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With another housing order sadly in place, poultry keepers across the country have found themselves in another “flockdown”. As we know, the disease is spread via bird-to-bird contact, contaminated feeders, water bottles/bowls, vehicles, clothing and footwear, and also through contaminated bodily fluids and faeces.

 

However, with robust management measures, you can decrease the threat to your flock. Here are our top tips for getting through Avian Flu:

 

Home sweet home:

 

Poultry should be kept under cover to prevent the risk of contamination from wild birds. Sheds, stables, greenhouses and polytunnels are all ideal places to move your poultry to, if you have access to these kinds of buildings.

 

If you’re making improvements to your current set up, tarpaulin, corrugated plastic sheeting, or small gauge netting will prevent the wild birds and their droppings from getting into your housing.

Enclosures

 

Increase your biosecurity measures:

 

As we’ve said above, physical barriers to prevent wild birds from getting into or near your housing is an effective measure against the virus. As well as a cover above your housing we’d recommend covering the sides and consider installing netting or fencing around the housing to prevent people or other animals treading contaminated materials near to your house.

 

Covered foot-dip outside of the entrances can easily be made with buckets or trays filled with DEFRA-approved disinfectants. Also consider wearing PPE when inside the house or having dedicated clothing and footwear which can be stored in box, easily disinfected, and only worn when in contact with the poultry.

 

Good general husbandry is also key. Keep bedding and feed clean and stored away from anywhere that can be accessed by pests or wild birds. Add cleaning feeders and drinking stations to your to do list.  Also disinfect any paths and areas of hardstanding within the run regularly.

 

Finally, check your housing and fencing on a regular basis to spot any holes where your flock might escape or wild birds get in.

enclosed run onduline roof

 

Fight the boredom:

 

If your flock now can’t access their favourite bathing places, replace this using a litter tray, hard plastic paddling pool, or trough to create a dust bath and keep them healthy and happy.

 

Hang up vegetables such as corn on the cob, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli for your hens to peck at. The reduced section of your local supermarket is a great way to stock up on healthy treats.

 

For waterfowl, consider shredding foods such as cabbage or frozen peas that will float in water so they can spend time “hunting” for their treats.

 

If you’re looking for higher fat treats, for example for chickens having a late moult or to help them prepare for winter, pecking blocks and other shop bought treats are ideal when given sparingly.

 

Give them new and interesting places to perch during the day. For example, branches which have been disinfected, straw bales, or even a chicken swing provide entertainment and let them view their surroundings from a new angle.

 

Toys designed for other animals, such as dogs, cats, and parrots, can also provide entertainment. Just ensure that there aren’t any moving or loose parts that could be removed and swallowed before purchasing. Pet safe mirrors appear to be popular with poultry.

 

Variety is the spice of life, so regularly changing the enrichment activities and treats on offer will help to keep your poultry entertained and occupied until they can safely free range again.

 

If your flock is used to free ranging, being contained might come as a shock to them. However, there are plenty of ways you can keep them entertained, and with winter coming, they might appreciate the extra shelter.

 

If you’re looking to improve your housing, we offer a range of runs and enclosures (with or without onduline roofing) which will last you through Avian Flu season and for many years to come. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch to discuss your specific requirements: 01264 356753 or jimvysearks@aol.com.

Posted on 13 March 2018 in Other Poultry and tagged under , , ,

Keeping turkey as pets is becoming increasingly popular, and if you’ve ever spent any time with these magnificent birds then you won’t struggle to see why.

They can be noisy, especially adult male birds (stags), which is something to consider if you live in close proximity to neighbours who wouldn’t be as enamoured with your new pets as you are.

These impressive birds are very majestic looking, particularly stags in full summer plumage, and hens have surprisingly pretty heads for big birds.

Although turkey eggs are not commonly found in the shops, they make a wonderful alternative to chicken or duck eggs and can easily be swapped in when cooking. Personally, our favourite way of eating them is scrambled!

Original old breeds of turkey, not commercial hybrids, are fairly hardy birds. However, this doesn’t mean that they don’t need shelter from the elements, and of course you’ll need to offer them protection from predators overnight.

If you’re considering buying your first turkeys then there are a few things you’ll need to bear in mind when thinking about their housing.

The great outdoors

Turkeys, unlike some other breeds of poultry, prefer to spend as much of their time as possible living outside. This means that a secure, good sized poultry pen, is a must have for any turkey keeper.

Turkeys also like to spend a considerable amount of time grazing, grass makes up around 50% of their diet, so the pen is best located on pasture. They’ll need a covered roosting area and it is best to purchase housing designed specifically for turkey keeping, rather than modifying chicken housing.

Electric fence around the perimeter of the house, pen, and pasture will help to deter predators.

Home sweet home

For a trio of turkeys, usually a stag and two hens, housing of 8ft x 6ft should be plenty big enough.

If you’re thinking of keeping a few more, up to six, then a 12ft x 8ft house will give them ample room overnight.

Of course, the more space the better, and you may prefer a walk-in shed style design for easy cleaning, egg collection, and increased ventilation.

Your turkeys will be able to live outside during the day from around 8-12 weeks of age. If you already keep chickens then a single turkey should happily live with them. However, turkeys are always happiest when they have companions of the same species.

Ideally any turkey housing should be moveable, skids or wheels make moving housing easy, to prevent a build-up of manure and allow for thorough cleaning.

The roosts/perches ought to be built all at the same height to prevent your turkeys fighting over the top spot. Lightweight metal or fibreglass roof panels will provide protection from the elements.

