[muntjac]

Hi all My chickens are all in a fenced in and it's only a little hen house, could I not put netting all over the top to stop the wild birds getting in the  run? I also heard on the t.v ast night that if we cant get the chooks in. Then make sure the chooks food and water are in the coop.
Would any of this do or not??
greenman.

 the netting is a no no ,use tarp as they poop falls through from wild birds........ and they should be inside matey where practible ?  see below

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

[John]

The disease is present, I understand, in the poo from the wild bird so some sort of canopy to stop air droppped presents is what you need.

It really is, IMHO, a low risk unless the disease is very common in the wild birds. BUT I'm no vet.

[Des C]

I used tarps  from B&Q and garden netting as an interim measure when I thought the last outbreak might reach the Emerald Isle. It worked a treat plus the pens now stay reasonably dry. The lot cost about £15!!
Good luck to all you guys in and around the dreaded zone.

Des C

[cherrypie]

i'm just about to cover the top of my chucks enclosure with some netting, they only have a small enclosure and there are only 5 of them, to be honest i have never seen a wild bird in their enclosure. but i'll play by the rules because i don't want this thing spreading.
i'm a bit worried about one of my cockerals though, he seems to be loosing his voice, his crow sort of peeters out. i've checked him for all the other signs listed by defra not cyanosis, swelling or spots so i'm not worried that its bird flu more like a bird cold. do any of you have any advise or experience? it's my first year keeping chucks so i haven't seen them through a winter yet i don't like the fact that the ground has turned into a quagmire but what can i do about that!

cherrypie, suffolk costal, part of the restricted zone.

[muntjac]

the cockerel may just be a touch of laryngitus type thing . for real mud ground throw a load of straw down this will help bind the soil together n help it dry out .if its in ya coop why not use a deep layer of it that or bark chips    by the way you cant be far from me ,im near the wildlife park

[babe]

hi, i dont know if this helps anyone, but this is what we've done to keep my chickens and ducks under cover.

its just a gazebo with orange construction fence around it.

cheap and cheerful.

they seem a little confused as they are used to their whole garden, but they are eating, drinking and scratching about.

i have put there feeder drinker and a big tub trug of deep water for the ducks in the coop

[muntjac]

hi, i dont know if this helps anyone, but this is what we've done to keep my chickens and ducks under cover.

its just a gazebo with orange construction fence around it.

cheap and cheerful.

they seem a little confused as they are used to their whole garden, but they are eating, drinking and scratching about.

i have put there feeder drinker and a big tub trug of deep water for the ducks in the coop

"WERKS FOR ME "    

[cherrypie]

thanks for the advice muntjack, i'm in woodbridge by the way.
i take it i don't need to do anything extra special for laryingitis, he doesn't look ill, is breathing ok and eating ok, i'll keep a closer eye, and an ear on him for a few days but instinct says not to worry too much.
i've laid some straw down, it does help doesn't it. if only to stop me falling over!
cherypie

[muntjac]

yups ,add some apple cider vinegar to the water .1/2 cup per gallon for now  

 straw ??    " werks for me "

[babe]

thanks for the advice muntjack, i'm in woodbridge by the way.
i take it i don't need to do anything extra special for laryingitis, he doesn't look ill, is breathing ok and eating ok, i'll keep a closer eye, and an ear on him for a few days but instinct says not to worry too much.
i've laid some straw down, it does help doesn't it. if only to stop me falling over!
cherypie

hi cherry, woodbridge is a sweet little town. i'll be there in a couple of weeks for the Christmas street fair.

we all go every year, it always has a wonderful christmassy atmosphere and it always seems to start off the festive season nicely.

[Aunt Sally]

Brilliant gazebo pen Happyvalley  

[babe]

Brilliant gazebo pen Happyvalley  

thanks aunty, its not as pretty as your lovely eglu, (does it show i'd love an eglu) but it does the job keeping my girls safe from flu and it didnt cost a penny.

[Aunt Sally]

Brilliant gazebo pen Happyvalley  

thanks aunty, its not as pretty as your lovely eglu, (does it show i'd love an eglu) but it does the job keeping my girls safe from flu and it didnt cost a penny.

Looks fabulous to me girl  :!:  

[Green man]

Happyvally that was a great idea of yours to put up gazedo up with the netting. Iam going to get my Oldest boy to help me with all this , it will work a treat, thanks.
greenman

[Contadino]

The acting chief veterinary officer, Dr Fred Landeg...said the disease causing the latest outbreak was closely related to a strain found in birds in the Czech Republic and Germany in the summer. Reports that Gressingham Foods had been buying in poults, day-old chicks, from the Czech Republic were being investigated.

A report by Defra on the last outbreak of H5N1, at a Bernard Matthews poultry plant in Suffolk in February, initially blamed wild birds. But it was later decided the most likely source of the infection was imported turkey meat from Hungary.

Accordingly the RSPB last night warned against jumping to the conclusion that wild birds were responsible.

From http://www.guardian.co.uk/birdflu/story/0,,2210751,00.html