Guest Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 What will we do with are chickens when bird flu hits? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleHen Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 Keep enjoying them As long as you follow DEFRA guidelines - your chickens will be safe, I'm off today to construct a new run which will stop wild birds getting to my chooks but still allow them a bit of freedom - so I will be enjoying my chooks, while they enjoy themselves, whether bird flu comes or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 Check out the Chicken Clinic section for all the latest information on Avian Flu and enjoy your hens. We're not doomed yet ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 Sound advice Jackie. I'm getting my chickens on Wednesday and will take the precautions suggested on this forum. Luckily I'm not the hysterical sort so will be able to enjoy my chickens as you suggest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 I am sometimes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 Well I confess to being irrational sometimes - maybe that's just hysteria in disguise!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 We'll just cover the one remaining side of the big run, keep reading the DEFRA news and carry on enjoying them I don't think our hens have been fraternising with any wild swans - even the garden birds don't get in the run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 Check out the Chicken Clinic section for all the latest information on Avian Flu and enjoy your hens. We're not doomed yet ! and us dependable (stereotypical?!?) housewives never will be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 (Crooked Chicken here - not logged on). Well it's all starting here in work, "Are your chickens covered", "Do you touch your chickens - not getting near you then", and so it goes on. I'm a tad concerned because I can't cover my large chicken run, and can't really keep 3 chickens in the covered Eglu run all day, and yes, wild birds do get in the run to chomp up any leftover food. Any advice for this type of chicken owner??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 A big raspberry to all the so-called well informed non chicken keepers ? I stick my fingers in my ears and go "la la la la". That works too ! Try to keep your feed away from the wild birds if possible, either by keeping the run shut or covering the run with a narrower mesh wire to prevent the little birds from getting in should do the trick. Covering the top of the run with clear plastic will keep out any droppings and therefore keep your girlies safe. My run is 6ft x 8ft and we've covered it using wooden battens with clear plastic sheeting nailed to the top. It's working a treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 (Crooked Chicken here - not logged on). Well it's all starting here in work, "Are your chickens covered", "Do you touch your chickens - not getting near you then", and so it goes on. I'm a tad concerned because I can't cover my large chicken run, and can't really keep 3 chickens in the covered Eglu run all day, and yes, wild birds do get in the run to chomp up any leftover food. Any advice for this type of chicken owner??? If you need to you can keep your 3 in the run all day so don't worry. Them being ok would be your priority and sometimes we have to do what's best for our pets even if their beaks are abit out of joint I am going to get my clear cover organised so as to be in a prepared situation, just common sense. I wnated to do it last year for them to have more light so it's not a hysteria thing. BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 There is so much mass hysteria in the media that it does get a bit hard to distuingish fact from fiction, and whilst I get a tad irritated by the ill-informed I save most of my wrath for the scare-mongering media No-one's yet had too much to say about my hens, largely because I think I've probably made my opinions fairly well known already Had our first patient ring the surgery today, convinced that she's got bird flu (she is a well known hypochondriac) - I gave her general cold and flu advice, and asked that she keeps away from my hens Fortunately we do know each other very well indeed, she knew I was being flippant, but I bet she's not going to be the only one convinced they're coming down with it despite having no contact with wild birds, or foreign travel. My birds are going into the shed- we've decided that it might be the easiest option and the shed is large enough to accomodate them easily. It's also hopefully going to give the lawn a chance to recover. We do have an outside run as well, which can be covered with a shower curtain quite easily, but it's not fox-proof enough for me to let them stay in there when there's no-one around to watch them. I'm still convinced myself that global travel will be a bigger risk than migrating birds, but that's my opinion, only time will tell how all this hysteria will resolve itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 I agree with you Kate. I have worried about global travel too. Viruses can presumably travel on your clothing, though I don't know how long they would survive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 You don't actually need to do anything yet. There is advice from DEFRA but nothing you HAVE to do yet. My beasties are still freerange (and so is their egg-laying apparently!