Burns Best Farm

Do Not Panic!

This story, red-lined on the Drudge Report above the bold headline, caught my eye and I thought I would post it here in case anyone was interested.  This strain of avian flu is a mild form; apparently the chicken was still living when the flu was detected. 

I do not raise chickens currently; I hope to have a flock of layers when we move full time to the country.  My granny had Leghorns for a long time, from when my mom was a youngster to probably when I was in high school, so I remember collecting eggs and navigating the coop.  I want to recreate that for my boys. 

That's why I am so against this National Animal Identification System that the USDA is threatening to make mandatory.  A case like this one in NJ could be used to justify the wholesale slaughter of chickens, privately owned, just because a "threat" was suspected.  And chickens are susceptible to viral infections.  Steps can be taken to decrease the likelihood of illness of all kinds, but I would suspect that all of you who keep chickens keep a close eye on your birds for any sort of illness.

When this makes the headlines later today for the evening news cycle, let's just have another cup of tea, knowing that it's business people attempting to scare the ignorant.  But when you vote, vote wisely for those who value liberty. 

Good Points!

12:26, 2006-May-2 .. Posted by Greenberry

I read not long ago that the origin of bird flu was factory farms in Asia. Makes perfect sense to me.