Meet Flo

[Dandelion]

During the last two Avian Influenza outbreaks I kept my birds inside, so I didn't use a disinfectant footbath. This time things area bit different as I now have an eglu and a Go Up, and far more hens than I had before. I have started to keep ex-commercial hens - the vet said "Buy more than you need as they probably won't all survive, but they have. So they are still free-ranging and I have followed all the other rules (vermin control, covering the runs, keeping food away from wild birds, netting over my pond). But footbaths are proving to be a problem. I just keep the hens in my back garden which is grassed. So if I use Jeyes fluid (which was all that the supplier had, as he had sold all the Virkon) I will be walking on the grass, which the hens eat, having dipped my clogs in a noxious substance. What are others doing? I would be really glad for some suggestions.

[mullethunter]

You can buy Virkon online from Flytes So Fancy amongst other suppliers. Also I have a pair of old boots that I only wear in the back garden and nowhere else which should help. I really wouldn’t use Jeyes fluid.

[Dandelion]

Thank you mullethunter - I too only wear the same footwear in the garden so I'm not spreading anything from elsewhere. Jeyes fluid returned to the shop, Virkon picked up from a poultry place in the next county, now I'm ready to rumble!!