Bird Flu Alert - keep poultry under cover, DEFRA.

How old are they when sold on Chris? Is there an equivalent of POL for ducks? (although I know they weren’t layers)

I'm just thinking they would need to be acclimatised before sale - outside maybe?
I’ve just realised how silly that suggestion is having seen ducklings following their mothers in the water the day after hatching! Doh!
 
Ducklings hatched naturally and reared by their mother do swim almost immediately, but they are first waterproofed by her when she transfers oil from her preen gland. Ducklings raised in an incubator don't have this advantage, and take longer to develop their own preen oil. Consequently, if ducklings hatch in an incubator, or you buy them from somewhere that has done this, you need to avoid letting them swim when very young as they won't be protected from the cold and the effects of the water on their little bodies.
 
Marigold said:
...you need to avoid letting them swim when very young as they won't be protected from the cold and the effects of the water on their little bodies.
Click to expand...
That's a gem Marigold! :)
 
New bird flu outbreak in Suffolk - sad news. http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2017-02-13/new-bird-flu-outbreak-in-suffolk-means-thousands-of-birds-to-be-culled/
With the Spring migration of birds from Africa about to begin, will the restrictions ever be lifted, do you think? It seems to me this disease is now endemic in the wild bird population, and there is little else that can be done to protect poultry flocks.
 
Economic considerations always win out in the end and given it would spell the end of the free range egg industry the restrictions will be lifted. But I agree the disease is probably here to stay now.
 
Restrictions in Wales are to continue until 30th April apparently after an outbreak in a back garden flock of chickens. They are asking everyone to register, regardless how few birds they keep.

We are right under the flight path of hundreds of migrating European Cranes, huge birds that can be heard from miles away. At the moment they are circling and climbing on the thermals. They must be very high as they have just flown over the Pyrenees which are over 3000m. Hope they don't drop anything nasty on us!
 
The thing is, what is the purpose of the restrictions?, they are to stop the spread of the disease to free range poultry flocks whether they be meat or egg producing birds. If however they continue indefinitely then there will be no such thing as free range eggs and poultry and so they will be self defeating.
 
Chris, I've just checked the Government web sites and maps and I can't find anything about extended restrictions in Wales. If you can link to anything then I'd be grateful.

If the restrictions do continue in their present form then I'm going to have to do some more building to give them more room. I might just have to give them access to the big shed (single garage sized) if I can move stuff out. They've got ~10 sq.ft. per bird at the moment, but nothing higher than ~20" outside of their coop. Ho-hum.
 
Well, I suppose that, at least, keeping them under some sort of cover which excludes wild birds is good in some ways - it should reduce the incidence of red mite, if housing etc is clean and free from it before the weather warms up, plus protects against various other wild- bird-borne parasites and viruses apart from bird flu.
 
There's a Flyte so Fancy page of info and link to an inter-active map here.

Looks like I'll be OK after the 28th unless DEFRA change their minds.
 
Hi Col,

The Welsh Gov advice is really unclear I think.
http://gov.wales/topics/environmentcountryside/ahw/disease/avianflu/?lang=en

"New Avian Influenza Prevention Zone - 28 February to 30 April
Expert advice suggests it is unlikely the current level of risk will change before the current Avian Influenza Prevention Zone is scheduled to end on 28 February. In view of this, and following consultation with industry and veterinary representatives, the Cabinet Secretary has decided to put in place a new Prevention Zone, that will take effect from midnight on 28 February until 30 April."

But what is the new prevention zone? Before the 28th it is the whole of Wales (like England). After the 28th I can only see a link to the England (DEFRA) prevention zones which stop exactly at the Welsh border. Is it still the whole of Wales and just the notification rules have been updated?
(Im just asking generally Col in a slightly ranty fashion!)

"Keepers of poultry and other captive birds in the new Avian Influenza Prevention Zone must ensure:

They complete the Welsh Government Avian Influenza Prevention Zone Self Assessment Form.
They adopt one or more of the following:
(i) house their birds
(ii) keep totally separate from wild birds, by use of netting etc
(iii) allow controlled access to outside areas, subject to applying additional risk mitigation measures." ...

Maybe I’m missing something and I don’t live in Wales... but its bothering me!
 
Thanks for this, Rick.

It wasn't up when I looked at the Welsh Gov. site this morning with my coffee so I'll have to study it carefully... but my first reading has left me somewhat confused. I've yet to find out where I can read a copy of the Welsh Government Avian Influenza Prevention Zone Self Assessment Form, and then do I have to send it off? I've only got 4 chickens!!!!!!

Like you say, the map is only for England and even when a High Risk area is on the border it stops at Wales.... which makes no sense at all.

"Watch this space" I suppose. Like you... it's bothering me. Perhaps it'll get a bit clearer, but I won't be holding my breath. *sigh*

Anyway.... it's nearly time for a glass of wine.
 
The new prevention zone in Wales is basically a green light to return to free ranging provide you use a bit of common sense as per 2(iii). A good move in accepting that the current restrictions are now doing more harm than good. The self assessment form is there so they can sue you if you have an outbreak and haven't followed their biosecurity and risk mitigation measures.
 
Right - so it is the whole of the country as a similar 'high' risk rather than 'higher' risk as we have in zones on the map in England - but with the duty to carry out the risk assessment which would only be called upon if things went wrong in your flock (rather like the HSE would expect from you if you fell off a ladder while at work I guess.) Seems very reasonable.
 
Thanks, both. That was my reading of it (after a few tries), except I couldn't find hide nor hair of the self-assessment form. I'll try again before the end of the month.
 
It seems after 28 February a lot of us will be able to let our birds out again, with only high risk areas like coasts and some other areas restricted.
 
Here is the link to check the regulations for your area http://www.gisdiseasemap.defra.gov.uk/intmaps/avian/map.jsp
 
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