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 Well,I am investing in an Ikea shower curtain to keep them secure & let them get a bit of light,but thats it. I keep getting comments as we only got our chickens this weekend,but I am just telling people that I am a sensible person who listens to sensible comments & advice. Of course I will do what DEFRA advise,but I am SO not worried about bird flu that I am looking at extending the flock by 2 this weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popcorn Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 There's no stopping you Sarah That is good news Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 I am expecting to have my mother panicing on the phone tonight, she watches too much news 24 *fingers in ears LA LA LA LA* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 Mine does that too, Clare and I do the same thing, very loudly!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popcorn Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carolinep Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA Oh sorry Did you mention bird flu No, I'm not worried aobut it No, you cant catch it from eating the chooks eggs No, we wont have to put them down No, just because I sneezed doesnt mean I have bird flu No, I havent heard that comment before Arent you original and funny I can barely stand up I am laughing so hard at your "jokes" about bird flu No I dont get bored with you Sorry, whats in my hand? oh just a gun. No not for the chooks. For you IF YOU DONT SHUT UP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happymama Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 I don't think we can actually ignore the possibility that Defra will advise that we keep our hens under cover. What I want to know is, can I still move my covered run around, on the grass, clockwork-wise like I do in the summer? Will I have to scour the ground first for droppings from wild birds? We don't get many, we have two cats, and esp. in the summer, they're in the garden on obvious display all the time. But next door have just taken receipt of 2 white fan-tail pigeons, and these have been joined by a roller-x from the coop up the road. These make free in our garden, now they are used to the cats. I'm not looking forward to having to clean the Eglu out in a paper filter mask and rubber gloves, which would be a sensible precaution, based on the received wisdom that you carry a virus for between 24 hrs and 2 weeks before you show symptoms. And the children won't be collecting the eggs anymore, either. An extension for the Eglu run I can cover will be a boon for the poor hens. Or I will have to just leave them in one place, and give them cabbage leaves etc in the place of the mangled grass remains, and just hitch it across once a week to clean up the guano. Shame I won't be able to watch them dust-bathing under the fir tree any more. It's by a fence to next door (intolerant bunny boiler) and they'll be under it by the end of the next session. I'm the last person to panic over something like this, life is never viewed in any other way than with my bucolic and pragmatic eye. But another foot & mouth? I think so. Anyone fancy starting a sweepstake (to fund Eglu extension development?) - £10 says it'll be on our shores before Easter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 Yep, and £10 says it'll be brought by some back packer just back from Vietnam, having been in too close contact with a Vietnamese girl of dubious morality and nursing a heavy cold Bird flu may be close, but at the moment it's stricly confined to birds- a potential problem for the birds admittedly, hence the possible need to cover/ bring indoors chickens and their food- to protect the birds. Bird to human transmission has happened, but what do you expect in areas where people live in very close proximity to their birds, and, from the sounds of some of the news reports, play with their dead remains. That said I shouldn't refer to news reports, there's so much misinformation and hype reported that it makes me want to weep. Human to human transmission is the potentially worrying possible development, not happening yet, despite the hype, so don't worry, stay calm, be sensible and enjoy the birds...... oh, and ignore the media. I love my children dearly, protect them from everything I can that I percieve to be a eal risk, but Imy still helps clean the eglus and they both collect eggs and cuddle the chickens..... and I can't see that changing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelfire Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 I read an article in the paper yesterday that might put this whole thing in perspective. Normal human flu causes between 12,000 and 26,000 deaths a year in the UK but since the latest outbtreak in 2003 there have been only 92 known deaths of the H5N1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted February 21, 2006 Share Posted February 21, 2006 Let's face it - the sad reality is we're more likely to get killed in our cars on the way to work and one in three of us will get cancer ... and so the depressing statistics go on ..... I do take avian flu seriously but it has to be kept in perspective. Sensible henkeepers will keep their eye on the Defra info etc and follow any appropriate guidance. I love Mel and Paul's posting - made me chuckle The girl on our local radio the other day was whittering on such nonsense about "I think it might be best not to eat chicken and eggs anymore .." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
