The Poultry Keeper

stevie b · Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 1

HI I'm new.
I have two hens and one cockerel.
They live in the back garden of our terraced house.
I have found so much stuff that we haven't got a clue anymore.

If or when bird flue arives it will, by definition be endemic within the wild bird population. Therefore, what should we be doing in the medium to long term.

I dont consider placing my hens "indoors" for months or years a solution.

I would pay for vaccines if it were effective.

Should i be considering suitable recipies or is there a practicle solution for someone in our situation.

jaydee67 · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 11:54 pm Post subject:

Hi, if bird flu arrives on our shores then you will have to keep your birds under cover. Current advice does not mean locked inside, but they must then be kept in a run with wild bird proof netting on the sides and a waterproof cover on the top (wood/ tarpaulin/ plastic sheets/ etc). Food and water should be inside also. Hope that helps, there is more info in this section,

Julia

shelly · Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Posts: 29 Location: Glastonbury

Hello Stevie,

Don't panic at all.

At the moment people are panicking and just helping to hype up the hype already produced by the media.

You need to get your birds run or cage or what ever you have covered to prevent squishy wild bird poo from entering their runs and infecting them.
You also need to make sure that little wild bird and rodents cannot squeeze in through the mesh and get inside the runs, as they can infect your chickens through their droppings.
You also need to keep everything clean including yourself, something that chicken owners should/ are doing anyway.

Enjoy your chickens.

from Shelly

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

From what I read on the RSPB site , it isn't the small natural birds that we have that are going to bring the disease it's the migratory waterfowl. In fact they are encouraging us to keep on feeding the common wild birds for their own sake, as so any of them rely on handouts from people.
The reason for the small mesh on the runs is so that the small birds don't stand in big birds poo and then bring it to your girls. Similarly with the rodents ~ if they find a dead bird, they could have a nibble and then bring the virus in.
But don't panic, just make contingency plans of solid covered runs with small holes netting. When the instruction comes we will have 24hrs to fulfill the requirements, hence making the plans now.
If you make these plans, then hopefully you will have your girls with you for a long time giving you endless hours of pleasure