For young birds (under 5-6 months) a bale of straw will provide hours of entertainment and a suitable night-time resting place until a purpose built perch is added into the house.

As we said above, turkeys love to graze, so they’ll need access to pasture outside of their pen. Remember that turkeys can, and will fly, meaning that fencing will need to be at least 4ft high.

You might also want to consider netting over your fence to provide extra protection and prevent your turkeys roosting in neighbouring trees!

Posted on 19 January 2018 in Chicken Chat, Other Poultry, Waterfowl and tagged under , , , , ,

The latest situation on the Avian Flu outbreak in the UK is that DEFRA have announced a UK wide Prevention Zone from January 18th 2018 for anyone who keeps poultry or captive birds.

This means that:

If you keep poultry you must, by law, follow specific disease prevention measures. These apply to all keepers of birds, regardless of flock size, or if your birds are pets. These are designed to reduce the risk of infection from wild birds.

If you keep birds then you can continue to allow your birds outdoors into fenced areas, but only if these areas meet certain conditions including:

you have made the areas unattractive to wild birds, for example by netting ponds, and by removing wild bird food sources

you have taken action to reduce any existing contamination, such as cleansing and disinfecting concrete areas, and fencing off wet or boggy areas

you have assessed the risk of birds coming into contact with wild birds or contamination from them

If you keep more than 500 birds, you must take some extra biosecurity measures. They include identifying clearly defined areas where access by non-essential people and vehicles is restricted, and cleaning and disinfecting vehicles, equipment and footwear.

DEFRA gives the following biosecurity advice to all poultry keepers in order to reduce the risk of the disease spreading and contaminating UK flocks:

minimise movement in and out of bird enclosures

clean footwear before and after visiting birds, using a Defra approved disinfectant at entrances and exits
clean and disinfect vehicles and equipment that have come into contact with poultry

keep areas where birds live clean and tidy, and regularly disinfect hard surfaces such as paths and walkways
humanely control rats and mice

place birds’ food and water in fully enclosed areas protected from wild birds, and remove any spilled feed regularly

keep birds separate from wildlife and wild waterfowl by putting suitable fencing around outdoor areas they access
keep a close watch on birds for any signs of disease and report any very sick birds or unexplained deaths to your vet

Whether you keep just a few birds as pets or have a much larger flock, good biosecurity is essential for maintaining their health and happiness.

You can register with DEFRA in order to be kept up to date on the Avian Flu situation. If you have 50 or more birds, you should register with DEFRA within one month of their arrival. More information can be found here.

This handy poster gives simple advice for all poultry keepers. It may be worth printing a few copies and giving them to other local poultry keeping friends and family.

Posted on 21 August 2017 in Other Poultry and tagged under , , ,

Keeping turkey as pets (or for Christmas) is becoming increasingly popular, and if you’ve ever spent any time with these magnificent birds then you won’t struggle to see why.

They can be noisy, especially adult male birds (stags), which is something to consider if you live in close proximity to neighbours who wouldn’t be as enamoured with your new pets as you are.

These impressive birds are very majestic looking, particularly stags in full summer plumage, and hens have surprisingly pretty heads for big birds.

Although turkey eggs are not commonly found in the shops, they make a wonderful alternative to chicken or duck eggs and can easily be swapped in when cooking. Personally, scrambled turkey eggs are our favourite way of eating them!

Original old breeds of turkey, not commercial hybrids, are fairly hardy birds. However, this doesn’t mean that they don’t need shelter from the elements, and of course you’ll need to offer them protection from predators overnight.

If you’re considering buying your first turkeys then there are a few things you’ll need to bear in mind when thinking about their housing.

The great outdoors

Turkeys, unlike some other breeds of poultry, prefer to spend as much of their time as possible living outside. This means that a secure, good sized poultry pen, is a must have for any turkey keeper.

Turkeys also like to spend a considerable amount of time grazing, grass makes up around 50% of their diet, so the pen is best located on pasture. They’ll need a covered roosting area and it is best to purchase housing designed specifically for turkey keeping, rather than modifying chicken housing.

Electric fence around the perimeter of the house, pen and pasture will help to deter predators.

Home sweet home

For a trio of turkeys, usually a stag and two hens, housing of 8ft x 6ft should be plenty big enough.

If you’re thinking of keeping a few more, up to six, then a 12ft x 8ft house will give them ample room overnight.

Of course, the more space the better, and you may prefer a walk-in shed style design for easy cleaning, egg collection, and increased ventilation.

Your turkeys will be able to live outside during the day from around 8-12 weeks of age. If you already keep chickens then a single turkey should happily live with them. However, turkeys are always happiest when they have companions of the same species.

Ideally any turkey housing should be moveable, skids or wheels make moving housing easy, to prevent a build-up of manure and allow for thorough cleaning.

The roosts/perches ought to be built all at the same height to prevent your turkeys fighting over the top spot. Lightweight metal or fibreglass roof panels will provide protection from the elements.

For young birds (under 5-6 months) a bale of straw will provide hours of entertainment and a suitable night-time resting place until a purpose built perch is added into the house.

As we said above, turkeys love to graze, so they’ll need access to pasture outside of their pen. Remember that turkeys can, and will fly, meaning that fencing will need to be at least 4ft high.

You might also want to consider netting over your fence to provide extra protection and prevent your turkeys roosting in neighbouring trees!

Photo credits: Poultry Pages, Amy Martin Pachay, Heritage Turkeys

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