UK Bird Flu - All poultry must be housed indoors by 14th December

[DustyDivas]

Yes, because this one disease risk does not trump all the other hen welfare issues, advice etc., which are outlined here
https://assets.publishing.service.g...f-practice-welfare-of-laying-hens-pullets.pdf

A lot of small domestic flocks are suffering a lot of misery and increased disease risk (there are a lot of other diseases, most exacerbated by confinement, especially in cramped conditions) because of simplistic headlines and sloppy reporting by ill informed media who don't distinguish between types of poultry. Duck shit is the biggest vector of AI transmission, by far. They carry AI without symptoms but spread it liberally. Obviously anything that walks in duck shit can move it - say, 10 meters max before it's all rubbed off? - but if you haven't got ducks and aren't on a duck migration flyway and don't let your chickens drink water that ducks have been shitting in, your chickens will almost certainly be fine.

Ok, see where you are coming from.

I only keep chickens and they have plenty of space in their permanent (enclosed) run, so they will not suffer from being kept in. Especially as they are spoiled ladies with lots of distractions
I am in south Cambridgeshire so plenty of waterfowl flying by, but solid transparent roof on my run so they will be ok hopefully.

 

[Perris]

Delighted to hear that - Lucky ladies indeed! A bootdip with the right disinfectant at the right concentration right by the door to your coop should protect them against anything inadvertently walked in. Humans are of course the principal vector spreading it between commercial premises.

 

[DustyDivas]

Yeah, I keep seperate wellies in their run stored upside down on old garden tool handles (learnt the hard way when they got filled with muck etc from hens)
Those boots never leave the run. Then regularly disinfect garden shoes too.
I'm sure the chickens get a good laugh at me balancing one foot in and one foot in the air

 

[Canina]

Yeah, just read about this today!
Luckily my girls spend their days in an enclosed and covered run, and I use an extension with a netted cover so just a little bit of security tightening needed here.
Pretty new to chicken keeping, so scary times.

I’d always always always have a setup just like that in case of this scenario. So much better than having to fret about how you’re going to cover your massive free range pen afterwards. It’s also a good idea to have a large covered area so they can still go out a bit in bad weather, too

 

[elanski]

It seems to be the larger waterfowl that are most susceptible from this. Looking at the figures, over half the wild bird deaths have been geese and swans. Mostly swans.

Now I was thinking of getting a few of geese next spring, but if there is another "flock down" next year, how the hell do you comfortably contain 3 or 4 geese under cover that are used to roaming freely on half an acre with their own pond?

Its making me think not to get them at all now.

 

[Perris]

exactly. Especially if there are ducks in your vicinity.

 

[DustyDivas]

APHA running webinar this week (free)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...-the-spread-webinars/stop-the-spread-webinars
Good stuff

 

[SapphireHill]

We put to use our masks indoors, but they’re for fluffy butts only. Happy Healthy House chickens for everyone!!!

 

[woodworm]

Freedom day!!!! Girls can come out from 2nd May!

UK Government link