Bird FLu? !!

[Deblett]

Quote from The British Newspaper - The Telegraph - Front page online today:
Exclusive Deadly Chinese poultry flu could spark worldwide pandemic
Link:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/deadly-chinese-poultry-flu-could-spark-worldwide-pandemic/
Not sure how to insert a link, but you could just copy and paste this into your browser if link doesn't work.
What can I do in preparation for this if it happens, we had Bird Flu in the UK a few years back but I just had a couple of chickens in my back garden in town so I kept them locked up. I've now moved to Northern Portugal where everyone has lots of chickens. I am now just about to start breeding for layers and Broilers for my own use (as well as pets) They all free range!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

First, don't panic because of that headline. There are all kinds of things that could possibly maybe occasionally spark a worldwide pandemic. But usually they don't. Those scary articles sell newspapers and magazines and bring in advertising revenue to blogs and such. Fear is very effective in getting people's attention, there can be a lot of money in selling fear.

But it is possible, so what can you do? Do what you should be doing anyway. Practice as decent a biosecurity as your chosen management techniques will allow. If you free range and there are other flocks in the immediate area yours will be more exposed than if you keep a few chickens in an isolated back yard. I don't know what your free range looks like, that may need to involved fences to keep yours contained. But you cannot keep wild birds out of you choose to free range.

Pay attention to the news in case they report an outbreak of something. It doesn't have to be bird flu. If a world wide pandemic happens, it happens and you will have to deal with it. If a local outbreak of something else happens you need to deal with it. That may mean putting most of your chickens in the freezer and keeping the remainder locked up. But realize your biggest risk by far is from normal standard chicken diseases and parasites. That is where your attention should be focused, not on something that is possible but unlikely.