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VincentEvans02/20/20252 repliesview on HN

Throughout entire human and chicken collective history we somehow haven’t managed to get wiped out by chicken transmitted decease - and suddenly its practically imminent and only massive mega farms can keeps us safe.

A thought occurs - perhaps it’s the mega farming that is the root of this problem and having some backyard chickens won’t really move the needle any closer to doom?


Replies

philipov02/20/2025

What has changed is the population density of humans. Disease outbreaks aren't at thing you can understand by summing all the disease vectors.

There is no needle - it only takes one case. While a megafarm may be a bigger vector, it can be quarantined, whereas everyone having backyard farms can not.

rubidium02/20/2025

Major diseases have been a part of human history throughout. There is no evidence that mega farming is making it worse.

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