Virulent Newcastle Disease or VND, Lots of Anguish, Little Solutions Offered

[Animalfisherwoman]

ITA. Much of social media is infested with banning people on politics or personal drama. You know, in every US election, almost half vote for one party and a little more than that vote for the other one. I'm not going to insist that virtually half of the American population is evil or uneducated or whatever.

 

[IamRainey]

I value your opinion - and everyone else's who posts here. It's sort of a given - to me - when I join a "group". You respect the other members. You may disagree with their feelings, but you don't spit on them or demean their opinions. And you are entitled to the same from the other members. No one of us is "king" and we all bring different life-experiences and different ways of feeling and thinking.

Well said!!!

 

[Eggscaping]

ITA. Much of social media is infested with banning people on politics or personal drama. You know, in every US election, almost half vote for one party and a little more than that vote for the other one. I'm not going to insist that virtually half of the American population is evil or uneducated or whatever.

That's the way I feel. I always imagine that if I actually sat down with some of the folks whose posts make me want to hate them - and had coffee...that we'd find a common ground or agree to disagree, and end up being friendly. Maybe that's just my hippy nature, but it makes me feel good and moderates my flashes of annoyance, so...there you go!

 

[IamRainey]

That's the way I feel. I always imagine that if I actually sat down with some of the folks whose posts make me want to hate them - and had coffee...that we'd find a common ground or agree to disagree, and end up being friendly. Maybe that's just my hippy nature, but it makes me feel good and moderates my flashes of annoyance, so...there you go!

Precisely!

I only ever mentioned my particular POV because it's politically about the polar opposite of Al Gerhart but we've been totally in synch on the topics of personal responsibility and responsibility to the larger community.

I would say that almost without exception I've found the conversation on BYC to be collegial, supportive and imminently restrained. I enjoy and value this community!

The only respect in which I disagree with Eggscaping -- and I don't consider disagreeing a problem -- is that I think our world view/political views are very much a part of who we are as individuals and can clarify some things. Consequently, I don't see them as taboo or dangerous or otherwise inappropriate parts of the conversation when they arise from and relate to it. I will agree with him that pushing agendas and turning other discussions into divisive political ones isn't useful or pleasant though and I do that robustly.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

IMO this whole mass slaughter of private flocks is about perception. Apparently, other countries won't buy chickens with NCD. Since chicken is a huge US export, they do these slaughters and say the virus has been eliminated so the poultry export industry isn't threatened. They really don't know if more birds have the bug because they don't test all birds, but officially it doesn't matter. In the 2018 NCD outbreak they didn't know about it until somebody took a sick bird to the vet. Then the surveillance started where they found more infected birds. If not for that one person they may have never known about it. This may be going on all around us all the time with some birds dying and some developing immunity. It's only when it becomes known that they have to step in and create the perception of eliminating the virus.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

I thought I was coming into a thread about Newcastles but it appears I have stumbled into an awkward Thanksgiving dinner. Perhaps I must go back and read how this came to pass.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

Precisely!

I only ever mentioned my particular POV because it's politically about the polar opposite of Al Gerhart but we've been totally in synch on the topics of personal responsibility and responsibility to the larger community.

I would say that almost without exception I've found the conversation on BYC to be collegial, supportive and imminently restrained. I enjoy and value this community!

The only respect in which I disagree with Eggscaping -- and I don't consider disagreeing a problem -- is that I think our world view/political views are very much a part of who we are as individuals and can clarify some things. Consequently, I don't see them as taboo or dangerous or otherwise inappropriate parts of the conversation when they arise from and relate to it. I will agree with him that pushing agendas and turning other discussions into divisive political ones isn't useful or pleasant though and I do that robustly.

@IamRainey, you have impressive writing skills yourself. Like you, I don't consider disagreement a problem. What I do see as one is the shutdown of dialogue. I am very, very glad that's not happening here. It's a kudos to the forum, to the mods, and to the users, including us.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Actually, I was being ironic. Hard to express that in written correspondence. Not fun being called a nuisance that requires elimination. I don't know how caring for and giving fair treatment to my chickens makes me such a nuisance. I also observe the guidelines for biosecurity to the absolute best of my ability, as do many backyard hobbyists. If I was forced to euthanize my chickens, I would comply, but I would likely do it myself so that I would know it was done with kindness - not by stomping or drowning or suffocating. I'd research a good way to do it, or have a vet come out and do it while CDFA was here. I do not want to add to the problem, but I also don't want to get blamed for it when I am not at fault. Painting with a broad brush and all that.

 

[IamRainey]

I thought I was coming into a thread about Newcastles but it appears I have stumbled into an awkward Thanksgiving dinner. Perhaps I must go back and read how this came to pass.

indeed!

Don't know where you're starting with the whole vND issue but there actually is some info here and there's more on this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...bird-quarantine.1293980/page-57#post-21317742

One of the probs is that folks have bits of info and the whole enchilada is hard to come by and also sometimes so technical that some of us have trouble understanding it or appreciating the nuances it introduces. Then too, info, even from official sources, changes. Like there was one point at which CDFA (CA Dept. of Food & Agriculture) was saying it was transmitted by wild birds and more recently they're saying not...

CA has mostly been struggling through this alone for the bulk of a year. The USDA has weighed in with info and moral support but only came up with funds more recently. And I suspect CDFA may not be equipped to deal with a growing concern that requires a LOT more boots on the ground than they've been staffed with. The federal funds have made more staffing possible recently but many of those folks aren't seasoned in dealing with stringent biosecurity protocols.

And, finally, to make matters worse, there is a contingent who have had chickens euthanized by order of CDFA and have whipped up highly emotional responses and fears that are resistant to actual facts and unsympathetic to the larger effort to protect the health and safety of birds in uncontaminated areas throughout a very large state.

Meanwhile -- and I guess this should have been first -- welcome to the awkward Thanksgiving dinner and let us know what we should pass in your direction!

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

The way I see it, owning a gamecock is sorta like having a pit bull or an AR. If you're dealing with one or two, that's your individual right. Beyond 20, the government needs to keep tabs on you.

Probably so in some cases, but I suspect some men are like women who want 20 different kinds of lipstick.