# H5n1



## Clodagh (22 November 2021)

Do all chicken keepers get the defra updates?
I’m sure it’s never been this bad, so many a day.
Get ready for poultry lockdown again.


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## MotherOfChickens (23 November 2021)

they only get them if registered. I believe Denmark and Belgium already have housing orders in place, and England has some regional ones. It is bad, I am not sure what they (DEFRA) are waiting for wrt lockdown but it will come.


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## meleeka (23 November 2021)

My neighbour has chickens and has no idea about any of this!  I’ve tried to tell him but it’s fallen on deaf ears and the chickens are still sharing their food with wild birds each day.


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## MotherOfChickens (24 November 2021)

From Monday 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-i...Ov59xGr5JN3ewMznrKsyaWUTxC6E#latest-situation


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## Gloi (24 November 2021)

We are in a restricted area.


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## YorksG (24 November 2021)

We no longer keep poultry, but our neighbours do, should all domestic fowl now be kept under netting?


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## AFishOutOfWater (24 November 2021)

YorksG said:



			We no longer keep poultry, but our neighbours do, should all domestic fowl now be kept under netting?
		
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From Monday it's compulsory to keep them indoors.


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## YorksG (24 November 2021)

Snail said:



			From Monday it's compulsory to keep them indoors.
		
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Thank you for that information, if its anything like last time, then the local hen keepers will do nothing


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## AFishOutOfWater (24 November 2021)

That's not good 😬 - I thought APHA could fine people who didn't suitably net or contain their birds??


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## YorksG (24 November 2021)

Snail said:



			That's not good 😬 - I thought APHA could fine people who didn't suitably net or contain their birds??
		
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Presumably they would have to be informed, rather than like the spot checks during foot and mouth, so I don't think much will happen.


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## Lindylouanne (24 November 2021)

My chickens are in a large run and I only let them out when I’m in the orchard because of the foxes so for me and them it’s not going to be that different. They have straw bales to scratch at, perches to sit on and a lovely secure arc to live in but many backyard chickens live in tiny houses with no runs and unless DEFRA turn up at your door I can’t see this lockdown being any different to the last one. Some people will adhere to the rules to the letter and others will completely ignore it and let their birds out as usual.


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## MotherOfChickens (24 November 2021)

Snail said:



			That's not good 😬 - I thought APHA could fine people who didn't suitably net or contain their birds??
		
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they can’t police it - they’ve been much more specific in their language wrt the protection order this year.

People who don’t do it properly are risking other backyard poultry in the area as well as our national food supply. It’s perfectly doable to keep hens indoors well (ducks and geese especially are more difficult) and people should get over themselves and put the effort in.


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## lizziebell (25 November 2021)

I have geese - large breed Toulouse. I’m not sure how we are going to house them “indoors”. Geese don’t roost so they don’t have a house as such, just a small shed they sleep in at night, then during the day they free-range. They need a fair bit of space and thrive on spending their days grazing. They suffer poor health if restricted to a diet of only pellet feed. (Mine never get pellet feed anyway as they don’t need it). They are usually on our lake - I’ve no idea how DEFRA thinks we can net that to restrict access to wild birds !


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## MotherOfChickens (25 November 2021)

lizziebell said:



			I have geese - large breed Toulouse. I’m not sure how we are going to house them “indoors”. Geese don’t roost so they don’t have a house as such, just a small shed they sleep in at night, then during the day they free-range. They need a fair bit of space and thrive on spending their days grazing. They suffer poor health if restricted to a diet of only pellet feed. (Mine never get pellet feed anyway as they don’t need it). They are usually on our lake - I’ve no idea how DEFRA thinks we can net that to restrict access to wild birds !
		
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Geese are particularly tough, I dont keep them any more and am unsure what the guidelines are for them but I think they are tighter restrictions than last year-my ducks will go in netted pens at the weekend with water troughs under caged tarps-I am 1000-1200ft up, snow and wind and netting and tarps are a nightmare.

This may become the norm and people need to be prepared for it to happen year on year and put measures in place.


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## Widgeon (25 November 2021)

I have to admit that I rely on FB to tell me when things are getting bad. Ours are never let out of their run due to local foxes, and since last time, we've added chicken wire all the way around the run (it's a big walk in run made of weld mesh with a corrugated plastic sheeting roof) in an attempt to stop the wild birds hopping in. It looks messy but we left it up anyway as I reckoned it was only a matter of time before this happened again. Along with only feeding inside, it seems to work well. We don't have enough space to keep them "inside inside", they'd be pecking each other for fun within a couple of days.


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## Clodagh (6 January 2022)

Avian flu detected in a human in the South West.
I’m having trouble sharing the link, but it’s on the gov website.


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## Gloi (6 January 2022)

Clodagh said:



			Avian flu detected in a human in the South West.
I’m having trouble sharing the link, but it’s on the gov website.
		
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😯


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## Keith_Beef (6 January 2022)

Clodagh said:



			Avian flu detected in a human in the South West.
I’m having trouble sharing the link, but it’s on the gov website.
		
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Heard it on the wireless this afternoon... 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/human-case-of-avian-flu-detected-in-uk


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## Clodagh (6 January 2022)

Perhaps people that CBA to lock down their hens might actually do it now?


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## paddy555 (6 January 2022)

poor man, I doubt he'll see much point in living after this


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## CanteringCarrot (7 January 2022)

paddy555 said:



			poor man, I doubt he'll see much point in living after this
		
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What? Why?

Honest question. I might've missed something.


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## Clodagh (7 January 2022)

paddy555 said:



			poor man, I doubt he'll see much point in living after this
		
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Why?


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## paddy555 (7 January 2022)

Clodagh said:



			Why?
		
