sjp Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Defra put an update out on the 30/12 but didn't include any new out breaks but it did seem to put more force behind the need for back yard keepers to follow the current regs and it did state that under UK law all captive birds had to be kept under cover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Gloucestershire now and a back garden flock of chickens in Wales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 4, 2017 Share Posted January 4, 2017 Gloucestershire? When was that announced? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlina Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Gloucestershire? When was that announced? Just had a Google and found this: http://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/bird-flu-detected-in-slimbridge-wetland-centre-near-stroud/story-30031100-detail/story.html This is a bit clearer http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-38511845 And Merseyside too http://www.sthelensreporter.co.uk/news/health/warning-after-bird-flu-outbreak-1-8317802 There have been horrible stories from France about people having to cull all their birds - of all varieties Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Thanks Merlina, i couldn't find anything when i looked, but i was in a bit of a rush. Thought it might pop up at Slimbridge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 In case anyone hasn't seen it, the Prevention Zone is now extended to 28 February 2017 DEFRA information Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Thanks Merlina, i couldn't find anything when i looked, but i was in a bit of a rush. Thought it might pop up at Slimbridge I thought it would be earlier than this. it's interesting that they aren't finding and increase in dead birds given the amount they get through there I thought from day one that the article about the swans going into Slimbridge on BBC breakfast on the 6/12/2016 was the trigger for DEFRA to bring in the current control order Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 I'd like to think that they are tracking migrations and acting proactively, but i think you're right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlina Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Our local FSH has cancelled next weekend's rehoming due to this, even though Defra had said the rehoming could go ahead I guess it's a national policy? such a shame Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Yes, it would be classed as a 'poultry gathering'. Shame, but i can see their point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 My big girls, an Orpington and a Brahma are so fed up being kept in a smallish run. I don't think its fair to be honest and as I cant see this ending in the next couple of months I am thinking long and hard about what to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 My big girls, an Orpington and a Brahma are so fed up being kept in a smallish run. I don't think its fair to be honest and as I cant see this ending in the next couple of months I am thinking long and hard about what to do. Large tarp and some chicken wire or bird wire? Like a covered supervised free ranging? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Probs best to invest in a bigger run; I can see that this will be an annual occurrence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 If this is going to be an annual occurrence then my chicken keeping days are over. Once it becomes a bigger pain, for me and the birds, than it is pleasure there is no point continuing. My girls haven't laid for 2 weeks now, that is how I know they are unhappy. Nearly 3 months cooped up is cruel, I didn't rescue them from the battery for this life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 I don't think the confinement will be the reason for them not laying; can you give some details of their ages, diet and when they were last wormed. If you have a run that's big enough for them all to be in 24/7, which let's face it sometimes happens, then it oughtn't to be a chore. For the sake of a month or so of confinement, their quality of life life is far better then when they were in cages or barns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 My friends brother (who I do not know) has been keeping his chickens outside She said that he'd said it was cruel to keep them shut in. I said that surely it was more cruel for his birds to catch something and all have to be culled. You just can't tell some people. It's a good job I don't know him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Idiot!!!! He will be endangering not only his flock, but others around him. If his flock is found to be a vector for the virus then his birds and others near him will need t be cudgeled. It is only cruel to keep them in the run if it is too small - we tend to give them too many human qualities, they aren't as bothered as we like to think they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 My run is fairly big, but my girls are huge. To be fair the ex-batts are fine they don't need much space and they are happy to jump about on perches etc, but my Orpington and Brahma are enormous and don't really like jumping about, they prefer wandering around, stretching their wings and having dust baths. They can still have dust baths, but they don't get much sun in the enclosed run and thats what they like best, finding a patch of sun and warming their wings My Orp and Brahma weren't laying much anyway,being posh pure breeds, and my Brahma is 8 years old, but the ex-batts were laying every day until a week or so ago. I have had them 15 months. They are kept in bumpa bits permanently so I already feel cruel for that. I just feel very very sad about it all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 I totally agree Dogmother. I think I will give her another ring and see if she can get her brother to see sense. I only spoke to her yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 MiIlie-Annie; if you have some bigger birds in your run, then perhaps you might want to think about extending it. How many birds do you have, and what size is your run? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 I have an orpington, a Brahma and two ex-batts. My run is a good size and I certainly don't worry about leaving them in during the bad weather or now Mr Fox is about, on the days I am at work, but thats not three months solid. Put it this way, before I rehomed my ex-batts from the RSPCA they came to do a home check and said it was more than a good size for 4 ex-batts if that helps at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 If it's big enough for the number of hens for a day or two, then it's big enough for three months - we may not like it and no doubt the hens would prefer to be out but it isn't cruel or causing them ill-health. In previous years when I worked full-time I could only let my hens out at weekends at this time of year but it didn't do them any harm. If you've had ex-batts for 18 months then they are probably between 2.5 and 3 years old, so their laying days are waning, and this is the darkest time of year when most hens will stop laying or only lay intermittently. Up to you if you feel that this is not how you want to keep hens, but sadly I think Dogmother is right and we can expect this to happen more frequently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 I am sure you are right, and I do need to think long and hard, especially now we have a visiting fox. My girls have half my garden to free range in and that is how I want them to live. These are my fourth lot of ex-batts, I have had 14 all together over the last 7 years. My pure breeds always stop laying during the Winter and the ex-batts maybe not as much, but they still lay at least every other day, I have never had ex-batts stop laying completely before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Some ex-batts will keep on laying, some don't. When were they last wormed, and what with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippie Chick Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Confirmed bird flu case in Settle, North Yorkshire. 17 birds from a backyard flock of chickens and ducks. http://www.cumbriacrack.com/2017/01/06/avian-flu-confirmed-near-settle-north-yorkshire/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
