Bird Flu Update.

[Millymollymandy]

I couldn't see anything on that link explaining about the vaccine - unless it is in the pdf file that I don't have the time to read! What is the point of a vaccine if the birds can still catch the flu and presumably pass it on?

Heard on the radio this morning that price of poultry (presumably as meat) has come down by 30%. Must get to the supermarche, vite!!

[Tigerhair]

Working at a vets, we have been advised to do nothing at the moment. We have to wait and follow Defra's advice. There are apparently no vaccines available in the UK.

[hedgewizard]

Goodlife1970, I wish I could tell you more but we're right on the limit of what I know right now. It seems that the vaccine confers partial immunity, which means that your birds don't actually die (and if they die or are culled in large numbers we're potentially in big shtook if a human flu pandemic comes along as we need EGGS to make the vaccine!).

So on the plus side, the birds don't die so your vaccine production (and egg supply) is unthreatened. On the minus side, if your flock doesn't show clear signs of infection it's easier to miss - so you're more likely to contract bird flu from the birds, and more likely to spread it elsewhere.

The EU feels that maintaining their flocks and avoiding a cull is paramount. UK feels differently, but this may not simply be based on scientific evidence and may be more to do with not acknowledging an earlier decision (not to order avian flu vaccine stocks) as a mistake. Watch this space.

Anyone know the definition of "covered run"? I have electrified fencing, and though I could net over the top of it the mesh is quite wide... so would I need a chicken-wire enclosure?

[Tigerhair]

deleted

[Goodlife1970]

Goodlife1970, I wish I could tell you more but we're right on the limit of what I know right now. It seems that the vaccine confers partial immunity, which means that your birds don't actually die (and if they die or are culled in large numbers we're potentially in big shtook if a human flu pandemic comes along as we need EGGS to make the vaccine!).

So on the plus side, the birds don't die so your vaccine production (and egg supply) is unthreatened. On the minus side, if your flock doesn't show clear signs of infection it's easier to miss - so you're more likely to contract bird flu from the birds, and more likely to spread it elsewhere.

The EU feels that maintaining their flocks and avoiding a cull is paramount. UK feels differently, but this may not simply be based on scientific evidence and may be more to do with not acknowledging an earlier decision (not to order avian flu vaccine stocks) as a mistake. Watch this space.

Anyone know the definition of "covered run"? I have electrified fencing, and though I could net over the top of it the mesh is quite wide... so would I need a chicken-wire enclosure?

Hi Hedgewizard,as far as Im aware (from the Minister for Animal Welfares radio interview,a covered run means that the run has to have a roof on and the mesh needs to be small enough so as not to allow access to the smallest of our native species,to me that pretty small!

[hedgewizard]

a chicken wire fence and sheet plastic top, then. Poo - I think I'll get the chicken wire in now. It's useful stuff anyway, and there's bound to be a rush on it... thanks for the advice!

[Millymollymandy]

But small birds can get through chicken wire - our wren who nests next door to the hens flies through the chicken wire from the wood shed next door and uses their pop hole! You need something like fruit netting on top of the chicken wire.

[Leanne]

my understanding is that the run has to have a soild cover that neither wild bird droppings can pass throughfrom above, and that small vermin cant get through either.(the sides) i only have 2 little hens, in an eglu, and the advice that eglu owners have been given is that the eglu and attached run are more than adequate to protect the hens as long as the top is covered to prevent contamination from above. we have bought some thick clear polythene sheeting and have made eyelets along the edges so it can be attached securely without splitting. this will be fine for now, however if the problem takes a long time to resolve we will need to provide a bigger securely covered run for them.my hens were organically reared and have been vaccinated against newcastle disease,coccidia, mareks disease, salmonella and e-coli. if a further vaccine became available i would want to protect them with that as well.

[hedgewizard]

OK, so - chicken wire with netting over, and plastic sheeting over the top.

Anyone fancy some soup?

[Goodlife1970]

OK, so - chicken wire with netting over, and plastic sheeting over the top.

Anyone fancy some soup?

Just a thought, but plastic covering will be fine while the weather is as cold as it is now but if it becomes much warmer,the poor hens will be in a sweatbox!

[hedgewizard]

No no - the plastic's only for the top to stop wild bird poo!

[Goodlife1970]

Oh I see! Thought you had invented the first chicken sauna!

[Millymollymandy]

I'm going to try to start constructing some sort of roof for a little tiny bit of outdoor run for my chooks - I guess the hazel we chopped down the other week will be coming in handy plus a tarp over the top. Not looking forward to it as they shriek enough just being confined to their run (and it is big for 3 chooks) - but they want the green grass outside and want to free range.

Every forum I read gives conflicting information about bird flu regs. Last night on the news (BBC) I am sure I heard them say there was bird flu found in a flock of turkeys in eastern France - but they immediately switched to a discussion about vaccination in the UK. Not vaccination for poultry - but vaccination for human beings!!!!!!!!! Talk about confusing!

[ina]

Yes, I heard that, too - a turkey flock, which is kept indoors anyway, and still got it. Quite close to where the first duck was found that was diagnosed with the H5N1 virus. Form what they said, 400 of the flock were dead (from 1100), more sick, so the rest are culled. Quite frightening, to think that even the keeping them indoors didn't help!

Edited with another update: The flock was 11.000, and they are not sure yet whether it's H5N1, but it's definitely an H5 strain. See: http://www.forbes.com/business/feeds/af ... 50633.html

[hedgewizard]

Yeah, the media don't understand that bird flu can't be spread from human to human. So far as I can make out eggs are safe, although DEFRA will not doubt reiterate its advice about cooking them "properly" i.e. until rubbery.

Evidence suggests that you can only catch bird flu from DIRECT CONTACT with infected bird - which probably means inhaling dander or powered poo. This is going to make cleaning the chook house fun, hence all the close netting - just stop them getting the virus in the first place!