Avian flu

[Chickenlady]

Has this been mentioned yet? If so, I apologise.

Is anybody taking any precautions with your birds? Should we?

I have no idea how this disease is passed on, and I know it hasn't officially reached the UK yet ( apart from that parrot - just down the road from me, in fact!), but I have covered the chicken run with a sheet of PVC and I am keeping them in for the time being.

Am I over reacting? I would be very interested in your views.

Jane

[Wombat]

G'Day Jane,

I think it is all about keeping your domestic chooks away from wild fowl. To me you precaution is both cost effective and sensible.

Nev

[ina]

I think the most important precaution anybody with poultry could take is not to feed them outside, where wild birds like geese and ducks are likely to be attracted and mix with your birds. And I've read that there is no danger from doing the usual wild-bird feeding in the garden, but you should wash your hands particularly carefully after touching the equipment, feeders etc - just in case.

I personally decided not to start hen keeping just now, it would be daft to start it and then have measures put in place that mean I need to keep them in the shed at all times - but if I had them already, I certainly wouldn't go and slaughter them, either.

Ina

[2steps]

the defra website has lots of info on avian flu :)

[Andy Hamilton]

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/disease ... /index.htm

- and there is a link. I know I don't personally keep chickens so really can't imagine how it effects anyone who does. However, at this moment in time I am under the opinion that the media are making more of avian flu that really needs to be. So yes it can be deadly, but more people are dying in greater numbers of some very real diseases. AIDS in Africa for instance. I really hope I won't be eating my words, but I think it's all a lot of fuss about nothing.

[ina]

I think Radio 4 has had quite a good coverage of the subject - letting people have their say who think as you do. And I agree, there are (at least at the moment) more pressing problems.

They also repeatedly pointed out that the link between wild birds carrying the flu virus and domestic birds getting infected has never been proven. It is, as yet, only a theoretical link. So far, the disease has been spread amongst poultry (in other countries) by moving poultry about - markets, private sales etc. I think the most effective measure they could take at the moment is banning imports of live birds - and ensuring that no illegal imports get through! Easier said than done, the second part. Can't understand how people can even want to own an exotic bird that's been taken around half the world, just to keep it in a cage and look at it...

Ina

[Andy Hamilton]

Actually I was having a bit of a think over this weekend, over the whole bird flu issue. I researched the last outbreak of deadly flu during the turn of last century. It appears that the reason for that out break was the huge numbers of people being in contact with each other due to the first world war. Worldwide a billion people died. - Since world travel is so easy these days perhaps it is more of threat than I first gave credit for.

Some experts are specualting that this could be the same virus that is laying dormant carried by birds then perhaps it will jump to pigs then humans. In the previous outbreak it started off with only a few casualties similar to this one. So perhaps it is worth taking precautionary methods.

I wondered if anyone who keeps livestock, or who has some knoweldge of avain/bird flu would be interested in writing an article about taking precautionary methods? I mean even if it does not reach epidemic propotions then we could end up saving some lives.

give me an email if you think you are up to writing something birdflu@selfsufficientish.com