BIRD 'FLU

[loskie]

Avian Influenza, AI, Bird 'Flu whatever you want to call it is running rife in England and on the increase in other parts of the UK so please take whatever precautions you can if you keep birds, some of this is also a legal requirement whether or not you agree with it.

As a poultry keeper you may be subject to surveillance visits by APHA

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/avian-influenza...

It's early in the "season" and likely to get worse.

[crofty1984]

Anyone know how long the housing measures are expected to last? Getting sick of my garden looking like a shanty town.

[loskie]

Probably until spring and the start of the migratory birds returning from whence they came. There have been 20+ reported cases of AI in captive birds in the UK so far this year and many more widespread in the wild population. So why would you not take steps to protect your birds?

With keeping livestock comes responsibilities.

[crofty1984]

loskie said:

Probably until spring and the start of the migratory birds returning from whence they came. There have been 20+ reported cases of AI in captive birds in the UK so far this year and many more widespread in the wild population. So why would you not take steps to protect your birds?

With keeping livestock comes responsibilities.

Oh I'm more than happy to protect my animals, no problem there. It's just that this is the first year I've had chickens and dealt with this. Normally they have the run of the garden, but now I've had to make some sort of wierd netting tent using my shed and washing line to keep them away from wild birds. It's still a perfectly good-sized run for 4 chooks, but it's not what they're used to, and I did have to throw it up in a rush so it does look weird.

100% agree on not taking on animals you can't care for though. Didn't mean to come across as anything else. And thanks for your answer.

[loskie]

Sorry if I came across as snappy. I deal with folk who buy all sorts of animals with little or no forethought. No offence was meant.

For info: Some MICRO PIGS do not always stay MICRO!

[loskie]

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/avian-i...

[Tyre Smoke]

Useful link. Thanks.

Our back garden has taken on the appearance of a scale model of The Somme too. But our girls are coping well and are happy enough, save for their moulting, poor things.

[crofty1984]

loskie said:

Sorry if I came across as snappy. I deal with folk who buy all sorts of animals with little or no forethought. No offence was meant.

For info: Some MICRO PIGS do not always stay MICRO!

No problem at all. Totally get where you're coming from.

See also: snakes*. fk me, the number of people you see on the groups "lookin 2 buy snake, must be cheap and have free viv coz I don't have much money" . If you can't afford £50 for a corn snake and viv, what are you going to do when it needs to go to a specialist vet? Our little king snake threw up a nearly £1k bill to remove a tumour because the surgery charges by the MINUTE. She didn't make it, bless her, but I don't begrudge her a penny. Poor Gelly.

Or people that don't quite understand how big a burmese python gets. Ours is definitely a 2 man job now. Not for safety, because she's 13 foot long (as expected)!

* the chickens and the snakes are kept separate I might add!