The Poultry Keeper

traditionalbritishfowlco · Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Posts: 243 Location: lancashire

I dont buy all this bird flu c**p at all. It's probably been endemic the world over for years and it frustrates me no end that just because some journalists were bored and needed a story, the poultry world is getting turned upside down!!! The stories are RIDICULOUS! 'The DEADLY strain of HN51 has hit Sicilly' - deadly to who? Did the newsreader say, no, she just let uneducated listeners assume she means people; so she wasn't actually lying as such.

I was *just* thinking the other day that maybe it had gone away and they'd SHUT UP about this non existent story, and that very day it came on the radio yet again. Rolling Eyes

I wish they'd just stop Crying or Very sad

if they didn't report it, no one would panic, the world health organisation and defra wouldn't be in on the act and if it did ever come to this country and pass to our birds, we'd just treat them or they'd die and the whole thing would go unnoticed and no one (but the affected birds!) would suffer. Let alone businesses fail, people cull their birds etc etc Crying or Very sad

kittoch · Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 152 Location: glasgow

i think to an extent you are right, h5 flu, has been around for ages(with many other flu types), and i dunno about h5n1 if thats new/old or what??....., but, media have a GREAT story here to whip up hysteria about, and demand action on behalf of the "public", when it gets nearer, so unfortunately for us all, i think things is gonna get worse for us poultry/bird keepers.
Also, some of the pretty nutty side of the animal rights movement, are stirring things as much as possible to ban sales/shows...and even owning birds..............not just parrots etc, and they scent a great opportunity here to push their agenda forward, so i also, dont think weve heard the last from them either!!! Sad

CP · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 3:13 am Post subject:

A lot of it is just media hype. It is also true that there have been many flu types in the bird population before H5N1.

But we must also be aware that there could be a risk to humans & not bury our heads in the sand. Cold & flu bugs are mutating all the time which is why we haven't already got a cure for them.

It would be wise to be prepared & have contingency plans for housing your birds under cover. Just in case.

mojo · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:15 am Post subject:

CP is right prevention(good hygeine) is better than treatment

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6807 Location: isle of lewis

agreed,all my birds apart from one (whoi i've got to catch)is now under cover just to get them used to it ,although this isn't possible for everyone ,i ordered the defra approved disinfect remembering you had trouble getting hold of it during f and m,no panic just sit back and wait one way or another Confused

,the only thing is i work in a local shop and because people want info rather than what they get in the media it means i can be a bit reassuring about it
suz

mojo · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:38 am Post subject:

set a good example suz is the best thing you can do to help others

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6807 Location: isle of lewis

that's what i thought
life throws lots of good and bad things at us all we can do is
be prepared Smile

suz

traditionalbritishfowlco · Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Posts: 243 Location: lancashire

Of course I'm assuming we all keep our birds to good standards of hygeine already, to guard against ANY disease that might come our way!

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

I can undestand all the sides put forward here ~ just not the journalistic one ~ of hype and pmore hype.
We have a saying ~ Trust in God, but tie your camel. Meaning that we have to do or bit in all of this. Isn't that what we should be doing any way ~ giving our poultry the best chance of a good life as we possibly can ~ I know I did and I'm sure most of everyone else on here has.