Do I really have to keep them in?

[Hairyhat]

For 30 days?
I have too chickens. Rescued from a horrible farm where they were shut in. I really really don't want to lock them up again for 30 days. It feels cruel. Am I risking their lives only? Or is there any danger to humans/other birds/pets?

So if there is an outbreak near you, if your birds are inside, do you still have to cull them? Also who culls? Do they come round and do it?

possum It just took me less than 3 seconds to google who to contact by typing in "bird flu defra". Not hard to find

But the chief vet could mean contact your own vet. Or a local public health contact. They don't say. Defra appeared clueless when I spoke to them.

The chief vet didn't say it's defra to contact. If it is, yes, you can google their number, of course.

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

Or you could just read up on what you need to do.

But people aren't. People think it doesn't apply to them. They don't want to start looking for info that will cause them work.

For some people, all they will listen to is the chief vet on the radio by accident. They won't go looking for information.

Then it's up to them them if they cannot be bothered to find out about a disease that could kill off their birds and possibly spread it to other poultry owners in their area.

Oh please... Its not like it's the 1940's when all we had was the radio and huddled around it listening. If someone has access to mumsnet then they have access to the internet to find out more information! It's not bloody rocket science.

I'd LOVE to have chickens and day dream about having flocks of geese and chicks (please let me win the lotto jackpot!) so my ears prick up when things like this happens.

If I had poultry I'd rather keep them indoors for a bit than have them die of a horrible disease that I could have prevented them getting.

and sorry giraffe if I came across grumpy at you... wasn't meant to be!! [flower]

I know quite a few chicken keepers who don't use the internet. Seriously.

If DEFRA want this taken seriously by all we need it on the TV news and a page in newspapers.

My ladies have been kept inside since this news broke and they are not at all happy. It makes me so cross to think that there are people not complying. We are vegetarian and so won't be having turkey for our Christmas dinner but aside from the animal welfare that is someone livelihood that has just been culled.

What FantasticBeasts said. Plenty of older, rural, non-internetty types keep chickens. I am at a loss as to why Defra haven't been advertising it better. Have they all knocked off early for Christmas or something?

badcat. Believe me I'm taking it seriously and yes I have the common sense to google for who I need to contact if I need to. Sadly some people won't use their brain and if defra want people to take this seriously and do stuff then they need to spoon feed people the information.

Soz Possum I wasn't having a go at you, I just find it very odd that this day and age some people assume that it's not been out in the media when it has been for ages. It's like they expect a personal leaflet through every door.

(and my mums friends neighbour used to work in in MAFF (or whatever it was called in the 80's) and she remembers him having to go to work on holidays and weekends when they had outbreaks back in the day so I doubt very much has changed)

According to the ONS only 53% of households with one adult over 65 has an internet connection.

I have a few friends (not in that age bracket yet) who live rurally at both ends of the country who don't bother with the internet and don't have smart phones.

Nothing to do with spoon feeding - DEFRA are failing these people.

They're not only failing the individual back yard chicken keepers, more importantly they're failing the commercial poultry industry who will be the Ines worst affected if this kicks off big time.

I'd be sad if I have to kill my chickens but I won't potentially lose my livelihood.

I heard about it from the News at Ten, the Radio two news and Facebook.

Mine have an internal run in a stable that we made last year when a stoat or weasel started getting into our run/coop and killing our hens. I had been debating putting them back in there over mid winter as the foxes and stoats are hungrier, rather than letting them wander loose at the stables, so this helped that decision. Mine seem happy enough, but there's plenty of room and light.

I'm hacked off that neighbouring properties (both half a mile away) have their hens outside with no precautions whatsoever. And we live in a rural area with lots of migrating birds landing in the fields with them. Mostly Canada geese, which come from the wrong direction thankfully, but that's not the point. 😡

I challenged a local farm about this today. One of those cafe, farm shop type places, with their poultry pecking around the place as normal.

giraffe: 'why are your hens not being kept in as per DEFRA rules to prevent the spread of Avian 'flu?'

Knobhead: 'Well, we only have a few hens, we're not a big chicken farm.' They had at least 10 pecking around.

giraffe: 'I have fewer than you, and I spoke to DEFRA, and the rules apply to everyone. Mine are in a run. There is a 5k fine if you don't comply.'

