# Chicken keepers



## Clodagh (3 December 2020)

Awful news...
APHA: Due to the risk of avian influenza, new housing measures to protect poultry and captive birds will come into force on 14 December in England, Scotland and Wales. It will be a legal requirement for all bird keepers to keep their birds indoors and to follow strict biosecurity measures. More at GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/avian-influenza-bird-flu-national-prevention-zone-declared, GOV.SCOT: https://www.gov.scot/news/new-housi...-poultry-and-captive-birds-against-avian-flu/ and GOV.WALES: https://gov.wales/new-housing-measures-protect-poultry-and-captive-birds-against-avian-flu


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## mini_b (3 December 2020)

Mine are in a huge run, but the pheasants do drop in from the trees ☹️ Going to have to get some netting to go over the top, I’m sure my dad will be awaiting a phone call re this...


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## Clodagh (3 December 2020)

Fruit netting and a stapler will do, I’m sure. It’s a bloody nuisance though.


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## mini_b (3 December 2020)

Fruit netting? Fab! I’ve never had to do any sort of netting so was flapping what I’m going to use.
Yes could do without having to do it and I feel so terribly sorry for all these that are having thousands of commercial stock culled. 

there’s signs and washes round here and it’s making me feel queasy thinking back to f&m 😢


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## HeyMich (4 December 2020)

Can I just check - is this absolutely all domestic fowl please? We only have 3 hens and they free range over 7 acres! They're going to get quite a shock having to be kept in a covered run... Poor wee chooks!  (and poor hubby having to miraculously construct some sort of cage this weekend!)


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## ester (4 December 2020)

Absolutely all


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## mini_b (4 December 2020)

Everything. It’s because they can come into contact with wild birds.


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## mini_b (4 December 2020)

HeyMich said:



			Can I just check - is this absolutely all domestic fowl please? We only have 3 hens and they free range over 7 acres! They're going to get quite a shock having to be kept in a covered run... Poor wee chooks!  (and poor hubby having to miraculously construct some sort of cage this weekend!)
		
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have a look on Facebook market place etc. We use a big kids Wendy house in our run. Or if you can afford it buy an omlet house then it’s already done for you x


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## HeyMich (4 December 2020)

mini barnes said:



			have a look on Facebook market place etc. We use a big kids Wendy house in our run. Or if you can afford it buy an omlet house then it’s already done for you x
		
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Thanks. The house isn't the problem, we have a brilliant wee chicken tractor that they roost and nest in, which we move around the garden/fields regularly.  The problem is creating some sort of contained, netted run for them, that will not make them stressed when they're used to free ranging every day.


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## Lacuna (4 December 2020)

Thanks for the heads up - I'll be refreshing the bedding in the covered run and keep them in


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## meggymoo (4 December 2020)

mini barnes said:



			Mine are in a huge run, but the pheasants do drop in from the trees ☹️ Going to have to get some netting to go over the top, I’m sure my dad will be awaiting a phone call re this...
		
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Think you need some sort of tarpaulin or something over the top too, so wild birds droppings dont fall into their run.


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## Clodagh (4 December 2020)

Mine go into a stable. Yes they hate it. Plenty of straw and fruit daily keeps them sort of happy.


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## mini_b (4 December 2020)

meggymoo said:



			Think you need some sort of tarpaulin or something over the top too, so wild birds droppings dont fall into their run.
		
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yep going to get fruit netting and a stapler!!!


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## mini_b (4 December 2020)

HeyMich said:



			Thanks. The house isn't the problem, we have a brilliant wee chicken tractor that they roost and nest in, which we move around the garden/fields regularly.  The problem is creating some sort of contained, netted run for them, that will not make them stressed when they're used to free ranging every day.
		
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if you are fairly fox free, we made a temp run out of fence stakes and chicken wire and staples. It looked crap but did the job while we were introducing new birdies.


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## Karran (5 December 2020)

According to that link this also goes for my aviary birds? 
They have a tiled roof and food stored securely although I do have mice raiding their dishes. 
Should I bring them in the house or are they ok as they are? (Mostly just cockatiels)


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## Clodagh (5 December 2020)

I would think that they would be fine.


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## Lindylouanne (5 December 2020)

My two chickens are also free range although I am managing to get them in the house overnight rather than letting roost up up the pine tree. I am going to try and make an arc run out of two halves of the old broken trampoline by covering it in netting. They can’t stay in the coop 24 hours a day.


