Is anyone locking down for Avian flu?

[DancingWthDucks]

Yes I have put my flock into lockdown.

I have 8 ducks who are currently occupying the garage, in a biggish pen full of chopped straw. For entertainment, I scatter mealworms and wheat in the deep carpet of bedding which keeps them busy, and once a day I'm letting them bathe in their big trugs.

My small flock always stay in their run anyway (I have lost way too many to foxes and badgers) so don't really find it any different, apart from the fact that their run is now covered in a clear tarp. I normally move their coop/run every couple of days, but I don't want to risk moving them onto any wild bird poop, so I'm going to try hanging a cabbage up in their run to give them some greens.

I do feel pretty worried since only a couple of fields away, lives a HUGE flock of wild geese. We also have a LOT of wild waterfowl and gulls in our area. I really hope Bird Flu doesn't reach the UK. If it does, I will seriously freak out and start disinfecting everything and move the chickens inside the garage aswell.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

As far as I can tell, the current strain of bird flu has not been found in humans. That means that all the shouting and screaming about the bird flu is a little like worrying about the next Zombie Apocalypse.

Is it something that could happen? Yes.

Is it something that will happen? I don't know.

I don't know is the best answer that any government agency can give.








































;

 

[PaulaMc]

Hi all

I live in Greater Manchester and have 6 lovely ladies who usually free range in the garden all day so they are hating being 'cooped up'

I have cobbled together a run from garden tables and fixed plastic plant trellis around it - I use the circular plant ties in 3 areas so I can access it to clean and replace food and water etc. It is covered with tarpaulin and bamboo fencing. This is attached to the back of the coop so I can open the pop-hole for access.

I got the plastic trellis as the run seemed too dark, but after reading all the posts- should I cover again with bamboo? Advice much appreciated. Thanks.

At the front of the coop I have attached a covered run from another coop I have.

I have put chopped straw bedding on the floor and also throw in mealworms and corn etc for them to scratch about. Also, their favourite spinach which I put in the orange hanging toy and also on the floor in the back run.

There are logs for them to climb on and I also alternate different toys such as plastic bottles filled with corn. I put holes in so they can roll them about and peck at them. I also have a piece of wood on which I attach grapes and hang it up for them to peck.

I am currently off work , I am a full time teacher, which is enabling me to put in the hard work to establish as much protection for my lovelies as I can and to intervene with any squabbles. I have 3 ex battery hens: I white leghorn and 2 brown Warans. Also, 2 miniature and 1 'normal' black silkies. The big ex batts can be a bit rough with the little ones so it is very stressful. I hate locking them up-especially the ex batts - although they do have a lot more room than they had before. I only got them in May so they have had a lovely summer to roam.

I have attached a couple of pictures so that you can see my set up. Please comment on how I can make it better. Finished in the dark last night and have a throbbing and black finger that I smashed with a Hammer.

Too sore to clean up today which is why there are no full length pics ha ha. Will post when I've tidied up ha ha.









By the way there are other posts concerning this on 'Where are you?' forum.

Good luck everyone. Roll on the 6th Jan

 

[PaulaMc]

Oh. And they love using their washing up bowl dust bath ha ha.

I took soil from the covered run they had made a bath in already and just added wood ash and DE.

 

[PaulaMc]

Just one more question.

Should I invest in ground sanitizer for the run and garden etc?

What is everyone lese doing for bio security? Shoe covers are an excellent idea so thanks for that.

Thanks

 

[Beth77]

Just one more question.

Should I invest in ground sanitizer for the run and garden etc?

What is everyone lese doing for bio security?  Shoe covers are an excellent idea so thanks for that.

Thanks

Hello!

Well, in my opinion - I wouldn't invest in sanitizer just yet, if it does come to the UK that's when I'd get it (if I hear anything about a case of it in the UK I'll be buying sanitizer immediately). But it's entirely up to you; if it makes you feel more secure then you might want to think about it, but it's a lot of money to fork over for a problem that isn't here yet - there is an argument to each side.

For biosecurity, as mentioned I'm just wearing shoe covers before setting foot in my hen house, basic hygiene like washing my hands if I've been around them, and also putting out rat/mouse poison as they can carry and spread the disease.

