Cat tails Posted November 9, 2016 Share Posted November 9, 2016 Gah! It's back again! Apparently there is a strain running amok in Germany and Switzerland. And all commercial poultry farmers need to keep their fowl indoors and covered up. It's only time before I have to shut them in as well and can't get rid of their poo for weeks! Gah! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted November 9, 2016 Share Posted November 9, 2016 Oh, I really hope it doesn't come in your direction xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted November 9, 2016 Author Share Posted November 9, 2016 Me too Luv. Not really worried about my chickens health, but really don't want to go through all the hassle again. Last time I just had them and needed to cage them technically for a few weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Apparently an article on Google says poultry farmers in Holland have also been told to keep their birds indoors Cat tails. Seems there are several strains around Germany which are affecting wild birds only at the moment and are not harmful to humans. As you aren't a farmer I would hope no-one will bother you. Nothing like the scale of things in Southwest France last year though, where they killed 2 million ducks and geese, but no chickens? Everyone had to keep their chickens penned and under covers for three months though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted November 10, 2016 Author Share Posted November 10, 2016 Apparently an article on Google says poultry farmers in Holland have also been told to keep their birds indoors Cat tails. Seems there are several strains around Germany which are affecting wild birds only at the moment and are not harmful to humans. As you aren't a farmer I would hope no-one will bother you. Nothing like the scale of things in Southwest France last year though, where they killed 2 million ducks and geese, but no chickens? Everyone had to keep their chickens penned and under covers for three months though. I'm in Holland. Farmers need to keep their chickens in, hobby owners not yet. But don't think it will take long. Last time I had to keep them in as well. They have found loads of dead waterfowl, which are getting tested right now. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamrhind Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 I'm just across the border in Germany and the county next to mine already has a requirement to keep (commercial) fowl under cover. I wonder about when or whether it will be applied to us hobbyists, and I wonder about the use of doing that. My two ladies mix with wild birds all the time, but they are just song birds - sparrows, robins, blackbirds, doves and the occasional pigeon and jackdaw. The species most affected by the virus are waterfowl, which they never get anywhere near and which can't land in their free-ranging area because of the trees and fencing. Even if I were to keep the hens in the Eglu run the sparrows still squeeze through the gaps to get to the food.... I think I'll just keep my fingers crossed for the duration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted November 10, 2016 Author Share Posted November 10, 2016 Same here. Mostly pigeons in the garden, but this time of the year, loads of waterfowl do fly over my house. Quite low at times. There is a biggish lake close by and loads of birds spend the winter there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 Migrating waterfowl are the usual vector for avian flu. If you check the DEFRA website, there's a section on quarantining your birds. We had an outbreak a few miles away about 10 years ago, and I just had to keep my lot in the run for 2 weeks ant not take them anywhere. I popped down a couple of trays of disinfectant, and made sure not to visit any place with chickens or wildfowl. It's no real reason to panic, just sit tight and take sensible measures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted November 13, 2016 Author Share Posted November 13, 2016 I'm definitely not worried about my birds. I actually have done research into influenza in Uni. There is really nothing that you can do to prevent them getting it, apart from keeping them in a sterile lab. It's just that I can't really (and don't want to) keep them in their run for a few weeks. The government hasn't put orders in for hobby keepers to keep them under covers, but has put it quite cryptic. I have something that translates to an obligation (although that word doesn't really cover it) to keep them from getting into contact with wild birds. They do have a clear cover of the run, but I do still freerange them. Rebel me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 If the Netherlands is anything like the UK, then DEFRA couldn't have given less notice or information when we had the last scare. Friends with farms, in the exclusion zone heard nothing from them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted November 14, 2016 Author Share Posted November 14, 2016 The ministry posts information on their website on the matter with all the decisions and most news thingies do mention it, but often not the complete story. Don't think poultry farms are informed seperately. They also have to get their information from the news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted November 14, 2016 Author Share Posted November 14, 2016 As of today my chickens aren't allowed any visitors... Not that they had any visitors to begin with, but they still feel like hermits now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
