Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Cat tails]

Apparently a poultry farm in the Netherlands was found to have avian influenza. (H5N8, so not the dangerous asian kind)

I just read on the news site that there is a complete ban on moving any poultry or poultry products the coming 72 hours. Also ALL poultry needs to be kept in...

 

Oh joy...

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Not nice . Hope it gets dealt with quickly and you're not affected for too long.

[Cat tails]

Let's hope so...

My girls free range just about every day. Well any moment I'm home. Even in the morning. And since they get rather vocal when things don't go their way and I have many close living neighbours... Not letting them free range is not really an option.

I'm not too worried about the flu itself, but the fine for not keeping your chickens confined is rather high.

[Egluntyne]

There is also a case in Driffield, Yorkshire. 6 mile restriction zone in place. ~Click~

[Cat tails]

I just heard on the news! Anyone close?

[Egluntyne]

70 miles from me.

[gavclojak]

I'm on the outskirts of London so pretty far from me. Let's hope it's an isolated incident otherwise we may see mass hysteria ensue

[Purplemaniacs]

I heard that on the news this morning.

 

Do we need to do anything different at the moment?

 

Chrissie

[Cat tails]

I don't know if your government issued a containment notice. I for instance need to keep the girls sheltered and cover the run to prevent any contact with wild bird poop.

Didn't cover the run today, as it makes it way to dark (only have the heavy duty tarp for the cube). Will see what the coming days bring.

[Beantree]

Happens regularly in the UK a commercial poultry vet told me. Co-incides with geese or bird migrations. Same with Newcastle disease. Both are notifiable and result in lockdown of all bird movements in the Country for 72 hours then a containment notice is issued from Brussels so only the immediate area is affected. Usually September and October though and rarely makes the news.

 

I feel sorry for the farmer perhaps losing all his Christmas stock. The only way to minimise the risk is to keep all birds under cover, which is obviously not best for the birds.

[Wigjohn]

Hi this is info from DEFRA pages

 

 

• Keep your birds away from wild birds as much as possible.

• Keep bird feed and any standing water free from contamination by wild birds and other animals.

• Make sure your hands, clothes and footwear are clean before and after contact with your birds. Visitors should do the same.

 

John

[PixieDust]

What should I do about footwear? I only have my normal shoes at the moment for entering the run.

 

So glad I argued with OH over a run roof.

[mollyripkim]

I've got plastic garden shoes which I keep outside the back door, they are easy to clean off, think you can even get them with chickens on.

[PixieDust]

Thanks Molly. Will look. I have quite wide feet so will have to find something similar.

[LunaKiw1]

re. footwear - OH and I both keep plastic clogs by the back door which are easy to slip on and off and are wide fit. We got them from Cotton Traders at a fraction of the price that similar-looking designer 'Crocs' are.

[PixieDust]

Oh that's good thank you. I will take a look

[Pottage]

I have these, easy to hose down when you've stood in chicken poop and really, REALLY comfy. Oh yes, did I mention they have chickens printed on them, too?

 

http://www.backdoorshoes.co.uk/chicken-backdoorshoes-58-p.asp

[Egluntyne]

I have Crocs wellies. If need be I will wash them with Jeyes Fluid after seeing to the hens.

[Cat tails]

To catch these strains of influenza, you need serious close contact with your hens... Unless you kiss them good night on the beak, the chances are rather small... (but kissing chicken is not a good idea anyway... Friends of friends got serious salmonella poisoning that way... )

[Pottage]

Unless you kiss them good night on the beak, the chances are rather small.

 

Or, unless you have a little *insert expletive here* like my Nugget who has taken a shine to my teeth for some bizarre reason, and as soon as I get within any sort of reasonable distance of her she starts bopping her head in an attempt to jump up and peck them. The first time (and only successful) she did it she managed to cut my gum! Anyway, I’m not dead or sick.

 

TBH, I’m not at all worried about catching it myself, I’d be most concerned about any of my girls getting it (I know extremely unlikely) and the consequences for the rest of my babies.

[Egluntyne]

Owing to the announcement of a Bird Flu outbreak in the area. The poultry show of East Yorkshire Fur & Feather, scheduled to be held at Kilham on Sunday 23rd November 2014 is CANCELLED.

~info here~

[dancing cloud]

Like others, not too worried about it crossing over to me - I love my girls and they get cuddles, but no kisses! Would be concerned about infection from wild birds, of which we have hundreds regularly visiting the garden and will contain my two in their run if I have to.

 

Hoping it's over quickly and doesn't affect all those farmers dependent on the Christmas market. An outbreak just before Christmas could be devastating to them, so fingers crossed it's just an isolated case

[jeshen]

Love those chickeny garden shoes, Pottage. That's my Christmas pressie (to myself) sorted!

[The Dogmother]

The last bout of Avian Flu had an outbreak not far from us - I just confined the birds to their run (which is covered with a clear tarp) until I had the all clear from my vet friend. TBH, DEFRA didn't even call on a friend who had a farm only 6 miles form the source

 

Mine are now in the run for most of the day during the winter; they're fine and have plenty to occupy them.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I have a pair of cheap plastic clogs which live in one of those shallow Ikea boxes so it doesn't matter what I step in, it doesn't go on the door mat or kitchen floor!