Avian flu Protection Measures in force.

[Kidds]

According to Chickcatcher the incubation period can be as much as 3 weeks. I would say another 30 day extension is inevitable and sensible, it can always be reviewed if necessary.

If it does have a 30 day incubation period the housing of backyard poultry may make more sense, it didn't before to me. Lack of explanation of risks and causes etc probably makes folk ignore it as they don't appreciate how high the risks are or what the consequences are. I admit I didn't/don't and I don't think I am thick.

 

[Grassman]

Does anyone care to guess how long we'll have to keep our birds inside for? Mine are currently in the lambing shed which i'll need from March onwards. I'll need to think of an alternative otherwise.

I can't see this being over quickly. These wild birds are migrating south. Come spring they will be going back to where they came so going over us again. My estimate is late spring at the earliest.

 

[Grassman]

And now we have it reported on both sides of the country so you can be sure there will of been infection elsewhere.
I can't see how a lot of backyard keepers will know much about the problem. Defra has no way of contacting them other than through the media and they will only be interested if the problem escalates by which time it will be too late!

 

[llamedos]

It does now seem to be escalating, via Defra

Defra confirmed H5N8 bird flu in dead wild wigeons in Somerset and Leicestershire. The Scottish Government confirmed the disease in a wild peregrine falcon in Dumfries and Galloway.

 

[Yale]

I really feel for all you commercial bird guys, I remember going through two periods of foot and mouth while having an outdoor pig unit...absolute nightmare and curtains for our small business. At the time, DEFRA was ill prepared and there was no rationale around biosecurity or rules. It appears once again as a layman that DEFRA havn't got a clue. We have put our few chickens into an old stable, no real issue, but at the moment our 4 geese are still out. There main diet is grass, and I feel that they would suffer if we were to pen them up, so we have reduced the area they can go, and put up bird deterrents. If we were to make a covered pen, I believe this would be a great place for wild birds to roost and poop through. I just don't get it? Can someone please better inform me.
There should be an immediate fund to pay for any protection that is believe to be of benefit to a commercial flock, as this is surely in the national interest. There must be huge surplus funds splashing around in the BPS Rural Payments system to help these guys. For once, lets have a pro-active, informed, practical and supportive DEFRA, not just an institution that is covering its arse.

Believe me if this becomes widespread it will be the industry guiding DEFRA.

Spent a pleasant evening last night socialising with a good friend who has worked in management in one of the largest chicken companies.

His experience of previous outbreaks was that because of their disease management procedures already in place DEFRA officials were looking to them for guidance.

Big poultry farms mean potential big problems.

 

[Philip Watkins]

Believe me if this becomes widespread it will be the industry guiding DEFRA.

Spent a pleasant evening last night socialising with a good friend who has worked in management in one of the largest chicken companies.

His experience of previous outbreaks was that because of their disease management procedures already in place DEFRA officials were looking to them for guidance.

Big poultry farms mean potential big problems.

Bio security is everything in poultry. Footdips at all doors and change boots before going in with the birds. Breeding flocks the staff have to shower onto site. All this before bird flu came in.

 

[Pasty]

Am I missing something please advise? but isn't this being spread around Europe by wild birds (not intensive farms) coming over from the "East" where the weather is making it more difficult for them, ie. "Migrating"
The "Helish" concern being seen by "Defra" and/or its "Advisors" (may be the NFU or the British Poultry Council) being the devastation that can be landed on all Poultry holdings be it intensive or as I envisage @Pasty an extensive rare breed poultry "Farmer" if it was to infect. I understand the Louth incident started with increased mortality of birds on Tuesday when vets became involved and then being passed to Defra vets. By Friday mortality had got to the stage that there were only a handful left alive out of a large flock.
"There is not any "MAGIC" potion that can treat these birds and keep them alive they "DIE" very Quickly but the incubation period can be I understand as much as 3 weeks. (Hence why the wild birds can travel so far and spread it).
If the Powers that be "DEFRA" do/do not do anything they will be vilified by one or more sectors of society. I feel they have just implemented some measures to try and help the likes of pasty and myself. Its just a pity there are a few out there with the attitude "Oh" it wont affect me without seeing the bigger picture.
@Daniel @chickens and wheat

I'm not sure if you are having a go or not. I have done all I can and have complied with the guidance at a cost of many hundreds of pounds. Where do these super bugs come from? Wild birds? They certainly don't develop in my hens running around a field of grass. They come from intensive, messed up dark sheds full of animals on low level meds, wherever in the world that may be.

 

[Osca]

I'm not so sure of that. There have always been plagues and waves of infection throughout history though we tend to hear about them when they hit humans - bubonic plague, endemic in wild rodents somewhere out east; Spanish flu - believe this was a bird flu originally but no intensive sheds then. So yes, there is every chance these bugs are originally from wild birds, some of which flock intensively and live in conditions in which you would not keep your chickens. Think about a starling roost, or even a lakeside of wild geese after they have been there a while...


edited to say, it's not birds, but look at this:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/planet-earth-crew-devastated-150000-9354535

 

[Osca]

Does anyone have any idea how people are coping on the Continent, where the disease must be entrenched by now.

