Here’s the issue:

These people with only a few birds are less likely to take the time and money to responsibly deal with a potential outbreak in their flocks. Some will, but many won’t, and the ones who don’t then become a vector for spreading the disease even further, including an increase in the possibility of the virus making the jump to humans.

To be clear the solution isn’t to discourage people from keeping chickens in their backyard. The solution is more education on the issues and regulations to require people to keep their flocks responsibly.

But we live in America, where apparently it’s an individuals’ right to put their whole community at risk. So, I don’t know what else to say other than that ignorance kills.