Bird flu now found in Dorset.

[PanicPants]

Just as I started to relax about ds going to my mums who keeps bloody chickens.

Does she live in DOrset?

Unless he is going to breathe in chicken shit then I think he will be OK. Also is she anywhere near Abbotsbury.

Does she live in the swannery?

No we live in Wiltshire - but they are free range and he does 'play' (run after) them a lot.

Unless the chickens have bird 'flu, he too has 'flu, is likely to spend a lot of time playing with/cuddling/licking said chickens, he and the chickens both have certain strains of 'flu and he's really unlucky on top of that, I think you've got nothing to worry about.

They'd have to be awfully free-range...

Sorry. I remember your other thread and I know you're worried .

lol FioFio - I take it you're ok now?

Yes TellusMater I have an irrational 'thing' about birdflu. There could be an absolute measle or other disease outbreak right in my home town and I would still be more worried about bloody bird flu in another part of the country.

See, the thing is, I think well, if it's managed to get all the way over there, then it could just as easily be here too. Already.

PanicPants - don't worry about it, it will be fine. Can your mum keep them in while you're there? There are DEFRA recommendations in case of bird flu - basically making sure the wire of the run is small enough that wild birds can't get through, and making the roof solid so that wild bird droppings can't drop through.

No the roof isn't solid and they won't keep them in as they don't think it's fair on the chickens. They also keep parrokeets too, and canaries in avaries outside.

You have my sympathy on the worry front, PP, I have a similar thing about Bird Flu for no particular reason. We live very near a Wetland Centre, home to masses of wild birds and toddlers, and even nearer a duck pond that attracts endless migrating geese....am known to carry First Defence hand stuff and surreptitiously (or blatantly, for that matter) swipe the dds hands with them during pond/wetland play. Not sure if it would help, actually, but makes me feel better

Elibean - at least theres someone else out there who feels the same as me.

And my nextdoor neighbour keeps racing pigeons (hundreds of them)

Now that makes me feel more grateful for my noisy, doorslamming, slightly weird neighbours than I did

Is it the HN51 strain though?

Yes it is the HN51 strain

PP, didn't you post about this before iirc?

I know you are worried but have another look at the link I posted. Honestly, the potential for humans to get ill from this is incredibly tiny if not virtually nil.

Please don't fret.