
Why You Should Not Keep Backyard Chickens? Is Disease Transmission a Concern with Backyard Chickens? Are Costs a Concern with Backyard Chickens? Is the Time Commitment a Concern with Backyard Chickens? Are Animal Conflicts a Concern with Backyard Chickens? Are There Legal Concerns with Backyard Chickens? Many people are interested in keeping backyard chickens. However, the risk of introducing disease-causing pathogens into wild birds has been proven. In fact, backyard chickens may serve as reservoirs for pathogens that could eventually infect commercial poultry. The mechanism for spillover is unknown, but many studies point to wild birds. For example, Mycoplasma Gallisepticum, which causes chronic respiratory disease in chickens, spilled over from poultry to house finches in 1994 and eventually became endemic in passerine species in North America. Other notable cases of disease transmission involve avian influenza and Newcastle disease. The latter occurred during the winter of 2016-17 in the U.S. and is highly pathogenic. Disease transmission from backyard chickens can be prevented through good husbandry and proper sanitation. Ensure that you wash your hands frequently and disinfect your hands after handling chickens. Also, keep a record of all your chickens' vaccination status and any recent medical treatments. If you suspect your chickens have contracted an illness, limit the number of birds to keep the risk to a minimum.
Why You Should Not Keep Backyard Chickens?
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