Avian Bird Flu
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Westi
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Our site forum have advised that our area is going into lock down for chickens from Monday. No details of extent of this outbreak yet, but just a heads up to anyone that does to check/modify your enclosures now as we had very little warning.
Westi
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oldherbaceous
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The Christmas poultry rearers will be getting very anxious again….
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.
There's no fool like an old fool.
There's no fool like an old fool.
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Myrkk
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Not that I have chooks currently, but we used to get netting small enough that the local birds, even the small ones, couldn’t get through and put that over the enclosure and around the sides. Food and water was kept inside the hut. They didn’t get out at all to free range. We also put a dip tray at the entrance with a suitably diluted disinfectant for us to stand in prior to going in to the run so we didn’t track anything in on our feet. I used Anigene as it’s DEFRA approved and I was still working as a vet nurse at the time so was easy to get hold of but DEFRA usually have a list of approved disinfectants.
However, that might have changed. Not sure if you have to keep them completely indoors now? I hope not as that’s not particularly pleasant for them. Check out the DEFRA website.
As poultry keepers we’re probably already keeping vermin under control but making sure they aren’t accessing the run is imperative as they can drag disease in with them, hard to get a rat to foot dip lol.
However, that might have changed. Not sure if you have to keep them completely indoors now? I hope not as that’s not particularly pleasant for them. Check out the DEFRA website.
As poultry keepers we’re probably already keeping vermin under control but making sure they aren’t accessing the run is imperative as they can drag disease in with them, hard to get a rat to foot dip lol.
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Westi
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Myrkk, it is all shared information which will be helpful. I don't have hens but my neighbour does & he was quite distressed that this was back. He has a full cover over his run from last time & even has a boot wash, but worried about their stimulation. He has grown green manure in the empty beds & made a small portable netted frame & puts this on the beds & carries the chickens out to put in this. I'm not sure this would work if some infected bird had pooped on the green manure, but I don't think it can live long without a host or even a risk if not bird to bird contact. Had a chat to him about this & is going to get his Mrs to do more research, so will let you know if anything reported back to me.
Westi
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Myrkk
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I was checking out the DEFRA site earlier and they had links to education evenings, maybe that would be of interest to him.
Environmental enrichment is key in the area he has for them, i.e. lettuce dangling from the roof they can peck at, hiding high reward items under plastic plant pots, etc. Even just spending more time with them.
I’d be wary of moving them to an area where a wild bird may have had access.as the virus can stay active for approx 50 days in faecal material.
It’s such a pain but having witnessed young gulls dying from it earlier in the year and walking a beach will dead seabirds on it, it is so unpleasant all round. I was chatting to someone who is working on trying to get a good plan of attack and it seems the biggest stumbling block is delivery of any treatment / cure / vaccine they develop.
Environmental enrichment is key in the area he has for them, i.e. lettuce dangling from the roof they can peck at, hiding high reward items under plastic plant pots, etc. Even just spending more time with them.
I’d be wary of moving them to an area where a wild bird may have had access.as the virus can stay active for approx 50 days in faecal material.
It’s such a pain but having witnessed young gulls dying from it earlier in the year and walking a beach will dead seabirds on it, it is so unpleasant all round. I was chatting to someone who is working on trying to get a good plan of attack and it seems the biggest stumbling block is delivery of any treatment / cure / vaccine they develop.
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Westi
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Still no coverage about this in the local news which is not normal as they like doom, gloom & drama. I will tell him about the life of the virus, but hopefully his wife has found this info - if he remembered to ask her! It's going to be one of those difficult things to control. He has got things on string in their cage & toys & also gets my duff lettuce & stuff, but I best stop that & suggest he uses bought lettuce which will be washed as I just give them to him as cleared.
Westi
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Myrkk
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It’s difficult isn’t it, where do you draw the line? Would your duff lettuce be ok if soaked in a brine solution? That I don’t know.
I know the doom-mongering is lacking on that front at the moment, they have plenty else to concentrate on… the world is going nuts.
Happily since we’ve moved we don’t have a TV arial and therefore don’t get the news, ah life is so much nicer when you don’t see their negativity every night.
I know the doom-mongering is lacking on that front at the moment, they have plenty else to concentrate on… the world is going nuts.
Happily since we’ve moved we don’t have a TV arial and therefore don’t get the news, ah life is so much nicer when you don’t see their negativity every night.