registering chicks?

[Wilbursmommy]

Just got back from the feed store this morning. I was so surprised at what I had to go through to buy chicks there. I've been buying chicks, feed and all animal related stuff there for years. This year, as I was picking out the chicks, they were writing on the box what kind and how many. Never done that before, but ok. After I got what I wanted, they directed me to a table where a lady was sitting. I had to record with my name,address, and phone number, how many and what kind I was buying. I asked why they were doing this and they said a Dept of Ag guy showed up last week and told them they had to do it, it was a new law. I said I had not heard about that. He said it had something to do with bird flu and them wanting to know where all chickens were.

Funny thing was, I just bought some last week at another feed store in another county and they just let me pay and leave. Of course, they still have my info, I used a debit card.

One of the employees was grumbling about the new law. Said things are really getting out of hand. I agreed with him. Then he said, "Pretty soon we're going to be calling ourselves The United States of Russia."
He's not the only one there that agreed with that sentiment. Everyone was grumbling about registering, but they all did it. The place started filling up with people while I was there, all coming to buy chicks. Lady at checkout said they had never had this many requests for chicks before. They already had 3 pages of names where people had called and reserved theirs! And all of these were straight run.

I guess I'm gonna have to keep a roo or two and hatch my own from now on. Don't like the guberments nose in my coop. It's already smelly enough without adding some dirty politicians to it!

[Maura]

Probably has something to do with the National Animal Identification. Bird flue, bah! They already know that the bird flue is spread through large confinement systems, not the backyard egg layer. Myself, I would not have bought the chicks at that store.

[arabian knight]

Heck the start of this year here in WI. no matter how OLD a person is, when buying cigarettes, chewing tobacco, anything like that, you MUST tell them your AGE~!! Even IF you are 99 years old, crippled up and in a wheelchair, does NOT matter~! The AGE is recorded~

[Kevingr]

Similar thing is happening at local bars and eating establishments, but with people. When you go in you have to present your drivers license, they run that through a scanner on a PC and they have all your information pop up. They know everybody who is in the bar/resturant should anything "go wrong" and they need to talk to anyone. If you don't have a license or ID that you can run through the scanner you can't get in. I've come across that twice in the last year.

[EasyDay]

Originally Posted by Maura

Myself, I would not have bought the chicks at that store.

I agree.

Wilbursmommy, maybe try a local farmer? We small-timers need to stick together.

[EasyDay]

Originally Posted by Kevingr

Similar thing is happening at local bars and eating establishments, but with people. When you go in you have to present your drivers license, they run that through a scanner on a PC and they have all your information pop up. They know everybody who is in the bar/resturant should anything "go wrong" and they need to talk to anyone. If you don't have a license or ID that you can run through the scanner you can't get in. I've come across that twice in the last year.

They'd lose my business, for sure.
Talk about "police state"...

[texican]

Join the Underground!

Buy only Bantams, or as aficionados call them, bannies. Once you go banty, you won't go back.

First, unless you eat your hens, you'll have a self sustaining chicken flock forever. Bannies breed quickly, and go broody all the time. I've gotten as many as three clutches of chicks a year out of bannies.

Get some silkies, natures own little incubators.

Besides, buying from feedstores/hatcheries is pretty iffysome right now, with all of the diseases that are pandemic in the hatching industry. Scared me out of buying any new breeds last year.

[cowboy joe]

Originally Posted by texican

Join the Underground!

Buy only Bantams, or as aficionados call them, bannies. Once you go banty, you won't go back.

First, unless you eat your hens, you'll have a self sustaining chicken flock forever. Bannies breed quickly, and go broody all the time. I've gotten as many as three clutches of chicks a year out of bannies.

Well that's some of the best news I've seen today. I have bantam Orpingtons in the incubator...they're due Thursday!

I stopped by the local feed store a few weeks ago thinking about order some more chicks. Opted not to once I saw them taking way too much information. They took lots of orders anyway. The clerk told me they had already run out of feed as the smarter folks were buying feed when they ordered their chicks.

[TexasArtist]

I just was looking through th eusda site and from what I could find it stil IS NOT mandentory to registara it's a choice. Can y'all read through....maybe I missed something?!? It does seem to be a choice though

http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/

[Kathy in MD]

In 2006 Maryland was the first State that required registration of all fowl…
That was the first year we decided to have chickens…we were unaware of this regulation when we ordered our chicks from McMurray…Maryland Department of Agriculture contacted us to register the chickens…by law I am required to contact them if I give a chicken to some one or if a chicken dies of unknown causes…I have not, but keep an accurate record of such….

[Callieslamb]

I read about this on the chicken forum last week. We decided around here - that we would have to walk out if people started asking....then it occurred to me....McM had my name/number and what chicks. I am with Texican.....I will get my chicks from other sources from now on. This is getting ridiculous and we are standing by and letting it happen.

[Micahn]

I talked to my sister in Indiana this week end. She has 300 chicks right now that they are going to sell at a auction. If anyone is around Green County Indiana and want some I could get you in touch with her.

[Harry Chickpea]

Not to suggest anything illegal, but how do chicks know what their address is going to be, especially if they pay cash? For all we know, they may decide to live at city hall...

[ladycat]

Originally Posted by texican

Once you go banty, you won't go back.

But seriously, yes they are self sustaining. I have a self sustaining flock of OEGB's.

[RiverPines]

Come to Wi were livestock premise registration is mandatory!!
We're stuck with it.

It wont be long and we will have to pay for it and wont be able to sell squat without a bunch of paper work to go with it!

[Windy in Kansas]

Bantams would probably also help lower cholesterol since their eggs are much smaller than a normal chicken egg. As a kid we used to argue which one of us would get to eat the first bantam pullet egg as they were so tiny.

[browser8]

Originally Posted by Maura

Myself, I would not have bought the chicks at that store.

Indeed...

I would have left their little box of chicks with all of their writing right there with them on their little table.

Thankfully I have a full flock & 2 incubators. Once my new little chicks show an established dominant roo and we show fertile eggs again those incubators will go into full swing.

[BeWise]

This is one of my favorite articles about the bird flu nonsense. Check his other writings as well.

Avian Flu: The Pandemic That Will Never Be, by Dr. Tim O'Shea

http://thedoctorwithin.com/avian/Avi...l-Never-Be.php

And I must not forget Dr. Tenpenny's site and of course Whale:

http://www.birdfluhype.com/

http://www.whale.to/b/bird_flu_h.html (Be sure to read the interviews with Dr. Stefan Lanka)

[DavisHillFarm]

Originally Posted by texican

Join the Underground!

Buy only Bantams, or as aficionados call them, bannies. Once you go banty, you won't go back.

First, unless you eat your hens, you'll have a self sustaining chicken flock forever. Bannies breed quickly, and go broody all the time. I've gotten as many as three clutches of chicks a year out of bannies.

Get some silkies, natures own little incubators.

Besides, buying from feedstores/hatcheries is pretty iffysome right now, with all of the diseases that are pandemic in the hatching industry. Scared me out of buying any new breeds last year.

I never knew this about bannies...really don't know anything about them. This maybe a dumb question, but are they hearty enough of a breed to survive Western NY cold winters? I talking about -20 being the worst temp. If so, I'll strongly consider getting some in the future. The "gobermint" can go take a hike!

[Wolf mom]

Arizona has an opt-out option for NAIS.

Shall we meet behind the barn at midnight? Make sure you bring a soundproof box....

PS: my new call name is Rum Runner....oops - I mean Chick Runner!