Do I need to keep them in?

[Hairyhat]

I have 5 old non-laying chickens (and a duck). They are pets and just roam free. An acquaintance has just told me I have to keep them in from Monday.
Is this true? No eggs, not killed for meat. Can someone explain what danger they are and to who please?

They should have been in or netted since the 14 December!
I’ll see if can find the link

Bird flu: All captive birds in Britain to be kept indoors amid outbreak www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55201167

www.gov.uk/government/news/avian-influenza-bird-flu-national-prevention-zone-declared

I’ve only hot a few pet bantams, it’s a massive PITA and completely pointless but yes ours are contained as we’ve netted their run

This is what we’ve done as nowhere indoors to put them.

Oh bums. So cruel for them. Already had a traumatic life before I rescued them.

Thanks @Megan2018

A couple of my old girls are on their last legs as it is. I hope this doesn't finish them off. I'm annoyed as they aren't being used for meat or eggs. So I feel they should be excepted from this rule. I guess wild birds could pass it on to them but I would rather they died from it than were shut in again. They are such characters too. Come round and knock on the door when they feel it's time for their hot porridge

Thanks @SilentScreamQueen

Next question- how long? How long was the last one at least then? Does anyone know?

You should have had them in since the 14th. Its open ended but last time it was around March/April before they could be let out again.

@Hairyhat it’s a load of nonsense but we don’t dare not comply.
We are banking in it being March at least.
Mine are mostly ancient and very tame pets-I’m still bringing them in to the kitchen for a cuddle .
They actually don’t mind much yet as at least the weather is bad. Harder in Summer!

If you rather they died than shut them in why don't you just cull them? It's easy to humanely kill a chicken. Don't flout the rules. It's not fair on everyone else who has gone out of their way to help ensure that the restrictions need to be in place for as little time as possible.

@Megan2018 yes mine are pets and pop in the house quite often. Netting them in is going to be so hard and feel extremely cruel. Might let them live indoors permanently. No one can visit to see the state of my floors anyway

@Sprig1 no way would I flout the rules. I don't know where you get that from. I guess it's easy for you to cull an animal. You're made of much tougher stuff than me.

Mine are in. I have runs for them (2 houses) I feel bad but make sure they get a lot of greens and the ground is kept fresh with bark, top soil etc. They seem ok.

That's a good idea @Streamingbannersofdawn 2 houses. I'll get another hut and netting between the two. That seems a bit fairer and somewhere else for them to explore

Supposed to be ensuring you don’t pass it to them/them to wild birds too. So foot baths etc.

I have two runs because I have one group of older girls and one group of younger ones. They can roam around the garden together but in a smaller space all hell breaks loose .

I was lucky enough to be given the second house.