H5n1

[Clodagh]

Do all chicken keepers get the defra updates?
I’m sure it’s never been this bad, so many a day.
Get ready for poultry lockdown again.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

they only get them if registered. I believe Denmark and Belgium already have housing orders in place, and England has some regional ones. It is bad, I am not sure what they (DEFRA) are waiting for wrt lockdown but it will come.

 

[meleeka]

My neighbour has chickens and has no idea about any of this! I’ve tried to tell him but it’s fallen on deaf ears and the chickens are still sharing their food with wild birds each day.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

From Monday

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-i...Ov59xGr5JN3ewMznrKsyaWUTxC6E#latest-situation

 

[Gloi]

We are in a restricted area.

 

[FestiveG]

We no longer keep poultry, but our neighbours do, should all domestic fowl now be kept under netting?

 

[[153312]]

We no longer keep poultry, but our neighbours do, should all domestic fowl now be kept under netting?

From Monday it's compulsory to keep them indoors.

 

[FestiveG]

From Monday it's compulsory to keep them indoors.

Thank you for that information, if its anything like last time, then the local hen keepers will do nothing

 

[[153312]]

That's not good ? - I thought APHA could fine people who didn't suitably net or contain their birds??

 

[FestiveG]

That's not good ? - I thought APHA could fine people who didn't suitably net or contain their birds??

Presumably they would have to be informed, rather than like the spot checks during foot and mouth, so I don't think much will happen.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

My chickens are in a large run and I only let them out when I’m in the orchard because of the foxes so for me and them it’s not going to be that different. They have straw bales to scratch at, perches to sit on and a lovely secure arc to live in but many backyard chickens live in tiny houses with no runs and unless DEFRA turn up at your door I can’t see this lockdown being any different to the last one. Some people will adhere to the rules to the letter and others will completely ignore it and let their birds out as usual.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

That's not good ? - I thought APHA could fine people who didn't suitably net or contain their birds??

they can’t police it - they’ve been much more specific in their language wrt the protection order this year.

People who don’t do it properly are risking other backyard poultry in the area as well as our national food supply. It’s perfectly doable to keep hens indoors well (ducks and geese especially are more difficult) and people should get over themselves and put the effort in.

 

[lizziebell]

I have geese - large breed Toulouse. I’m not sure how we are going to house them “indoors”. Geese don’t roost so they don’t have a house as such, just a small shed they sleep in at night, then during the day they free-range. They need a fair bit of space and thrive on spending their days grazing. They suffer poor health if restricted to a diet of only pellet feed. (Mine never get pellet feed anyway as they don’t need it). They are usually on our lake - I’ve no idea how DEFRA thinks we can net that to restrict access to wild birds !

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I have geese - large breed Toulouse. I’m not sure how we are going to house them “indoors”. Geese don’t roost so they don’t have a house as such, just a small shed they sleep in at night, then during the day they free-range. They need a fair bit of space and thrive on spending their days grazing. They suffer poor health if restricted to a diet of only pellet feed. (Mine never get pellet feed anyway as they don’t need it). They are usually on our lake - I’ve no idea how DEFRA thinks we can net that to restrict access to wild birds !

Geese are particularly tough, I dont keep them any more and am unsure what the guidelines are for them but I think they are tighter restrictions than last year-my ducks will go in netted pens at the weekend with water troughs under caged tarps-I am 1000-1200ft up, snow and wind and netting and tarps are a nightmare.

This may become the norm and people need to be prepared for it to happen year on year and put measures in place.

 

[Widgeon]

I have to admit that I rely on FB to tell me when things are getting bad. Ours are never let out of their run due to local foxes, and since last time, we've added chicken wire all the way around the run (it's a big walk in run made of weld mesh with a corrugated plastic sheeting roof) in an attempt to stop the wild birds hopping in. It looks messy but we left it up anyway as I reckoned it was only a matter of time before this happened again. Along with only feeding inside, it seems to work well. We don't have enough space to keep them "inside inside", they'd be pecking each other for fun within a couple of days.

 

[Clodagh]

Avian flu detected in a human in the South West.
I’m having trouble sharing the link, but it’s on the gov website.

 

[Gloi]

Avian flu detected in a human in the South West.
I’m having trouble sharing the link, but it’s on the gov website.

?

 

[Keith_Beef]

Avian flu detected in a human in the South West.
I’m having trouble sharing the link, but it’s on the gov website.

Heard it on the wireless this afternoon...

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/human-case-of-avian-flu-detected-in-uk

 

[Clodagh]

Perhaps people that CBA to lock down their hens might actually do it now?

 

[paddy555]

poor man, I doubt he'll see much point in living after this

 

[CanteringCarrot]

poor man, I doubt he'll see much point in living after this

What? Why?

Honest question. I might've missed something.

 

[Clodagh]

poor man, I doubt he'll see much point in living after this

Why?

 

[paddy555]

Why?

because he is about 79, befriended about 160 Muscoveys in the river, some lived in his house and they have all been culled. AFAIK he has tested positive but has no symptoms.

 

[paddy555]

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/bird-flu-first-brit-test-6453767

 

[mini-eventer]

Feel really sorry for the poor man. He obviously really cared for the ducks. I wonder if the ones in his home were ill and he was trying to help? Purley speculation. I imagine he is devastated

 

[MotherOfChickens]

poor man, they were muscovy ducks-the bird equivalent of labradors. I would be devastated to lose mine. They are genetically distinct from mallard derived breeds and more susceptible to avian flu.

eta some were muscovy ducks.

 

[Clodagh]

because he is about 79, befriended about 160 Muscoveys in the river, some lived in his house and they have all been culled. AFAIK he has tested positive but has no symptoms.

Sorry I then realised you might have known him. I took it as you just thought everyone would treat him badly. No it would be awful to lose your friends like that.

 

[paddy555]

Sorry I then realised you might have known him. I took it as you just thought everyone would treat him badly. No it would be awful to lose your friends like that.

no I don't know him but I have seen this happen with foot & mouth where farmers were devastated with not only their losses but also the worry and desolation so I can imagine what he is going through. ( I know he didn't farm ducks)

 

[Clodagh]

His surname is Gosling. That’s just so ironic.

 

[paddy555]

His surname is Gosling. That’s just so ironic.

lots of Goslings round S Devon. Very common name (being serious)