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Produce => Kept Animals => Topic started by: Heldi on April 07, 2006, 10:21:51
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Well we have finally put them in :( Heard on the regional news last night that the poultry farmers in our area are putting their birds indoors so we thought we better had too. Don't know if we are in the exclusion zone couldn't get a clear idea from the news and I haven't looked this morning. Said to my son yesterday it was probably the last time for a while that the hens will be running around the garden. I was worried about the hens being seen in their pen this morning and people throwing stones at them or something so I made OH go up there in the dark and put the door on the pop hole. It worried me because I heard people have been distroying wild birds nests because of the avian flu. >:( :(
Quick alterations are to be done over the weekend to separate Dennis,I'm worried he will be too bored and will be pestering the girls too much whilst they are inside. Poor Den. Solitary confinement for doing as nature intended him to do. I suppose he'll get cleaned up atleast because he is scruffy !
I feel really fed up about it. It has surprised me that I feel so down about it because we knew it was on the cards. Strange isn't it. OH has been worried for weeks...we have stacks of swans in the fields nearby,loads of geese fly over and stay a while, also a nature reserve a little way down the road.
I've cooked them up some veg and have some broccoli for them...I'm going to hang it up for them to peck at. My son has been busy making them a mobile with old cd's . Anything to keep the hens happy and well :)
How does everyone else feel ?
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I'm so sorry Hel. My girls have been in for a couple of weeks now....trying to get the grass to grow abit so they can decimate it again! It does hurt seeing them shut in but it's best to take precautions. What angers me are the ignorant people who don't bother getting the full facts and blow it totally out of proportion. A friend's neighbour has told her he won't be going to see her anymore because she keeps ducks!! It is people like him who manage to panic the masses. It's a real sad state of affairs :(
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Aga been watching the news,I think the reporters want people to panic. >:(
Regional news said there are dead birds being tested from three areas up here,two of them are near to me. I'm not too worried ,theres always lots of dead birds down this coastline.
Can't believe that bloke and your friend's ducks. Blimey. Frightening how people can react. My hen's door was shut last night because of fear of people like him and worse. I'm concerned about my son at school,I hope he doesn't get any stick. Luckily he is off school for the next fortnight.
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Typical Media
What they dont say is that birds have been tested day in and day out for weeks now, over 500 a week I believe and so far there only one to test positive.
The guy in charge of the testing service said this morning on the radio that one bird does NOT make a crisis and at the moment there is little to fear.
In europe there have been a number of incidents in the wild population but only 3 cases where the infection has passed to the domestic flock. In all cases the virus has not spread to neighbouring domestic flocks as it requires direct bird to bird or bird to faeces contact, the virus is not like the foot and mouth virus for instance that can spread on the air.
My birds are still free ranging but we are in the South well away from this particular swan. If they have to go inside I have already covered their run with plastic sheeting and made the sides secure to stop even a wren getting to them. They will still get fresh air but not free range.
HTH
Jerry
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I do sympathise with you Heldi. This is such a shame having to put them indoors when you would rather they were scratching outside where nature intended. I think the authorities are doing all they can to contain things, but as you say people do go overboard, and say the most ludicrous things - It is pure ignorance. I just hope it will blow over and not become the danger some people think it will be. I am feeling for all you poultry owners at the moment. busy_lizzie
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Me too! Feel for the hen keepers and the hens. Silly how alarmist the media can be: anything to make people watch/ read what they're saying I suppose. If one swallow doesn't make a summer maybe we could say it takes more than one swan for a swan-song?
People here are alerted to the dangers and know how to protect themselves. Very different from the areas of the world where people have got the virus and died.
Not to say we shouldn't take all possible precautions but panic is totally inappropriate as is vindictive action against birds and bird owners.
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Our chooks were out today, in their uncovered run... We're about 400 miles south of where the swan was found. If it starts spreading and getting closer we are able to keep them fully undercover as need be. We're obviously watching closely to see what happens next and we'll just take it one day at a time. But today the the chooks have been dustbathing in the sunshine, scratching about etc and simply enjoying being chickens... blissfully ignorant of what us humans are going through :(
My thoughts are with those of you in or near the affected area :( or affected by other people's prejudice and ignorance >:(
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if there's a such and such exclusion zone, how come a whole barrage of media vans are sitting right in the middle of it ! it does annoy me so much, there's nothing like a good bit of media frenzy to cover something else up that's happening ....... i wonder what the government need to hide atm ::)
good luck to all you chaps and chappesses, i really feel for you.