 

[Beth77]

Hi all I live in Greater Manchester and have 6 lovely ladies who usually free range in the garden all day so they are hating being 'cooped up' I have cobbled together a run from garden tables and fixed plastic plant trellis around it - I use the circular plant ties in 3 areas so I can access it to clean and replace food and water etc. It is covered with tarpaulin and bamboo fencing. This is attached to the back of the coop so I can open the pop-hole for access. [COLOR=0000CD]I got the plastic trellis as the run seemed too dark, but after reading all the posts- should I cover again with bamboo? Advice much appreciated. Thanks.[/COLOR] At the front of the coop I have attached a covered run from another coop I have. I have put chopped straw bedding on the floor and also throw in mealworms and corn etc for them to scratch about. Also, their favourite spinach which I put in the orange hanging toy and also on the floor in the back run. There are logs for them to climb on and I also alternate different toys such as plastic bottles filled with corn. I put holes in so they can roll them about and peck at them. I also have a piece of wood on which I attach grapes and hang it up for them to peck. I am currently off work , I am a full time teacher, which is enabling me to put in the hard work to establish as much protection for my lovelies as I can and to intervene with any squabbles. I have 3 ex battery hens: I white leghorn and 2 brown Warans. Also, 2 miniature and 1 'normal' black silkies. The big ex batts can be a bit rough with the little ones so it is very stressful. I hate locking them up-especially the ex batts - although they do have a lot more room than they had before. I only got them in May so they have had a lovely summer to roam.:yiipchick I have attached a couple of pictures so that you can see my set up. Please comment on how I can make it better. Finished in the dark last night and have a throbbing and black finger that I smashed with a Hammer. Too sore to clean up today which is why there are no full length pics ha ha. Will post when I've tidied up ha ha. By the way there are other posts concerning this on 'Where are you?' forum. Good luck everyone. Roll on the 6th Jan

Excellent make-shift run! I think you've pretty much got everything covered, as far as I can see the only thing you could still do is hang some cabbages and some broccoli - my girls love them! I'm going to try the corn in the bottle toy as well!

 

[Beth77]

Hi all I live in Greater Manchester and have 6 lovely ladies who usually free range in the garden all day so they are hating being 'cooped up' I have cobbled together a run from garden tables and fixed plastic plant trellis around it - I use the circular plant ties in 3 areas so I can access it to clean and replace food and water etc. It is covered with tarpaulin and bamboo fencing. This is attached to the back of the coop so I can open the pop-hole for access. [COLOR=0000CD]I got the plastic trellis as the run seemed too dark, but after reading all the posts- should I cover again with bamboo? Advice much appreciated. Thanks.[/COLOR] At the front of the coop I have attached a covered run from another coop I have. I have put chopped straw bedding on the floor and also throw in mealworms and corn etc for them to scratch about. Also, their favourite spinach which I put in the orange hanging toy and also on the floor in the back run. There are logs for them to climb on and I also alternate different toys such as plastic bottles filled with corn. I put holes in so they can roll them about and peck at them. I also have a piece of wood on which I attach grapes and hang it up for them to peck. I am currently off work , I am a full time teacher, which is enabling me to put in the hard work to establish as much protection for my lovelies as I can and to intervene with any squabbles. I have 3 ex battery hens: I white leghorn and 2 brown Warans. Also, 2 miniature and 1 'normal' black silkies. The big ex batts can be a bit rough with the little ones so it is very stressful. I hate locking them up-especially the ex batts - although they do have a lot more room than they had before. I only got them in May so they have had a lovely summer to roam.:yiipchick I have attached a couple of pictures so that you can see my set up. Please comment on how I can make it better. Finished in the dark last night and have a throbbing and black finger that I smashed with a Hammer. Too sore to clean up today which is why there are no full length pics ha ha. Will post when I've tidied up ha ha. By the way there are other posts concerning this on 'Where are you?' forum. Good luck everyone. Roll on the 6th Jan

I've just noticed that small birds might be able to get through the green mesh on the sides of your run, and they'd be tempted in because of the feed. You could put something over it to keep them out?

 

[PaulaMc]

I've just noticed that small birds might be able to get through the green mesh on the sides of your run, and they'd be tempted in because of the feed. You could put something over it to keep them out?

Yes I was thinking about that as well. Will try and find some clear plastic maybe so it's not too dark in there. Will it never end ha ha?

Thanks a lot Beth77

 

[rebrascora]

I've just used the plastic mesh that farmers use to wrap large round bales with and secured it to the larger wire with cable ties. It's free (framers just throw it away once they take it off the bales) and lightweight but the mesh is small enough to keep birds out and you can double it over if there are any damage holes in it. I'm getting there slowly, but need to do construction for a couple more little coops yet to give their occupants more room. I have to say that my girls are coping with incarceration far better than I would have anticipated. I half expected there to be blood and gore from the free range flocks. They are making me feel so guilty though I can hardly bear to visit them! Feeders and waterers have to be topped up after dark when they have gone to roost otherwise they will be out the door before I can stop them. I lost one out late yesterday afternoon and what a commotion that caused in the whole pen!