How are your chickens coping?

[Jimdog1]

As per the title, how have your free range birds reacted to being shut in? I have had a couple of small smothers today. Got fully beaked birds and I would really rather have them running outside to keep them out of each others faces. Got string up, lucerne bales in nets and straw nets. What are you all doing for enrichment and what works really well?

 

[john1968]

Ours all went away today only in for a few days but they all excepted staying in with no issues . Only enrichment was play straw bales and pecking toys

 

[john1968]

Hi jimdog 1 have your birds settled down now

 

[Jimdog1]

Hi, need walking couple of extra times a day to draw them around the house. Not had Bovans before - they are a little different than what I have had previously. A very active bird that needs a lot of enrichment!
How long before you get new birds in?

 

[john1968]

A long turnaround not in to next monday. Hopefully they will be ok as they won't know what it's like to be out side

 

[john1968]

How long have yours for left before going

 

[Jimdog1]

A long time. Only 30wks. I have a horrible feeling that feather cover may be poor in 15 wks time.

 

[Jimdog1]

A long turnaround not in to next monday. Hopefully they will be ok as they won't know what it's like to be out side

Not that long. What have you got coming in?

 

[john1968]

Hubbard free range boilers grown to 56 says
Our organic birds have been losing feathers part way through crop but they have been growing back towards the end of crop

 

[Jimdog1]

Are you on some kind of tracker with your feed?

 

[Devil's advocate]

I'm selling kale to domestic poultry keepers, who are using it to entertain their birds.

 

[pellow]

for a very small flock, if I made a run outside with mesh sides and a roof, would that comply with the rules?

 

[Werzle]

for a very small flock, if I made a run outside with mesh sides and a roof, would that comply with the rules?

Yes as long as sparrows etc cant get in. Most people are just ignoring the rules, wild birds havent stopped dying since the last outbreak so shutting in a few farmyard hens isnt going to achieve sfa.

 

[MattR]

Are there any restrictions on selling live poultry as part of the bird flu rules?

 

[Werzle]

Are there any restrictions on selling live poultry as part of the bird flu rules?

I would of thought so, all public poultry auctions have been stopped