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Good luck to everyone especially those close to the outbreak in Fife. Our hens have been in a netted run since the beginning of winter and they'll stay like that until/if it spreads closer to home or unless DEFRA order hens to be kept under cover which they say is unlikely. My bigger fear, rather than the flu itself, is our neighbours and what they might do through lack of information, will we get complains about our hens, I hope not.
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would it be an idea to get an A5 leaflet made up to post through local letterboxes explaining the facts rather than the fiction ?
there has been little real information disseminated and am sure most people would be "reasonable" if it was explained properly wouldn't they ? :-\
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there's nothing like a good bit of media frenzy to cover something else up that's happening ....... i wonder what the government need to hide atm ::)
My thoughts exactly :(
Heldi, I'm sorry your chooks are now indoors and I can understand your concerns about them. Shame you can't have them in the garden.
On our local news tonight (Oxfordshire) they did actually say that bird flu is not spread like foot and mouth and that it is highly unlikely anyone will catch it. I just hope they don't start thinking mass slaughter of wild birds, to often the powers that be think that is the only answer, kill everything in sight. And the ignorance of most people really infuriates me. It's usually the same people who sneeze and cough all over you when you are stood in a queue! O thanks I really wanted your germs ::)
MM
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I think the problem is that birds cover such wide territory that it could appear anywhere.
But unless the virus mutates it is not going to affect the general population. Only those in close contact with infected birds. It cannot at the moment be passed from one person to another. Unless the virus mutates.
Recent articles in "The Scotsman" suggest that it is unlikely that the virus could mutate in the UK or Europe in general, given the contingency measures that are in place. If it happens it will be in the countries where deaths have already occurred in the far east.
There have been numerous killer outbreaks of bird flu over the years. (Anyone remember an older family member singing"Napoo catch the flu and die ee"?) The difference this time is that we are very technologicially advanced and are much better placed to fight it. Only the nutty press and some of our nutty aggressive countrymen/women hold us back.
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Heldi, I thought about you when I heard the news about the swan found in Scotland. :-* I know you are out of the exclusion zone but you are a lot nearer than us folks in the south. I haven't put mine under cover yet but will copy Jerry's idea and put some plastic sheeting over what will have to be a much smaller run for them. :D
I feel sorry for the wildlife trusts that are scattered about the UK. They will have real problems trying to keep their birds safe. There is the swannery at Abbotsbury which has about 600 swans and Slimbridge where there are thousands of geese. The Hawk Conservancy that I visited in February had ducks and chickens walking around the site and roaming at will. The Berwick Swan and wildlife trust specialises in the care of sick or injured swans. I suppose our problems with what to do with a few chickens is nothing compared to the problems facing these wildlife organisations. Most of them rely on the income from visitors too so they will be doubly hard hit. :( :(
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I share the views here of course, and sympathise with those of you who keep poultry. What annoys me is that the media is only interested in selling the story. I will never know the previous state of health or level of immunity of those people who 'died of avian flu'. Unless there's a very quick mutation, I reckon the only risk to me would be if I ate a diseased bird - raw.
Sorry if I drifted a bit.
Geoff.
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exactly. How likely is that?
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I am just about to go up to the lotty. OH is there busy making Dennis his new abode. OH has put the hens out into their pen... he thinks it'll be fine as long as he is there. If my lotty was more secure and private I think I would be prepared to keep them in the pen outside but as you all know,it's the nutters I'm afraid of.
The hens were very jittery yesterday when I went to check on them. Eggs on the floor not just in the nest boxes that sort of thing.
Haven't heard any news about the dead birds found yesterday nearby to me but then I haven't been looking. Like I said we have hundreds of birds on this coastline,was even going to take a piccy of all the swans in the fields and title it "This year I have mostly been growing swans!" Gorgeous birds. Fingers crossed for them.
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Things might settle down Heldi and you might even be able to consider letting them out again sometime in the near future. I hope so! Big hug for you at the moment. :-* busy_lizzie
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And from me to Heldi.
Also love swans, beautiful creatures.
Apparently they're testing some they found dead in a Glasgow park. Haven't seen the results of those yet, so am keeping my fingers crossed.
Mrs KP
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Aw thanks Busy and Missus!
Feeling a lot more settled about my own situation. OH has extended the indoor area that the hens are in and Dennis has his own private quarters. Looks ace! Dennis wasn't too impressed at first and was trying to jump through the wire to get to the girls but he settled down after about 10 mins of fussing and flapping. The girls weren't at all bothered,probably glad of the rest! They all went over atleast once to have a look over at Den's new pad and had a bit chatter to him. (Wonder if they were saying "Poor you" or "Up yours!" ?)
OH said he reckoned there is room enough for atleast another half dozen hens. He shouldn't give me ideas!