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because he is about 79, befriended about 160 Muscoveys in the river, some lived in his house and they have all been culled. AFAIK he has tested positive but has no symptoms.


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## paddy555 (7 January 2022)

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/bird-flu-first-brit-test-6453767


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## mini-eventer (7 January 2022)

Feel really sorry for the poor man. He obviously really cared for the ducks. I wonder if the ones in his home were ill and he was trying to help? Purley speculation. I imagine he is devastated


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## MotherOfChickens (7 January 2022)

poor man, they were muscovy ducks-the bird equivalent of labradors. I would be devastated to lose mine. They are genetically distinct from mallard derived breeds and more susceptible to avian flu.

eta some were muscovy ducks.


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## Clodagh (7 January 2022)

paddy555 said:



			because he is about 79, befriended about 160 Muscoveys in the river, some lived in his house and they have all been culled. AFAIK he has tested positive but has no symptoms.
		
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Sorry I then realised you might have known him. I took it as you just thought everyone would treat him badly. No it would be awful to lose your friends like that.


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## paddy555 (7 January 2022)

Clodagh said:



			Sorry I then realised you might have known him. I took it as you just thought everyone would treat him badly. No it would be awful to lose your friends like that.
		
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no I don't know him but I have seen this happen with foot & mouth where farmers were devastated with not only their losses but also the worry and desolation so I can imagine what he is going through. ( I know he didn't farm ducks)


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## Clodagh (7 January 2022)

His surname is Gosling. That’s just so ironic.


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## paddy555 (7 January 2022)

Clodagh said:



			His surname is Gosling. That’s just so ironic.
		
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lots of Goslings round S Devon. Very common name (being serious)


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## Clodagh (7 January 2022)

paddy555 said:



			lots of Goslings round S Devon. Very common name (being serious)
		
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There was a Gosling Cup PC comp in Essex but I think the Gosling family all had links with Devon.


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## Errin Paddywack (7 January 2022)

I feel desperately sorry for him but can you imagine keeping ducks in the house..  They are the messiest creatures going.


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## Clodagh (7 January 2022)

Errin Paddywack said:



			I feel desperately sorry for him but can you imagine keeping ducks in the house..  They are the messiest creatures going.
		
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I know! I wouldn’t even have them in the garden.


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## paddy555 (7 January 2022)

Clodagh said:



			I know! I wouldn’t even have them in the garden.
		
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I did have them in the garden but sadly the sparrowhawk solved that problem.


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## Clodagh (7 January 2022)

paddy555 said:



			I did have them in the garden but sadly the sparrowhawk solved that problem. 

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Wow to a sparrow hawk taking a duck! 😳


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## paddy555 (7 January 2022)

Clodagh said:



			Wow to a sparrow hawk taking a duck! 😳
		
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 it was very upsetting, we had a few  mallards in the back garden on the leat. What the sparrowhawk hasn't had then the magpies have with young swallows and the foxes have with the geese and the  mink with my bantams. 
I have given up on anything that could be considered poultry. The swallows have all learnt they have to live inside the buildings with me where I can protect them..


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## Clodagh (7 January 2022)

paddy555 said:



			it was very upsetting, we had a few  mallards in the back garden on the leat. What the sparrowhawk hasn't had then the magpies have with young swallows and the foxes have with the geese and the  mink with my bantams. 
I have given up on anything that could be considered poultry. The swallows have all learnt they have to live inside the buildings with me where I can protect them..
		
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It can be so depressing.


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## MotherOfChickens (19 March 2022)

Not that anyone around me seems to be taking any notice of the avian lockdown anyway, but it is _not_ to be lifted on the 21st, which is when the free range definition is lost to industry. A lot of the outbreaks seem to be coming from captive birds, wild birds and backyard keepers of poultry. If everyone did their bit, this would be over sooner but people just don’t realise what these control zones mean for the egg industry. And if you can’t keep your birds happy in lockdown, think about whether you should have them at all-at least think about investing in some decent housing.


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## cold_feet (19 March 2022)

The small scale poultry farmer at the end of our lane has been wiped out this week 😥.  All birds destroyed. That’s a livelihood shattered. The scale of the operation in terms of vehicles and manpower for a small operator was astonishing. We are in a 3km protection zone, the (locally known as) ‘chicken police’ have been going door to door tracking poultry keepers.  Still I see birds out 😡.  So thoughtless, selfish and irresponsible.


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## poiuytrewq (20 March 2022)

Does anyone have any idea as to when this might be lifted? 
Our hens are currently very happily housed in part of the grain store on the farm. It’s perfect and pretty spacious but obviously will be needed come harvest time. I figured they would be back out by now.


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## MotherOfChickens (20 March 2022)

Possibly end of March but i’d not count on it. AI doesn’t survive warm sunny weather well so as days get longer the risk will go down. Saying that, there’s an awful lot of it about in parts of the country and as we’ve lost the free range status they may keep it longer. The egg producers I know are resigned to this being annual and adjusting housing accordingly.


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## Lindylouanne (20 March 2022)

My little flock have also been in their run rather than free ranging and have done very well with plenty of eggs over the winter but I would love to get them into the orchard. I have been adding lettuce, fruit and other vegetables to their layers meal but it isn’t the same as them being allowed the freedom to forage, scratch and peck in the grass.


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## MotherOfChickens (25 April 2022)

2nd May is freedom day, for those of us still following the legal requirement.


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## Lindylouanne (25 April 2022)

MotherOfChickens said:



			2nd May is freedom day, for those of us still following the legal requirement.
		
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So many haven’t ☹️  I’m counting down the days until my girls can go out.


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## Berpisc (28 April 2022)

MotherOfChickens said:



			2nd May is freedom day, for those of us still following the legal requirement.
		
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Can't happen soon enough for mine they have done so well but are starting to get  bit militant


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