Chooks

Tigerhair · Post: # 9135Post **Tigerhair** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 5:51 pm

I have wanted chickens for ages, although I might have a battle on my hands - I know shiney wants some... but what of the threat of H5N1?

We had Rhode Islands as a kid and I loved them - great mums - and bantums too - could I have your preferences?

8)

Shirley · Post: # 9143Post **Shirley** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 6:39 pm

We've got light sussex and buff sussex and they are fantastic. Good layers and good table birds too! They are also friendly and have lots of character.

We started off with bovans nera - sadly the fox got them all eventually, even striking in the daytime by the house!! They really were great though and even came in the house - although we didn't encourage this as they were not toilet trained hahaha... we had a stable door that we used to shut at the bottom and they were always jumping up onto that and then hopping down and eating the dogs food

Dog just sat there and looked bemused by it all! They laid an egg every day and with a surprising number of double yolkers from one of them.

Good luck - but be warned... once you've had an egg that has been laid by one of your own hens and brought it inside and cooked and eaten it within minutes of collection you will never want to eat shop bought eggs again!

ina · Post: # 9170Post **ina** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 9:36 pm

I'm still hoping to get hens this year, but I am in two minds because of birdflu. If I do get them (definitely waiting until spring), I'll have to set up the shed with a small total enclosure, so that I could keep them shut up if need be.

I'll probably get Black Rock - I want a heavy breed that doesn't show too much inclination to visit the neighbours across the fence. A friend of mine has them and is quite happy with them. Another friend has Bantams - very nice small eggs, but also very good flyers! At the moment she only has one hen left (and three cockerels), due to fox intervention, and she is reluctant to buy more - her's are very much free range and can't really be locked up in an emergency.

Ina

Wombat · Post: # 9473Post **Wombat** » Thu Jan 26, 2006 12:32 am

I've got four Rhode Island Reds and two Australorps. Two Rhodies are in the old chook patch and the other 4 are in a chook tractor.

Nev

LSP · Post: # 9831Post **LSP** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 6:25 pm

Has any one seen today's news item on people who keep chickens at home and the chief vet wondering how these are to be controlled should/when there is an outbreak of birdflu?

Would you let them cull your birds?

LSP

Wombat · Post: # 9846Post **Wombat** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 8:25 pm

Bugger off!

Well, I suppose that you wouldn't get any choice!

Nev

Shirley · Post: # 9854Post **Shirley** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 8:50 pm

Haven't seen that on the news.

I don't think they know who has chooks anyway, unless you have over a certain number. Perhaps they would ask the general public to turn spy in return for a reward for grassing people up. Mind you, I guess if it came to it the general public would have been so scared by the press into thinking that every single chicken in the world has got bird flu that they'd report you anyway.

I reckon that if it came to that there would be a bit of warning anyway - like a confirmed case of this particular strain of bird flu in the UK - and then, if there was a cull announced I'd probably do the deed myself and fill the freezer. Hopefully, the first step before a cull would be to keep the birds indoors rather than outside... not ideal, but better than killing them should the risk escalate.

Hepsibah · Post: # 9867Post **Hepsibah** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 9:45 pm

I am dreading it.
I have three pet bantams in my garden. One of them, Daisy, is very special to me....A bit sad perhaps, but I love her to bits. If we were to get bird flu here I could live with her being destroyed. I'd be upset but I could live with it. If it was decided that a cull should take place as a precaution however, I'd be furious.
I also keep hens and muscovey ducks for eggs and meat on my allotment. It is possible for me to house them all indoors for a limited period but again if a cull is proposed as a precaution, I would strenuously object. Although they aren't pets, I don't just care for them, I care about them and having them die just in case seems wrong.

Tigerhair · Post: # 9923Post **Tigerhair** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 6:02 pm

If you have over 50 birds you must send in a form to DEFRA in the UK to tell them... I didn't hear the report on smaller amounts.

Ouch I have toncilitis and my 2 year old has chicken pox!!!

Shirley · Post: # 9930Post **Shirley** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 6:34 pm

Yeah tigz - I did see that there was a thing about registering over 50 birds...

Awww big hugs.. you poor thing. Don't you know that you are supposed to be ill at a different time to your ds. Hope you are both feeling better soon.

Tigerhair · Post: # 9932Post **Tigerhair** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 6:52 pm

Me and hubby have a sort of throaty thing - VERY red and swollen but no white spots, so I guess it's not really tonsilitis.... however, Mr Spotty has been fine all day - just cannot go to nursery.... Hopefully he'll remain fine poor little babe.

ina · Post: # 9944Post **ina** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 8:47 pm

Shirlz2005 wrote:Yeah tigz - I did see that there was a thing about registering over 50 birds...

Don't think that's new, though - with over 50 you are considered commercial... My friend's hens just tended to multiply and at one stage, a couple of years ago, she had well over 100! When her usual farm inspection came round she was told she had to register them, even if she often didn't even have enough eggs for the family. The few eggs they laid were generally well hidden and only became apparent as fluffy little chicks! So in the end she gave away dozens of them. And killed about 60 cockerels in one go.

Ina