Will take some pictures to show you tomorrow, though it will be covered in poo by then and not the pristine new woodshavings of this evening. ::) Will try to get a snap of Toffee to show you her terrible looking feathers. She atleast will be grateful for the break.
Shhhh don't tell, but I can see me letting Den out to roam about the rest of the shed when I'm in there pottering ;) ;D
Hoping this whole thing blows over
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My birds are still free ranging but we are in the South well away from this particular swan. If they have to go inside I have already covered their run with plastic sheeting and made the sides secure to stop even a wren getting to them. They will still get fresh air but not free range.
HTH
Jerry
Jerry, we are thinking of ways to cover a small chicken run with plastic sheeting and netting and are not sure how to go about it. Have you got rigid plastic sheeting on yours and if so, how do you keep it down? Did you have to build a new frame? My OH and I have discussed putting polythene across but then thought it might tear in the wind as we are quite exposed being on the edge os Salisbury Plain. There is also the problem of getting water to drain off it. Have you any photos of your run that you could show us please?
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We have not put our hens and ducks in yet but are planning what to do so can get them under cover fairly quickly if need be. W :)e are in Surrey.
We have covered our parakeet/ringneck/budgie aviary in case. We simply used the see through corrugated plastic sheets on the roof. The sides are OK as they are small weldmesh that wild birds cannot get through.
We will do a similar thing for the poultry. One of the runs has rabbit netting sized wire mesh and we will simply put a fruit net over that to keep birds out and the solid roof of corrugated. They will not think much of not being able to free range but its better to be alive. :)
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Pauline
No images exactly but I can describe. This is the house we use.
(http://www.littleacre-direct.co.uk/usrimage/py58.jpg)
Over the top I have placed a sheet of rigid twin wall plastic I salvaged from a skip when some one removed a conservatory from their house. The standard 6 by 4 sheet sits over the whole run very well indeed.
Along one side of the run I have placed 4 bricks, then placed the plastic on top of this so that it is sloped from one side. I then have placed 8 bricks on top of the sheet, 4 each side, to stop it being lifted by the wind. It could also be tied down but I have not needed to as yet.
On the weather side of the run I have also stapled clear plastic sheeting to the sides of the run to keep the worst of the weather out of the run.
I did all this to give the birds some protection against the winter weather rather than the bird flu as they still range around the garden/field add lib during the day.
If it is required that they are under cover then it should be fine as the weld mesh on the sides is small enough to deter most birds.
Hope that help some, a lot depends on the type of sun you have.
Jerry
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Jerry, I can see that you wouldn't have had much of a problem putting a cover on your run.
I have posted a couple of pics of my hen house. The run you see pictured is really a corridor that leads into any one of three runs. I have a rotation system and block off access to those runs that I am growing vegetables in. Their main runs are 15 feet by 45 feet so far too large to put a roof cover on.
The house itself I feel is too small to accommodate 14 chickens throughout the day, though there is ample room for them at night. I will have to use the corridor as a run and cover the top completely and have bird netting over the sides. My problem is that the corridor is not uniform in shape and I would not be able to put rigid plastic sheeting over it.
There is also the door of the hen house that is taller than the posts and netting around it. I could keep the door closed and have a peephole in it but it would make the shed dark inside. The corridor is not that big and I want the chickens to feel they have enough room. This I feel would be better with the door open. Another problem is that if I put polythene over the top, I will need some sort of slope to stop it filling up with water. My OH says that polythene will tear in the wind but I think if it has netting over the top, this should hold it down better and lessen the chance of tears.
I thought I had better add that the chickens have water and feed inside the shed and those old troughs shown in the pics will be planted up with bedding plants and placed where the chickens can't get to them.
I don't have a lot of time to sort this one out because the swallows will be here soon and they have always used the shed to raise their young. As a temporary measure I will have to put a net over for now to stop them getting in.
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Hmmm, I see your problem. But you have a couple of things going for you. The roof line of the shed gives you a good anchor point at one end of the run for starters.
I would be inclined to place a pole in the middle of the far end of the run and run a beam from that to the middle of the roof at the other end of the run. You might need another supporting pole in the middle. This will be the ridge or ridge pole of the roof if you like.
Over this run some netting and anchor it all around the sides and to the walls of the shed. Then cover with clear plastic sheeting stapling it to the ridge pole. This can then be fixed to the sides of the run to make it secure. Probably the easiest way would be to fix horizontal lengths of wood down the side of the run to which you can attach the netting/plastic.