Knobhead: 'But we only have a few, you see.'

giraffe: 'Doesn't matter. There's been a cull in Lincolnshire, do you want to be responsible for a cull around here?'

Knobhead, looking disinterested 'I'll do something about it tomorrow.'

giraffe: 'Yes. Well, I will pop back and check, and if you haven't, I will report you to DEFRA. The information has been clear that it applies to everyone.'

Someone in the whole place will have the internet, the radio, and they have enough other animals to be on DEFRA's mailshot list. They have no excuse, other than being selfish cunts who care more about selling overpriced Christmas stuff than looking after their livestock.

Knobhead: 'and what's you're name then?' with a sneer.

giraffe: 'giraffessay'

Knobhead: 'what?'

giraffe: 'GIRAFFESSAY'

Knobhead: 'whats say?'

giraffe: 'GIR AFFE SSAY' figured I don't have a problem with giving knobhead my real name clearly, as I am not breaking the law and being a knob.

Knobhead turns to stomp off.

giraffe: 'And what's your name, please?'

Knobhead: 'My name? It's MR Knobhead.' with big emphasis on the Mr, like the fact he is a Mr is impressive. I actually have a more impressive title, but used my first name.

giraffe: 'See you tomorrow, Mr Knobhead.'

Names changed to protect the selfish.

Honestly, these aren't hobby keepers, they're farmers. Not poultry farmers, but people who lived through foot and mouth etc. I do think it's a waste of bloody time, and that DEFRA are being knee jerk/making it up as they go along. But I am responsible. If there is a restriction, I follow it.

Knobhead, he was.

He, of course, said 'What's your name.'

He may have known how to use apostrophes, which I've temporarily forgotten.

Good for you. Please report him if he hasn't done anything tomorrow.

I doubt DEFRA actually care, or have the resources to do anything. And 5k will be a drop in the ocean to these people, it's a very profitable set up!

Hi,
Due to another posting where I tried to offer some help and have been slated and my post removed I am going to leave Mumsnet. I have had no message from Mumsnet about it and went on to say that I had been trying to help the person involved on another post and even the OP has realised that. I have seen far nastier things on this site and mine was trying to be helpful to OP but some disagreed and obviously reported me.
I just wanted to come here to say thank you to everyone on the chicken keepers thread as I have gained help, information( re Avian flu, mine are in since the Thursday as I hadn't seen it until I read on here) and what a lovely bunch of people you are on here. I just wanted to tell you all that.
I hope all your birds are ok and all our girls will be able to go out soon.
I wish you all a Happy New Year and happy hens. I might add I went to get some more shavings and feed for my hens and there isn't even a poster up in the large feed, pet, farming, horsey shop! I did mention the lack of poster!
It is with regret that I am leaving you bunch of lovely people but I really think I don't need some of the other people that post on some other threads in my life. I might join a chicken forum instead😊
Any way once again thank you for all the help I have had with learning about chicken keeping as they were kinda foisted on me from next doors chicken hating JRs. I love my girls and they have a much happier life now as they were battery hens. I think DH even quite likes them now. I am still getting the odd egg too despite being below freezing up here.
Many happy days looking after your hens. Bye.

Don't leave. Leave the thread, can they be hidden? Just stay with the chicken forum.

I am wondering if this advice will be extended now that there has been confirmed bird flu in the UK. What do you all think?

Don't leave, Ditsy. Any forum will have mostly reasonable people plus a few tossers plus all forums are also liable to instances where you feel things have been mishandled by the site owners, but MNHQ are IME more sensible than most and do try very hard to get it right.

Re the bird flu - I have been wondering that myself and wondered if anyone had heard anything. Nothing extra yet on DEFRA website, I would assume they will have a meeting and decide something in the next couple of days.

Happy New Year.
Don't leave Ditsy, just stick to the bits you like!
(seriously, I have been quite upset over these holidays by some postings on a thread about European passports holders in UK. Dh is Dutch, and some of the comments have been outrageous. My response? leave the thread)

Does anyone know if we can let our ladies out again?
The 30 days are up, but no update either way on the Defra website, just says keep chickens in, last updated 31st dec.

I thought it was until 6th January and so it isn't up yet.