The Poultry Keeper

Zooey · Joined: 06 Feb 2006 Posts: 82 Location: East Sussex

It was even better in the cold weather, with huge chunks of ice falling down. Needless to say we didn't do that until the chooks had gone to bed. I'm thinking about getting some more scaffolding boards and filling in the gaps a bit, but I fear we may have battened everything down too well. (Makes mental note - next time put the bird netting on before the tarpaulin). The run is a cross between a building site and a drying shed for fisherman's nets, but at least it works! Laughing

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

no matter what it looks like, so long as the chickens are safe and dry

mojo · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 5:49 pm Post subject:

old fools idea evryone.............make one side higher by a foot before adding covering then the rain runs where you want it and a stout pole in the middle 6 inchs higher than edge making a pyramid does the same job .........my pal puts a cup of disinfectant in his little roof pond each week

Zooey · Joined: 06 Feb 2006 Posts: 82 Location: East Sussex

Thank you Mojo, but one end is already higher. It's just that you can't get the tarpaulin tight enough and it collects puddles between the supports. Never mind - it keeps my husband busy after we've had some rain. I'm too small to reach, even with a broom! Laughing

mojo · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 10:21 pm Post subject:

you must be about Tricias height 5foot in thick sole wellies.the stout pole trick works

NannyP · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 10:37 pm Post subject:

Zooey · Joined: 06 Feb 2006 Posts: 82 Location: East Sussex

Actually, I'm only 4' 10'', so your Tricia would be towering over me! bounce

mojo · Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2006 9:02 am Post subject:

hhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhe i am a giant in aland of little folk........seriously my pal finds the pole trick works

mojo · Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 11:03 am Post subject:

latest news..........code red .all commercial birds to be kept indoors.......private runs to be coveredacross top and 30cm down sides..............disinfectant barriers at all doors...........and whats happening at the local chicken faerms (3i looked at)........sod all...bet they want compensation if it arrives

Zooey · Joined: 06 Feb 2006 Posts: 82 Location: East Sussex

Sorry to hear this Mojo, but I thought I heard this morning that the birds tested in France were negative. I doubt it will stay that way for long though and ditto for us in the UK. I put a 6' barrier round the hen run this morning to stop the pig getting close to the chooks. Virkon S baths to go down tomorrow and colour coded rubber gloves for hens and feeding wild birds (about 100 yards apart I hasten to add). At least we've had some rain here in the South East. They've been threatening "stand pipes" later this year. I don't know how that's going to work with 46 animals and disinfectant baths to keep topped up Confused

Knobby · Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 5:55 pm Post subject:

Just heard on sky news that 1st bird has died of bird flu in france !! Crying or Very sad

stamina · Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 8:00 pm Post subject:

'believe it's a "dead duck" but they'r not sure if it died of the H5 1N strain of flue. Let's all keep our fingers crossed for Mojo.
stamina

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7424 Location: isle of lewis

good luck mojo
hopefully a false alarm Confused

my finger are x'ed for you mojo
suz

Mel · Joined: 15 Oct 2005 Posts: 150 Location: Gosport, Hampshire

fingers crossed for you Mojo.

Is it any disinfectant or a special type we will need to use? If it's a particular type where do we get it from? unfortunately I think we're going to have to get prepared Sad

CP · Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 8:58 pm Post subject:

I think Virkon S is one of the approved ones. You can buy on line from various places, or maybe your local feed merchant would stock it? If they have other stuff too, they might. Wink