Like you say I would put netting over the plastic as well so you end up with net/plastic/net sandwich. Finally I would also add some weighted lines over the roof. Through a bit of rope over the roof and attach each end to weights to help hold everything down. Plastic milk bottles filled with water make ideal weights. A rope every couple of feet should be fine.
It will look a bit heath robinson but should work even in moderate winds.
Jerry
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I've been thinking about if the need should arise for keeping my girls covered.
Someone gave me one of those stripey plastic gazebo things last year (never used it ... I'm not the 'gazebo type' ;D )
But I was thinking that if the worst came to the worst I could cut the legs down to about 4ft, use it as an extension to their shed (like a caravan awning!!!) and attach net curtains weighted down with bricks round the outside so they can have some outdoor space.
I didn't buy mine obviously, but I don't think they'd be that expensive.
Just a thought!
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Thank you for your reply Jerry. You have given me some ideas which I might try and plan out on paper. :D When you talk about poles placed in the middle and at the far end, have you any suggestions as to what they should be made of? The length of the corridor which will become their run is 18 ft and the height of the existing fencing about 6 ft. Maybe waste pipe may be the answer but it may not be strong enough. I think there are some 6 - 8 ft metal posts knocking around the garden somewhere so I will try to find them and measure them. I am not sure how I would keep them upright though as our soil is so stony that it would be difficult to get them in very far.
That's a good suggestion of yours to have plastic milk bottles filled with water to act as weights. I will have to start saving them now instead of cutting them up to make name tags. ;D ;D
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Heldi - are your girls and Dennis back out playing now the restrictions have been lifted ?
I often think about them !
;D
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You've read my mind KP.
When I heard the news last night I thought 'Heldi will be pleased and so will those chooks'. :)
MM
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I was thinking of you too Heldi,,,hope they are all doing ok ;D
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I've not been keeping up with the news so I didn't know that the restrictions had been lifted ! Been busy with the holidays. I must stress that I am in Northumberland and quite a distance from where the restrictions were. We put our hens indoors incase of mad people and because the regional news said the big guys were putting their chooks indoors. Mine are still in today and will be for a little while yet...they are getting a new waterproof outdoor pen,so they can be out, but in, if you know what I mean. I'm happy to report on gadding about during the hols, I've seen lots of very happy free range chooks,ducks and geese in Northumberland. Went to an organic farm and shared chocolate cake with a free range peacock too!
Dennis has calmed down immensly since his confinement whereas the girls are more jittery. No reduction in eggs though,13 a day. Their feathers are mending themselves so hopefully in the long run it will benefit them more than hinder.
Funny thing...a few weekends ago I had atleast 180 eggs sat in the shed. I was wondering what on earth to do with all the eggs the hens were producing. A neighbour took some and then another allotmenteer took them. Since the avian flu thing I hardly have an egg to spare for myself,people have gone nuts for them! I dunno..I saw all the reports that people would go off eggs and that sort of thing because of the avian flu but the opposite happened here! I've got someone wanting 3 dozen today...that'll leave about 3 eggs for me! Ah well I am given a quid a doz so can't complain...I'm saving it up. Did anyone else see that Practical Poultry article with the lady and the Buff Orpingtons in her garden??? Guess who has found a breeder in the town where my mum lives !!! ;) ;) 8) 8) ;D ;D (Told you OH shouldn't give me ideas!)
Thanks for thinking about me and the hens by the way
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Hi Heldi
Yes I read the article, very interesting I thought. I would love 2 or 3 blue Orpingtons.
Glad you and the chooks are OK
MM x
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merlins mum is VERY keen on blue orps! ;)
we used to keep non-descript(but beautiful)bantys....i think i might want to again....
we have a big run which doubles as a fruit cage for our cats so they are out but in and it works very well-
kitty
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it's probably cos they realise that you're a reliable source Heldi. so remember to put up the "sold out" sign though.
i wonder what the girls are after if they're missing Dennis :P
glad to hear everything is going well though. never hurts to be able to experience what you wouldn't normally have to. just shows how flexible we can be if necessary.
;D
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I couldn't help it...I let them out this afternoon lol! ;D That Dennis....straight away doing his one wing down, shuffle the feet and look interesting dance. He's ruffled up the feathers again. Still,afterwards they all settled down and had a communal bath and seemed much more relaxed when it was bedtime, hehehe...is dirt the chicken equivalent to radox?
