Urban chickens owning fad is 'hurting birds'

[Still Waters]

It is a middle-class trend championed by celebrities including Jamie Oliver and Billie Piper, but urban households who keep chickens at home could be putting a bird’s welfare at risk.

A new study has found that backyard chicken-keepers have a lack of disease knowledge and insufficient awareness of laws needed to breed animals at home.

Researchers concluded that owners consequently rarely vaccinate their animals, which could have serious implications on disease control and animal welfare.

http://www.telegraph...ting-birds.html

[Bavarian Raven]

of course they don't, most people dont have a clue how to properly raise livestock anymore...at least in the west, that is

[Rafterman]

Ah, urban chickens - the latest hipster fad.

[Grandpa Greenman]

I would keep chickens if I could, but you have to have 5 acres to have farm animals in my county. We had some wild ones around for a while and my neighbor had some but the county caught him and made him get rid of them. The wild ones disappeared.

[Ealdwita]

I keep about 30 hens and a c*** on my smallholding and I agree with the study. Because I have less than 50 birds, I don't need to register them, but they have to be vaccinated etc. and inspected on a regular basis. (Especially with this avian flu kicking around)

I'm afraid that that ancient TV series 'The Good Life' has a lot to answer for!

.........Edited to see if ridiculous filter will allow 'Rooster'!........

Edited November 19, 2012 by ealdwita

[Mnemonix]

I want some chickens. I'll need them when I'm living a self-sufficient life in the jungle, far from society.