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## Esmae (7 December 2020)

I'm not sure that fruit netting will be sufficient. Bird poop can drop through that I would think.  I have a proper roof on my chick's run.  I think tarpaulin would be fine though.


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## Lindylouanne (7 December 2020)

Esmae said:



			I'm not sure that fruit netting will be sufficient. Bird poop can drop through that I would think.  I have a proper roof on my chick's run.  I think tarpaulin would be fine though.
		
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Listening to a report on the radio yesterday when they happened to mention it needed a covered roof and there’s no way I can construct anything that complicated. My DIY skills aren’t up to much so tarpaulin it is and let’s hope it doesn’t get windy.


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## Scotsbadboy (7 December 2020)

I'll be doing what i did last year, and the year before .. and the year before that!


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## rowan666 (13 December 2020)

I've only just read in the last hour that it's now law. I will have to take a day off work to try and catch my remaining two hens that have been completely wild and free their whole lives, seems unbelievably cruel to now lock them up indefinitely, I dont even know where to begin trying to catch them both, they are game birds and the older one has massive spurs! Maybe kinder to cull them if I can catch them, they will be so extremely distressed being confined ☹


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## Cortez (13 December 2020)

rowan666 said:



			I've only just read in the last hour that it's now law. I will have to take a day off work to try and catch my remaining two hens that have been completely wild and free their whole lives, seems unbelievably cruel to now lock them up indefinitely, I dont even know where to begin trying to catch them both, they are game birds and the older one has massive spurs! Maybe kinder to cull them if I can catch them, they will be so extremely distressed being confined ☹
		
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I expect they will get used to it, my free range hens have adapted just fine.


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## KittenInTheTree (13 December 2020)

Edited as no point in engaging with folk who don't really want suggestions.


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## rowan666 (13 December 2020)

Not completely drastic, it would be a terrible shame but they have spent their entire lives totally free, they are not loving "pets" like my others, they are essentially wild birds, I honestly do not think I will be able catch them much less do building work and acquire such materials in one day on my own with no help in between school runs. I dont live on site. The only time I ever got almost near the older one is when she was broody, haven't got a clue where shes laying now though


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## Clodagh (13 December 2020)

Esmae said:



			I'm not sure that fruit netting will be sufficient. Bird poop can drop through that I would think.  I have a proper roof on my chick's run.  I think tarpaulin would be fine though.
		
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Fruit netting is not ideal but does a reasonable job. Make sure food and water can’t get pooed in.


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## ihatework (14 December 2020)

Well there are some very indignant girls in the IHW household this morning. I’d love to be able to translate chicken swear words 🤣

Bit worried I don’t have enough space for them in confinement tbh


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## Clodagh (14 December 2020)

Good set up. They'll settle to it. Right now everytime I appear at the window they all pace up and down but if I'm out of sight they are OK. You can get peckablocks for them? Or just apples.
I took the opportunity to put mine into their breeding groups for next year so some cockerels think it is Christmas and some are mighty put out.


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## Nudibranch (14 December 2020)

We did have some warning of the lockdown but it's always a total nuisance. I never have much faith in DEFRAs rules to be honest. I think last time it ended in February? Worse fates for chickens but when the whole thing is to protect the large chicken farms running with overcrowded conditions it does make me a bit cross. 
Ive bought a load more straw bales so I can keep their run fresh and give them something to do while they're locked up. 
Meanwhile the pheasants were released as usual and can go wherever they like. Shooting never seems to be impacted by avian flu.


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## Clodagh (14 December 2020)

Nudibranch said:



			We did have some warning of the lockdown but it's always a total nuisance. I never have much faith in DEFRAs rules to be honest. I think last time it ended in February? Worse fates for chickens but when the whole thing is to protect the large chicken farms running with overcrowded conditions it does make me a bit cross. 
Ive bought a load more straw bales so I can keep their run fresh and give them something to do while they're locked up. 
Meanwhile the pheasants were released as usual and can go wherever they like. Shooting never seems to be impacted by avian flu.
		
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I totally agree with you, but as we also have a shoot I’m glad about the latter bit. Pheasants weren’t affected previously in the outbreaks, I assume because they are not overcrowded or stressed. 
I have to keep them away from my poultry Pens now.


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## The Bouncing Bog Trotter (14 December 2020)

I miss having chickens so much but I really don’t envy any chicken keepers at the moment. I hope all your girls and boys cope well with their lockdown.


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