Avian flu

[Ian123]

Knowing some here keep chickens I saw thishttps://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/news.sky.com/story/amp/protection-zone-declared-in-warwickshire-after-bird-flu-outbreak-confirmed-12464046
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/britain-reports-bird-flu-outbreak-poultry-unit-2021-11-08/

 

[Wilco]

Yup- all birds to be kept in and steps taken to stop contact with wild birds plus other measures. I purchased replacements at the weekend following a fox raid the previous weekend and was surprised how many people don't seem to be aware of the rules.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu

 

[OrchardBees]

We're not at the 'all birds to be kept under cover' stage yet this year, but it will undoubtedly come at some point. At the moment, it's 'implement good bio-security measures'. Suppliers should be informing everyone who buys from them about AI and the implications for winter housing requirements.

 

[Wilco]

We're not at the 'all birds to be kept under cover' stage yet this year, but it will undoubtedly come at some point. At the moment, it's 'implement good bio-security measures'. Suppliers should be informing everyone who buys from them about AI and the implications for winter housing requirements.

It's a bit stricter than 'implement good biosecurity measures': among other things they now can't be free ranging and food/water/bedding needs to be under cover. Also meant to keep records of every vehicle that comes on site...

https://assets.publishing.service.g...chment_data/file/1031232/aipz-declaration.pdf
Agree ideally suppliers should know and communicate this but I only found out via a BBC article so the government needs to get better at raising awareness.

 

[Mint Bee]

Can you clarify regarding free-range as I don't see this in the attachment you sent. just describes fencing in if not housed? Thanks
Whilst we should all practice good or enhanced biosecurity, this map indicates that the only control zones are in the West Midlands and North Wales / England boarder.

https://defra.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8cb1883eda5547c6b91b5d5e6aeba90d

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If they're fenced in, they are obviously not ranging free

 

[Wilco]

Can you clarify regarding free-range as I don't see this in the attachment you sent. just describes fencing in if not housed? Thanks
Whilst we should all practice good or enhanced biosecurity, this map indicates that the only control zones are in the West Midlands and North Wales / England boarder.

https://defra.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8cb1883eda5547c6b91b5d5e6aeba90d

If you read the document I linked, from the gov.uk site, it says in point 2. that these measures apply to the whole of England. I have not read the corresponding advice for Scotland and Wales but suspect it is similar.

Further down in schedule 1, point 10 says if birds are not housed they must be fenced/enclosed. To my mind that's not free range unless you have a massive appropriately fenced field.

 

[Mint Bee]

from my experience of commercial farms, birds sold as free range will usually be fenced in to prevent predator lose and not necessarily in a massive field. Peoples perception of free range and the actual conditions/ legal definitions are not necessarily the same, hence my comment on the government information.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If you read the document I linked, from the gov.uk site, it says in point 2. that these measures apply to the whole of England. I have not read the corresponding advice for Scotland and Wales but suspect it is similar.

It is.
Fortunately our fenced area is still rigged up to prevent any contact with wild birds from the last outbreak (much to the annoyance of our garden spuggies)

 

[Wilco]

from my experience of commercial farms, birds sold as free range will usually be fenced in to prevent predator lose and not necessarily in a massive field. Peoples perception of free range and the actual conditions/ legal definitions are not necessarily the same, hence my comment on the government information.

There is a whole extra schedule of requirements for large units with over 500 birds. Agree the smallholder version of free range is generally better than the usual commercial setup. Mine are in the run at the moment but spend most of the year truly free range.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

SWMBO always feels a bit of split emotions when there's a fresh Chicken 'flu outbreak as she helped write the original contingency plan for Wales (as well as swine fever, and being part of the team who re-wrote the F&M plans after the big outbreak) she's terribly worried about the fowls but also excited to see her plan put into action!

 

[Mint Bee]

Last few days outside . Under cover order from Monday.