm Monday.
Officials say it's not a risk to public health or the food supply.

 

[Beer can]

We have saw a local school budget get voted down twice, they wanted to put in a multimillion dollar astro turf football field in to replace a regular one they put in with poor drainage less then ten years ago. We are a rural area, takes three towns to make up one school, use to have a elementary for each town, and then junior and senior high at the larger town. They spent millions in additions and improvements at two of the elementary schools fifteen years ago, and put a Olympic size swimming pool in the big high school, and then closed the smaller elementaries cause of low enrollement at the larger school. Now my five year old has a hour bus ride each way (takes awhile to pick up a buss load of kids).
Most bigger small city schools in our area don't have artificial turf fields. The argument for all this has always been it's 'free money' state grants mostly, and 'if we don't use it we lose it'. Well we are all taxpayers, and there is no 'free money' and the people are just sick of the waste. Like I said it was voted down twice, school district was mad!
Next vote was held during spring break after a Face Book campaign urging all former students going to college when they come home for break to vote 'it's for the school kids, you were there once'. Telling them to tell all their friends, family, urge them all to vote yes, let everyone you know to vote, they don't have to be taxpayers to vote, even renters that pay no school tax can vote on the school budget.

It passed, they got it, and their ratings as far as education goes is still towards the bottom of the list in the state.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Plz include me on the "get better soon" wishes



HOPE EVERYONE HAS A BLESSED WEEKEND!!!

Think I gave you a hug on the Coffee thread, but I love giving hugs, so here is another!

 

[chickisoup]

Think I gave you a hug on the Coffee thread, but I love giving hugs, so here is another!

OOPS!!! I didn't mean for me!!! I meant for Ron's wife and the not so good on my vacationer!!!

(but thank you, Puddin', awww.)

 

[perchie.girl]

My 2 cents on FB. I use it every day mostly to just keep up on "public" stuff from news feeds, specific topics of interest etc. and I hide feeds from friends and family which sends them to a specific feed in the side bar that I don't have to look at unless I want to. I also belong to carefully chosen closed groups, am very careful who and what I post (I rarely post outside of closed groups or my family feed) and I VERY carefully screen whom I "friend". My family uses it to keep in contact usually thru the PM feature. We have one member that thinks we all want to know every time she has a pity party or video every time the kids get a case of the cutes but we all love her so most of us just hide her and send her off to the friends feed

.

FB can be a great tool and there are ways to enjoy it and still be safe as well as responsible. Problem is most folks don't take the time to explore (and use) all the features FB has to offer.

Thats how I use FB... Closed group and a couple of distant cousins who are too busy to post. But there is one thing I am hearing and seeing through FB....

Business accounts..... Oz went on FB for his poultry business and his orders have grown in leaps and bounds.

I have an online Acquaintence who works solely from home through FB she started out selling leagal forms... Wills, rental contracts... etc. Now she sells her art and various products for horses... Shes a shameless promoter though ... not a real fan of her....

So there is a place for FB or the next social website out there... for the educated and judicious.

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

Speaking of info from FB....................

MADISON (WKOW) – Experts say poultry owners should be mindful of recent outbreaks of a deadly strain of bird flu around the state.
The H5N2 virus, which so far has not been shown to be harmful to humans, recently infected a commercial flock of 200-thousand chickens in Jefferson County.
The same strain of the avian flu is also suspected to be behind recent outbreaks at a farm containing 126-thousand chickens in Barron County and a backyard flock of 40 different type of birds in Juneau County.
Dr. Paul McGraw, Wisconsin's State Veterinarian, said the state is still waiting on final testing results to confirm which strain of the flu was found at the latter, two cases.
“This is a highly pathogenic form of avian influenza,” McGraw said.
McGraw said the virus is likely transmitted through waterfowl like geese and ducks, who picked it up while migrating.
He said poultry at the three, outbreak sites has been quarantined. All of the birds there will eventually be de-populated, McGraw said.
McGraw said the USDA and DATCP work together on containing the virus and preventing its spread.
“We quarantine the farm. We work to get resources in to de-populate the farms that are affected, and then we have staff going out and contacting all the locations within 10 kilometers of those farms,” McGraw said. “We'll be testing birds at those sites to make sure it does not spread.”
“World, global trade agreements that are in place require us to eradicate those viruses, so we don't vaccinate for them,” McGraw said. “The risk is some of these forms could mutate into a form that could impact public health.”
Ron Kean, poultry specialist at UW-Extension, said those with poultry should work to keep their flocks isolated from waterfowl.
He also said poultry owners should be mindful of the fact that humans can carry the virus after coming into contact with other flocks.
“There's no evidence humans can get sick from this – at least at this time,” Kean said. “But humans can transmit it indirectly.”
“They can track things on their shoes, for example, from one flock to the next,” Kean said.
Kean said poultry owners should consider keeping a designated pair of boots on hand for wearing when interacting with their birds. He also said it's advisable for those with poultry to change clothes after being in contact with a different flock of birds.

********
Wisconsin has confirmed its second and third outbreaks of a form of bird flu that's deadly to poultry.
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection says they're a farm with 126,000 turkeys in Barron County and a backyard flock of 40 birds of different kinds in Juneau County. The Barron County farm belongs to Jennie-O Turkey Store.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirms the Barron County case is the same H5N2 strain that's cost Midwest and Ontario producers more than 2 million birds since early March.
The farms have been quarantined and the remaining birds will be killed to prevent any spread.
The H5N2 virus was first confirmed in Wisconsin at a chicken farm Monday.
Officials say it's not a risk to public health or the food supply.

I am curious when they "de-populate" the birds who does the disposal and how is it done.

On a farm that has thirty birds it would be a simple matter.... But Dang on farms with 20,000 or more.... what do they do... The carcasses alone without disease would be a health hazard...

do they have trucks that are designed incinerators? or is it up to the farm?

deb

 

[ChickenCanoe]

On a farm with big barns, i.e. 5-10 thousand birds, they bring in a foam machine, foam the building to suffocate the birds, bulldoze them to the center and compost them in place paying special attention to the temperature of the pile. The AI is killed at hot compost temperatures.

ETA
It may sound cruel but it is more humane than letting them die of the disease.

 

[casportpony]

I don't think I'll ever get over the images from the hoof and mouth disease outbreak in the UK.

-Kathy