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?

More cases - wild birds in Merseyside and a backyard flock in Wales.

Oh no, where have you read that?

A quick google gave me the answer. A bit too close to home for my liking.

Ditto , saw it on Facebook last night but Defra still not saying re ending/extending tomorrows confinement

I wonder if the backyard flock was being kept in.

I imagine there are loads of cases in wild birds that no-one knows about. I am surprised by how few have been reported so far but perhaps Defra goes home for Christmas.

Mine were in boarding over christmas and I checked to make sure the runs would be covered, they were and it cost her £400, more than the revenue from boarding.
But there were plenty of chickens free ranging all through our drive to France and beyond over the last 2 weeks!

One rule for us and one rule for the French!

Defra have told my poultry supplier friend that the restrictions will be extended until end of Feb.

I've seen loads of chickens out but I'm not sure if it's people not knowing or bloody mindedness.

Restrictions extended to 28 February 2017 - www.gov.uk/government/news/avian-flu-prevention-zone-extended

Please please do your bit to comply.

It's gutting that the restrictions have been extended. I was looking forward to letting my girls out - they've been really good but it's costing a fortune in fruit and veg to keep them amused. We've been giving them apples, courgettes, cucumber, corn on the cob. Any other suggestions?

Mine love peas and sweetcorn. I buy it frozen because it's one of the few veg that DS (2 yo) will eat so we warm it and he gets to throw it in the run. Nice and cheap too.

Mine had sweetcorn for their Christmas treat. I've been buying them spring greens as they are quite cheap in ALDI and they like them a lot more than cabbage, but it's still an extra expense because I usually pick them stuff from the allotments and when I'm out walking, but of course I can't now in case it's infected.
Luckily they've had lots of extra veg mashes because my elderly neighbour has been passing on all her peelings. I keep going out in the garden and finding parcels on the lawn that she's thrown over the fence!

How is everyone getting on? My ladies are not impressed....

They aren't very happy, one of them almost managed to escape past my legs the other day but luckily I managed to scoop her back through the door with my foot! I've been really busy at work this month so they aren't even getting as much attention as they normally do. They are still laying though (mostly, we've had the odd day when one of them has been slacking) so I guess they must be healthy enough.

Ours are miserable, poor things.
We are still the only local keepers whose chickens are in, despite mentioning it to others, and despite giving a crafty heads up to trading standards/animal health.

Dh saw someone with loads of chickens out and asked why they weren't away, to be told some conspiracy theory gobshite about avian flu (can't remember the theory, but it was full and crap).
I was at a local event recently where farmers were going on about it, said it didn't apply to them as they had fewer than 50 birds.

DEFRA have been shit over this, mixed messages all over the place, ambiguous comments that are too open to interpretation.

My ducks are ok I think. Can't wait to let them out though. I really miss having them trundling round the garden. And they need to do their job keeping slugs down!

I feel so cruel. They aren't getting as much attention anymore because they aren't camped out by the back door and they are used to a huge garden. I hate it!

Our girls are getting pretty sad, and had been pecking each other quite a bit. We've been spraying them every day with anti-peck spray and a few feathers are sprouting again. Can't wait for the ban to be over!

Apparently the ban in Wales is going to be extended until the end of April. I just don't think I can do it. Like others have said, I see so many others with their poultry out but I was holding on until the end of Feb.

This is the latest guidance - not sure I fully understand

gov.wales/docs/drah/publications/170215-additional-risk-mitigation-measures-en.pdf

I don't understand either. That says nothing about April. I'm counting down the days until I can let them out.

So, after doing a whole heap of googling and reading my understanding of it is that nothing will change. I still have to keep the poor buggers in their covered run until 30th April but must also fill out a detailed questionairre. I saw chickens free ranging on my way home last night so Im really cheesed off.

And reading that back I can't spell either!

It depends where in the country you are. In some areas you'll be able to let them out after28 February, if you take steps to ensure that wild birds are kept away from your chickens (cover ponds, don't feed wild birds, etc etc). In some areas they'll have to be kept in until end of April. Although this might change. Have a look at the map here (put in your post code) www.gisdiseasemap.defra.gov.uk/intmaps/avian/map.jsp.