Recipes for Health

The media and President Bush make it sound like we’re all going to die pretty soon from the Bird Flu. I’ve been watching the developments with the pathogenic strain of bird influenza (H5N1) in Asia and now Turkey and Russia over the past two years. Two years ago the World Health Organization warned that the H5N1 strain of bird influenza could become a human pandemic if the virus mutated to improve bird-human and human-human transmission. I don’t know why our government chooses now to communicate some sense of urgency to the American public. No doubt, there is a political and/or economic agenda involved in the timing.

Poultry producers in this country and Canada have had flocks “depopulated” for the low pathogenic variety of bird flue (not transmitted to humans) over the past several years. Live bird markets are discouraged as this is a prime source for transmission of all viruses between flocks. With this kind of practice, I believe the U.S. and Canada are prepared to manage any potential outbreak of H5N1. As the primary source of this influenza is wild birds, I will become concerned about our flocks when the H5N1 virus is identified in migratory birds, especially ducks and other waterfowl. Some industrial chicken producers are now claiming their birds are healthier because they are fully housed and fully protected from contact with migratory wild birds [and daylight]. Nothing is further from the truth. Day-ranging chickens provides a healthy lifestyle, nutrients important to the bird’s health and the people who eat them. Avoiding pasture where waterfowl have soiled the ground is important for avoiding a variety of current bird viruses that are as plentiful as the colds us humans get. Good hygiene, uncrowded conditions,  complete nutrition, and balanced rest-activity are all health promoting things to remember for our chickens and for ourselves.

Many thanks & blessings to our customers, family, & friends!