New bird flu restrictions?

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

It says in the Times there is an outbreak in Wrexham and new restrictions are going to be imposed. Anyone heard anything more?

Yes, new restrictions in force from 5pm yesterday

Info in link:

www.gov.uk/government/news/bird-flu-latest-situation-avian-influenza-prevention-zone-declared-across-great-britain

which has onwards links both for large-scale (>500 birds) keepers and also for what backyard keepers must do

Yes, my poor ladies are shut in their run now. Fortunately all the (anti- wild bird) netting over the run is still ok from the last time we had to do this. Their run is pretty big but it's still not the same as having the run of the garden 😕

Thank you. Drat! Mine were having such a lovely time having the run of the whole garden. In that case I need to decide between trying to net a part of their usual run to keep the wild birds out and putting them in the Eglu run but moving to the lawn and moving it onto fresh grass regularly. The Eglu option is probably healthier but even with the extension it’s not a huge space for them.

It's rubbish, isn't it? Sky News reports that the Chief Veterinary Officer says no need to keep birds enclosed but the Defra info seems to suggest that all flocks be kept undercover away from wild birds. It's going to be a muddy old winter (again) 🥺

From what I read they don’t have to be covered but they do have to be separated from wild birds, so previously the whole run would have to be covered but now it could just be netted. And if I keep mine in the Eglu run they don’t have to have the top fully covered, which was what I was planning. So it’s not quite as strict as it could have been but not much in it.
To be fair, sometimes I scatter a bit of grain in the Eglu run right at the inner end by the house and little birds come all the way in for it if the door is open, so clearly keeping the run door shut is the only way to prevent this contact.

Hi All,

I have 4 gorgeous ex battery hens which we rescued a couple of months ago, they have quite a large run for 4 but we also have a large paddock which eventually they will be allowed to explore when allowed.

Any idea when these restrictions will ease?

I was hoping someone would have heard something by now. I think it was about end of Feb last year. I will ask local vet if I see him in the pub.
I bought large taurpolin last year but with these storms it seems to be off more than on. I have netting underneath. Snow and rain puddles in the centre so I have to shake that off every now and then. The coop and small run has corrugated plastic( B&Q) which has lasted about 7 years. It is attached to two post and lies on top but even it has been blown off a few times. These are fence posts!
They have had to have reduced space but they aren’t keen on the cold weather anyway and disappear in once fed and watered in the morning. 3 bantams. Look forward to letting them out.