Chicken fever updates

[jenkinsbrynmair]

As some people don't seem to be getting the FERA updates, or haven't bothered to register their flocks as required by law - here's the latest Avian Influenza update from FERA:

Dear Stakeholder

In response to the significant increase in findings of avian influenza in kept and wild birds, in addition to the national AIPZ, mandatory housing measures to protect poultry & captive birds will also apply in:

Cheshire – added City of Kingston Upon Hull Herefordshire – added The East Riding of Yorkshire Lancashire – added Lincolnshire Merseyside – added Norfolk North Yorkshire An area in Shropshire Suffolk Worcestershire – added York.

These measures will come into force at 00:01 on Sunday 16 February.

All bird keepers in these areas must, from this date, house their birds in addition to following stringent biosecurity measures. If keepers fall into a Protection Zone outside of these areas, they also must house their birds. The AIPZ mandating enhanced biosecurity measures remains in place across GB.

Further information about the additional housing measures is available on GOV.UK.

Please check the disease control zones on our avian influenza interactive map to see what restrictions are in place and the biosecurity guidance.

Definitive requirements are set out in the published declarations for each disease control zone currently in force. More information is available on GOV.UK.

APHA
Level H1 County Hall
Spetchley Road
Worcester
WR5 2NP

 

[JamezF]

Thanks for posting it. I'm still not getting the notifications, and I'm definitely registered: I just checked and I have the confirmation email from APHA

I'm quite surprised that the problems have all kicked off so late this Winter. I feel sure that in previous years the restrictions have come in far earlier, possibly October/November time. I wonder if that's (in part, perhaps) down to the mild Winter?

James

 

[Wilco]

I registered mine but can't recall a confirmation message!

It'll be a combination of factors, probably partly linked to any immunity and circulating virus levels in wild bird populations.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'm still not getting the notifications, and I'm definitely registered: I just checked and I have the confirmation email from APHA

was it confirmation they had received your application, or that you had actually been registered? they have a massive backlog and I only received my registration letter with my unique 'Customer ID number' at the end of January, which is when I started getting the emails. Although I sent my application off by email months ago.

 

[JamezF]

was it confirmation they had received your application, or that you had actually been registered? they have a massive backlog and I only received my registration letter with my unique 'Customer ID number' at the end of January, which is when I started getting the emails. Although I sent my application off by email months ago.

Definitely looks like the latter. I have a customer ID number in the letter, dated 18th September.

James

 

[Sutty]

I'm not sure of the logic of locking up very small flocks. My half dozen are insignificant in relation to the number of wild birds in the vicinity.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I'm not sure of the logic of locking up very small flocks. My half dozen are insignificant in relation to the number of wild birds in the vicinity.

Ditto
I have two ancient birds. One 14 and the other 8
It felt a bit daft filling in the registration.
On the upside, having lost the parish smallholding number somewhere in mountains of house paperwork, I have a new one

 

[Wilco]

Stepping stones.

It's low risk but high consequence if spread occurs. I'm not sure the farmer whose livelihood depends on his flock is going to care how insignificant someone thought their flock is/was.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

for us smaller poultry keepers it's just a way of ensuring we are 'kept in the loop' as much as a means of enforcement, especially, in these days of 'paper free newspapers' and weird algorithms, it's very easy to miss out on any important bulletins with regards the spread of the disease, a bit like beebase it's always good to know that the truth of what 'a friend of my neighbour's auntie says' is either totall b*llox or they have found a case in a farm a quarter of a mile away.

 

[Sutty]

Stepping stones.

It's low risk but high consequence if spread occurs. I'm not sure the farmer whose livelihood depends on his flock is going to care how insignificant someone thought their flock is/was.

Though if mine get infected it would be from wild birds, therefore lots of infection in the area. At that point a few non-mobile infected chickens would make little difference compared with wild birds flying around, whereas 10000 birds on a free range farm would be a big source of ongoing spread. The biggest risks are thought to be migrating birds especially waterfowl.
Having said that I did erect a big covered run last time. Hopefully spring will intervene before a national housing order.

 

[JamezF]

Hopefully spring will intervene before a national housing order.

I'm hoping so, too. I had intended to keep ours in the backup polytunnel if they needed to be housed, but Storm Darragh put paid to that idea. I'm in the process of ordering the materials to re-cover it with something more substantial, but it's going to take me a week or two until it's done.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Though if mine get infected it would be from wild birds, therefore lots of infection in the area. At that point a few non-mobile infected chickens would make little difference compared with wild birds flying around, whereas 10000 birds on a free range farm would be a big source of ongoing spread. The biggest risks are thought to be migrating birds especially waterfowl.
Having said that I did erect a big covered run last time. Hopefully spring will intervene before a national housing order.

you don't need to house them as yet, but there is already an AIPZ in place you are expected to take strict biosecurity measures to ensure your birds don't mix with the wild population - no open feeding (where have we heard that before?) which would attract wild birds for one, an idea would be to surround the run with smaller mesh netting to keep the spuggies away