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Glad to hear you have been able to let your chickens out again Heldi. ;D
I was planning a makeshift covered run just in case there is an order to keep chickens in at some future date. I took photos and Jerry kindly gave me some advice on how to cover in the area. Up to then, my OH had not taken any interest at all until I started drawing up plans when we were away at Easter. He then took it over and has decided to build a more substantial covered run at the other end of the chicken house. ::)
It will be made with a solid timber frame, have wire netting at the sides, a door and a clear corrugated roof. It will also double up as an additional greenhouse in the Spring if I attach some bubblewrap to the sides. My greenhouse is right near where the new "chicken run/greenhouse" will be, so it will be easy for me to swap things around. :D
The wood is ordered and we will be deciding on where to buy the roofing sheets in the next day or so. Hopefully, we may have it finished by Monday evening. ;D ;D
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Sounds just the ticket Pauline. I'd love to share the plans for my hen's new outdoor/indoor run thingy but unfortuanately they are in OH's head! :D
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merlins mum is VERY keen on blue orps! ;)
we used to keep non-descript(but beautiful)bantys....i think i might want to again....
we have a big run which doubles as a fruit cage for our cats so they are out but in and it works very well-
kitty
GIGGLE! A fruit cage for cats! What a wonderful thought!
moonbells
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bad news in Norfolk ... here we go again.
Stay safe chucks.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4949026.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4949026.stm)
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It's all very sad :'( but I never understand why they have to slaughter everything. It happened with foot and mouth now it's happening with bird flu :(
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From May 1st all chicken have fun again here in the Netherlands.......
( till October, I guess??? >:()
Many people had enough of keeping their chickens inside, and even the council hens were outside already for a couple of weeks ??? ???
If all the ducks, goose etc were allowed to walk free I think it was and is a bit nonsence to keep the chickens inside and get very frustrated :( :(
But it is all legal to have them in the woods and in the garden.....
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That's great news and I'm sure they are very happy about it too. ;D I hate to see any bird caged :'(
MM
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Yes...good news!
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The covered chicken run that my OH and I are making is still ongoing. We spent all the Bank Holiday weekend on it and all of the weekend just gone. The roof is on though there is still some timber to be put on around the edges for the guttering to fix onto. We have the worst job to do and that is to fit wire netting around it. :( :(
None of it has been easy as it is on a slope so it is 7ft high at one end and 10ft at the other. We made it bigger than we originally planned and the dimensions are now 8ft x 18ft. :D Plenty of room for my 14 chickens if you include the attached chicken shed that is 8ft x 12ft. Hopefully we will have it finished over next weekend so I can post some pics. ;D ;D
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Oooh sounds like good progress Pauline.
OH started on our outdoor run on Saturday. It consists of four posts and a roof at the moment! He brought four different coloured doors home from work yesterday to use as the back wall! I haven't seen them yet but he laughed and said one of them has a sticker of Robbie Williams on it! I want to paint it bright colours when he is finished but OH reckons it should be black. Boring!!
I'm hinting on for a potting shed attached to the run as I have to sit on the floor in the conservatory at the moment and my back aches so much! He must be thinking about it because he asked if I want to be able to see the hens whilst I'm in the potting shed and have them able to watch me? Ofcourse I do!
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Heres some pics I took at the end of last week including a pic of the state of Toffee's feathers. They are improving since Dennis hasn't be able to ruffle them. I haven't been able to find any poultry saddles yet. I did find a website selling them but feel unsure about sending money off to some place I don't know. It was a private website not a retailer. Need a supplier up here really.
Don't worry about Den because he gets let out everytime anyone is at the allotment. The girls will have their outside area soon and Den will hopefully be reunited with them.
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Hello I'm Heldi's OH ! And I made that hen house !!! :D So don't listen to any gossip that says otherwise ;D
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Hello His Madge, welcome to the site. That looks a good house you have made there but I do have a query. ::) In the picture it looks as though the netting has too wide a gap and would not stop birds from getting in. Is it the angle the picture was taken? :-\
My OH is still making ours and all it needs now is the doors which he is busily making up. I will post a picture when it is finished. :D
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Hiya Pauline!
Those pics are of the inside run so the netting is just to stop the hens running amok amongst the tools and pinching all their food! The outside is not finished yet but will have mesh with half inch holes and a roof. The roof is on but the sides are still to be done.
Ofcourse I am of great help with the construction....(OH is looking at what I'm typing and has walked off muttering).
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At long last I can post a photo of the undercover chicken area that my OH and I built. ::)
It was difficult to photograph as I couldn't get far enough away because of fences. We only intend to use it if there is a "flu" outbreak and failing that, I will attach bubble wrap in the Spring and have an additional "greenhouse". ;D
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Oooh wow Pauline,your outside/inside run looks tres posh! ;D
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Thanks Heldi. It seemed to have taken forever to build and OH is still in the process of making a stand for the waterbutt so we will have the water that drains off the roof.