 

[bj_cardiff]

Where do these super bugs come from? Wild birds? They certainly don't develop in my hens running around a field of grass. They come from intensive, messed up dark sheds full of animals on low level meds, wherever in the world that may be.

I think the virus is out there in the wild bird population evolving over time but largely unoticed and it might kill a few birds here and there but as there isn't to much interaction between birds its not a huge problem - until it reaches housed birds in close proximity

 

[Osca]

...at least, not a huge problem to us...Out of sight, out of mind.

 

[Chickcatcher]

Does anyone have any idea how people are coping on the Continent, where the disease must be entrenched by now.

@Osca @limousin @Xerion Seems as all our continental members are enjoying the "Season" there is/must be surely a few members with a bit of local Knowledge

 

[Pasty]

I'm not so sure of that. There have always been plagues and waves of infection throughout history though we tend to hear about them when they hit humans - bubonic plague, endemic in wild rodents somewhere out east; Spanish flu - believe this was a bird flu originally but no intensive sheds then. So yes, there is every chance these bugs are originally from wild birds, some of which flock intensively and live in conditions in which you would not keep your chickens. Think about a starling roost, or even a lakeside of wild geese after they have been there a while...


edited to say, it's not birds, but look at this:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/planet-earth-crew-devastated-150000-9354535

Yes, good points.

 

[Chickcatcher]

I understand it is looking like a 2 week extension from 6th Jan any views?

 

[Pasty]

I can see it going well into feb.

 

[wellingtonfarmer]

I have heard that free range birds can be housed for 80 days (could be 90) before they have to be classed as barn eggs.
I really can't see how they are going to lift the housing order!

 

[Recoil]

Getting quotes for polytunnels as we speak as the hens are in my lambing shed!

 

[Kidds]

http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/ou...5n8-found-in-dead-birds-on-rspb-reserves.aspx
Lincolnshire and Merseyside, pretty much the whole country now really.

The highly pathonegic avian influenza H5N8 has been found in wildfowl on two RSPB reserves in England.

The virus has been detected in dead birds found at Frampton Marsh nature reserve in Lincolnshire and Marshside reserve in Southport, Merseyside.

Following advice from Public Health England the RSPB is not initially closing the reserves. Signage at the affected sites provides guidance to visitors, emphasising the importance of hygiene. Visitors should take care to avoid physical contact with dead or sick birds, which should be reported to site staff or directly to the Defra hotline (03459 33 55 77).


There is no record of this strain of bird flu ever being transferred to people and the risk to humans is low. Defra have assessed that the risk to poultry remains at low to medium, and will vary according to the level of biosecurity on site.

These findings are amongst 18 infected birds recorded across the UK in the last two weeks by the Animal & Plant Health Agency. Ducks, sea birds and birds of prey with H5N8 have been found in Carmarthenshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Leicestershire, Somerset, Lincolnshire, Gloucestershire and Merseyside.

 

[ski]

Please find the latest on the UK AI situation.



.... and ....... were with a senior Ministry Lady today at the ........ and she mentioned in conversation, that there was possibly another situation developing.

We discussed backyard flocks which are not registered if below 50 birds.

This is not a satisfactory position to be in and there has been industry pressure to reduce this number, as when you consider the growth in backyard flocks over the past few years and the high risk they present.

There are probably around 1 to 1.5 Million birds in backyards, which takes a lot of time and money to locate on foot within a PZ & SZ area.



As we enter into 2017, I thought it prudent to send out a reminder on the continued need for exercising full biosecurity practices on farm. As you can see from the table below, besides the case of H5N8 HPAI in turkeys in Lincolnshire, there have also been several occurrences of this virus in wild birds throughout the UK and there is no reason to suspect that there will not be further positives going forward. To quote DEFRA’s statement: “Bird keepers should remain alert for any signs of disease, report suspected disease immediately and ensure they are maintaining good biosecurity on their premises.” It should be noted that the current Prevention Zone in place across GB since 6th December, requires all keepers of poultry to exercise proper biosecurity and keep their birds housed. We are therefore all required to follow best practice and this in small part is necessary to protect the Lion scheme. Understandably BEIC would take a dim view on anyone found not be paying the correct level of attention currently due on their bio security regime. Avian influenza (subtype H5N8) identified in wild birds in Great Britain 19/12/2016 Carmarthenshire Duck 1 19/12/2016 Dumfries and Galloway Bird of prey 1 19/12/2016 Leicestershire Duck 1 19/12/2016 Somerset Duck 1 26/12/2016 Lincolnshire Ducks 5 26/12/2016 Gloucestershire Ducks, Geese 4 26/12/2016 Merseyside Ducks, Gull, Cormorant 5


Now confirmed in backyard flock in Wales that was not being shut in.

 

[Paddington]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-38500195
Only 8 miles from Llanelli.