Keeping chickens

[Oneflewover]

Did they used to live in a very small coop?

Why do you ask?

 

[Galena]

Why do you ask?

I think he was referring to the way they are all huddled up together

 

[Oneflewover]

I think he was referring to the way they are all huddled up together

Aha! The photo was taken just after I got them home, they were still a bit freaked out

 

[Hoddy]

I picked up 4 hens last weekend. I'm so chuffed - it's a bit sad but it's been a bit of a dream of mine .

View attachment 29132

You can look forward to some eggs in 6-8 weeks

 

[Oneflewover]

You can look forward to some eggs in 6-8 weeks

Yeah they're still quite young pullets, so not quite at point of lay. You clearly know your hens!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I think he was referring to the way they are all huddled up together

I was, i guessed they were a little scared.

 

[Hoddy]

Yeah they're still quite young pullets, so not quite at point of lay. You clearly know your hens!

I might have had one or two. Ok I grew up on a farm so livestock isn’t alien to me. But you’ll have the best eggs you’ll ever tasted so it can only be a good thing.

 

[Dutto]

My chickens don’t lay, any ideas? View attachment 29142

My Dad kept pigeons for many, many years and I'm sorry to say that, over the years, he ate quite a few of them as well as eating the eggs for breakfast!

I could never understand how he could cosset a pigeon, repair slashed craws, broken wings and legs (if and when they occurred) and even retire them when they were too old to race, (he had a loft specifically for his retirees that contained over 100 birds when he died) and yet he could also neck, pluck and eat a pigeon that wasn't winning!

One occasion stands out!

Every year, he used to take my kids up the garden and let them choose a young bird each, which he would then train, race and bet on over the coming year; and any winnings were handed over to the kids at the end of the season.

Apparently, one day when we paid him a visit, my daughter ran into the kitchen where he was having his tea and asked "How's chequer doing Granddad?" "Chequer" being the name that she had given to the bird that she had picked for Dad to gamble on that particular year.

After reassuring her that Chequer was doing just fine and after she had gone up the garden to look at the pigeons, Dad confessed to me, "He was a wrecklin that just wouldn't have won anything so I chose another chequered bird for her. She'll never noticed the difference." I understood and agreed with him right up until he said, "I very near choked when I saw you all walking up the yard just now, 'cos Chequer was my tea tonight!"

Happy Days!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

An article from our local paper, a worrying time for poultry keepers.




Cumbria Trading Standards are advising poultry keepers of the new measures to protect birds against Avian Flu.

On December 14, new housing measures will come into force making it a legal requirement for all bird keepers to keep their birds indoors and they must follow strict biosecurity measures in order to limit the spread of and eradicate the disease.

These housing measures build on the strengthened biosecurity regulations that were brought in as part of the Avian Influenza Protection Zone (AIPZ) on November 11.

The AIPZ means that all captive bird and poultry keepers need to take extra precautions, such as cleaning and disinfecting equipment, clothing and vehicles, limiting access to non-essential people on their sites, and workers changing clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures.

Poultry and captive bird keepers are advised to be vigilant for any signs of disease in their birds and any wild birds and seek prompt advice from their vet if they have any concerns. They can help prevent avian flu by maintaining good biosecurity on their premises, including:

• Housing or netting all poultry and captive birds;
• Cleansing and disinfecting clothing, footwear, equipment and vehicles before and after contact with poultry and captive birds – if practical, use disposable protective clothing;
• Reducing the movement of people, vehicles or equipment to and from areas where poultry and captive birds are kept, to minimise contamination from manure, slurry and other products, and using effective vermin control;
• Thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting housing at the end of a production cycle;
• Keeping fresh disinfectant at the right concentration at all points where people should use it, such as farm entrances and before entering poultry and captive bird housing or enclosures;
• Minimising direct and indirect contact between poultry and captive birds and wild birds, including making sure all feed and water is not accessible to wild birds;
• Public health advice is that the risk to human health from the virus is very low and food standards bodies advise that avian influenzas pose a very low food safety risk for UK consumers, and it does not affect the consumption of poultry products, including eggs.

The new housing measures will be kept under regular review as part of the government’s work to protect flocks.

Poultry and captive bird keepers and members of the public should report dead wild birds to the Defra helpline on 03459 33 55 77 (option 7), and keepers should report suspicion of disease to APHA on 03000 200 301. Keepers should familiarise themselves with the latest avian flu advice.

https://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/18937184.avian-flu-advice-cumbrian-poultry-keepers/

 

[obscure]

I still remember we where in a similar situation a few years ago, and it was a bit of a surprise to realise that yes it affects those of us with a few chickens in our garden as well.

Suffice it to say I am going to have some very unhappy chickens being confined to a fully covered run (as won’t be able to let them out to the rest of the garden).

 

[Chippy_Tea]

In November members of the public were reporting seeing dead swans on the canal everyone thought some sicko was killing them for fun or some other reason we then learned the truth behind their deaths -


Swans found dead or sick in Cumbria have been confirmed to have bird flu - BBC News.

Caroline Sim found one female and her seven cygnets dead on Ulverston canal and said cygnets in a different family had died and two were "gravely ill".
"I can't describe the heartache," she said.
Cumbria County Council's director of public health Colin Cox said on social media there was "no cause for concern at the moment" as there was no sign of transmission to people.
The cases were being "carefully managed and monitored", he said.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the birds had tested positive for H5N8 but the strain had not yet been confirmed.

A number of wild birds have died from avian flu around England and the risk level has been raised from medium to high.
Defra figures show no cases of avian flu in wild birds were reported this year until the beginning of November, since when 41 birds, mainly swans and geese, had tested positive.
A number of outbreaks have also been identified in bird farms with the latest cases reported at a turkey farm in Northallerton.
Ms Sim had taken birds to the vet but said she had since been advised to leave them in the canal.
"I have deep concerns for swans and other water foul should there be a significant number of dead bodies in the water," she said.
Defra advises people finding dead or visibly sick birds to report them but not touch them.
Public Health England said the risk to the public's health was very low and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has said, on the basis of current scientific evidence, the food safety risk for UK consumers was also very low.

 

[Doive]

We have very friendly hens. This one loves to socialise with her humans. As @Chippy_Tea says above, a worrying time for poultry keepers - we have just spent £150 on bird-proof netting to cover the run and hopefully avoid contact with wild birds.