Selfsufficientish.com

SO I just received an email from my mum to lock up my chickens based on the article below.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38231416
There are a lot of migratory bird around at the moment so it's not unreasonable guess. but, apart from locking them in the garage with no light and a concrete floor the best we can do is keep them penned in rather than free range and thus segregated.

Does anyone have any further domestic scale biosecurity suggestions for them? we're in a rural environment with pheasants and migratory bird around and about.

Thanks, Cassie

I live in Ireland and we have had no such information or restrictions put in place. I have no idea how I would do this, my hens live in a big byre, have a huge run and access to open pasture daily. Wild birds are everywhere. The only thing I could do if this happened here would be to get up on a ladder to the top of the byre wall and make sure all holes were blocked, shut all the doors all the time and keep them in, I could open the pen doors and let them have the run of the place like I did in 2011 when it was -21 and they wouldn't go outside, but not for a month, I think they would go mad and I certainly would at the amount of mess there would be. As long as your pen does not allow access to wild birds and their droppings, it would be fine, it is contact with wild birds that they are concerned about, but it is quite tricky when you keep birds the way we do

I'm always a bit sceptical about these health scares. The chap they quoted seems to keep battery hens or "cage free" (so they have a few sq, inches more per bird). These birds are never in the best of health and so susceptible to anything.

It seems to me that stress free, healthy birds that have access to light, fresh greenery and grubs and a good diet are likely to fend off any infections and not pass them on through their eggs or meat, or just contact. And the same goes for the humans they're in contact with. Well maybe not the grubs.

IMHO of course.

I Scotland they are saying:

"take all practicable steps to ensure that poultry and other captive birds kept separate from wild birds"

I don't currently have chickens but the run is still there, in my situation I would install a predator net over the top of the run.

we only have a nesting house for our ladies and they free roam the garden all day, shutting them in for any more than a day/night would be torture. im gonna have to build them a proofed run

Our 5 chicks are going in the greenhouse for the month. It is 12 by 10ft - so not massive but I imagine there are probably smaller runs out there.

Poo is going to be a pain - I guess I will have to get in there and poo pick every day - even though we work during daylight hours. Joy!

little blighters escaped today.... through a gap, they're not happy at being cooped up!

I just skimmed through this, not having chickens, but it looked like it might have some useful suggestions.

http://nickykylegardening.com/index.php ... ruary-2016

I think these restrictions are lifted now aren't they? Last time I checked the DEFRA website (which was last week) it was 28th February.

Dunno, but I'm guessing they'll be back at each migration.

I don't think so there' new, less tight restrictions on keepign their food and water covered.

"After 28 February
From 28 February we will adopt a more targeted approach, with mandatory biosecurity measures across the country and continued housing or range netting in higher risk areas. Anyone planning to allow their birds outdoors from 28 February must take action now to reduce the risk of infection from birds being let outside by following Defra guidance. You can find out whether, based on current risk levels, you will be affected using our interactive map."

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/avia ... 16-to-2017

The Defra advice is now targeted at specific locations. Guess, who's still in a high risk area?