Avian flu

[Tina1234dalmatian]

Hi
We are just entering the world of chicken keeping and obviously will be investing in a decent sized run in case they have to stay in for the foreseeable future with roof against wild bird droppings.
Does anyone know what size mesh for the side walls is best to keep both small birds and foxes out? We are looking at the Garden Life run with galvanised tubular frame with the option to upgrade the standard 1" chicken wire to 1/2" chicken wire or 1" weld mesh. I'm thinking neither of these would be enough?
Have the rest of you now used thicker mesh or are you taking a view that they are not likely to be infected by the like of sparrows etc?
Thank you
Tina
http://www.gardenlife.biz/4m-x-4m-run-120-p.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[HedgeHugger]

The thing with chicken wire is it's for keeping chickens in, not foxes (or rats) out.
Welded mesh, inch by half is a popular choice.
There used to be a company called Hills of Devon. They had the best prices at the time of building our run (maybe still do).

[p.penn]

My run (and roof) is weldmesh panels. This will keep birds out. As for foxes, they won't be able to get through the mesh, but it's best to put paving slabs around the perimeter, to prevent them digging underneath.

[kitla]

If I'm reading correctly, the whole of Wales has had the restrictions lifted, even areas near coasts & waterways that are regarded as high risk in England. I dont get it.

[ChickenCarol]

Last night on the news they said the restrictions will now continue until the end of April. Free range eggs are going to have labels on the boxes saying that they are from chickens temporarily being kept inside as it will be longer than twelve weeks now. Up to twelve weeks they are still allowed to be called free range.

[Richard]

Personally I think the extension is a good idea, it seemed to me the end of February date they had for a while was simply to allow Free Range to be still called free range thus protecting a lot of Farmers livelihoods.

Bird migration will soon be in full swing again with winter birds leaving and foreign birds arriving so it's still a high risk.

It will certainly affect those who wish to start keeping chickens.
I can only refer to the Web Site; visitors to the Web Site are down by half over this time last year and where my ads would sell perhaps 4 or 5 Coops per month, I haven't had a sale since mid December.
Just a few Covers.

Let's hope it goes away, but you can't vaccinate wild birds.

Sorry, bit doom and gloom.

Richard

[ChickenCarol]

I have to agree with everything Richard says. I think it won't hurt the sellers of free range eggs because all farmers will be in the same boat and while we would rather see hens roaming free we would also rather see them safe from avian flu and there is still high risk while wild birds are migrating.

I think that anyone who wants to start keeping chickens at this moment will need to plan for a covered run. I must admit that I now feel lucky that my run is fully covered so this hasn't effected me so much as others. It was more work and expense at the time but well worth it. I also took the decision to stop feeding the garden birds to limit the amount visiting the garden. It is a shame but I felt protecting my flock had to be my priority and the coldest weather has passed for the garden birds. The up side of this is it saving money and there is a lot less mess, of seed husks,in the garden.

[bikesandbirdsbob]

READ THE LATEST ON DEFRA UK . 13/04/2017 is happy day`s again .
Please someone read and let me know your understanding . I think they can be let out as long as the biosecurity is in place.
Bob.

[Maisie23]

Just read it Bob and my understanding is that as long as the biosecurity measures remain in place, we can free range in higher risk areas, from Friday. I believe that for back yard chickens the focus for us will be on still using Virkon as usual, feeding undercover and keeping vermin at bay - this is not expert advice, please read the defra guidelines for biosecurity and make your own judgements.

I personally will be letting my girls out on Friday, it will be their first time so you can guarantee I will be there to supervise and use my feather duster to scare off any wild birds not that it will really make any difference overall pfft, silly rules for pet chickens imho anyway.

My ex batts deserve whatever time they can get free ranging so in my mind the risk of avian flu is far outweighed by them being able to spend precious time enjoying life after being restricted all of their lives.

In honesty I have only kept them penned because I am not a law breaker or risk taker and I could never afford the fine if defra caught me breaking the rules!

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi , I would love to know how many/ fines / prison has been doled out . Probably none. I always watch for helicopters , thing about the council spying on me from above .
Mainly A13 watching traffic .
Bob

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all , PLEASE NOTE . Flu in Lancashire . 4-05.2017
Best keep a eye on the DEFRA site . Get ready to put the roofs back on again.
I thought Winter again but this soon ....
Bob

[lancashire lass]

PLEASE NOTE . Flu in Lancashire . 4-05.2017

there was a second case on the 7th May near to the first one

I thought Winter again but this soon ....

unfortunately, flu like many contagious diseases doesn't go away ... just fewer cases ...

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi all , Had a quick look at DEFRA UK, 3-06-2017 another case in Diss , South Norfolk.
Just a note not gone away
Bob

[Mo]

Don't know where Maisie23 is, though she did say in March "...the DEFRA interactive map and we are in the middle of a high risk area."
Makes you wonder