The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: demonfarmer2630 on January 07, 2017, 09:52:41 am

Title: Info please bird flu
Post by: demonfarmer2630 on January 07, 2017, 09:52:41 am
as per defra advice on the environment page I had locked my hens in there shed which was ment to just be there bed all 21 hens are locked in a 3x6ft shed which is 6ft high and now has over 30 pearches they have been in since it began I have a 57ft sq run which has had no cover ever due to size now lockdown has shifted to the 28th of February what the hell am I supposed to do I had to let teem out one day a week to scrub there house top to bottom I can't lock them in that long can I any advice would be helpful and no I have no way to cover the run or a part of it hope you are all keeping well please let me know what to do asap I know I ask a lot and we are all having bird flu problems
Title: Re: Info please bird flu
Post by: Marches Farmer on January 07, 2017, 10:16:04 am
Can you rig up a run - pallets, old fireguards, sheets of tin - doesn't matter what it looks like - and make it of a size you can roof with something waterproof?  Not necessarily a tarpaulin, could be old feed sacks split open, plastic cover sheet for decorating, old shower curtain, held down with lengths of wood.  If you haven't got enough wood you could tie down lengths of water pipe or stiff hose pipe - thread a long bamboo bean cane through for rigidity.  As I understand it, it's droppings that are the main problem. 
Title: Re: Info please bird flu
Post by: demonfarmer2630 on January 07, 2017, 10:46:42 am
Thanks will give it a go I have 100 or so feed bags can probably sow a few together and make a tentish think might work for now
Title: Re: Info please bird flu
Post by: in the hills on January 07, 2017, 11:11:11 am
Great advice from MF.

Ask around, even visit the local recycling site. Anything that enables you to build a temporary shelter to give them a bit more space.
Title: Re: Info please bird flu
Post by: ColinS on January 07, 2017, 02:54:43 pm
Heavy duty polythene is about 18p a square metre bought in 200 sq.m rolls so way cheaper than tarps- the trick is how to hold it up when it's not windy and hold it down when it is windy.
Title: Re: Info please bird flu
Post by: Fleecewife on January 07, 2017, 03:46:24 pm
Heavy duty polythene is about 18p a square metre bought in 200 sq.m rolls so way cheaper than tarps- the trick is how to hold it up when it's not windy and hold it down when it is windy.




MFs idea of making a tunnel using blue waterpipe hoops is excellent.  Blue pipe is often lying about dumped or might be available at recycling centres, or online. 
The polythene cover can be held down with rope passed over the top either side of each hoop, then wrapped around a breezeblock at ground level.  The ends are tied tightly with rope at ground level and the rope again is wrapped around a breeze block or old stob.  It seems to withstand most wind, as long as the cover is kept taut.
The one drawback I can foresee is that if the sun shines then it would heat up rapidly under polythene, as it would inside a closed shed.


Please remember that normal welfare standards still apply, and crowding poultry into tiny houses is not good welfare.
Title: Re: Info please bird flu
Post by: ColinS on January 07, 2017, 04:08:15 pm
Yes, the blue (MDPE) pipe does seem to be the best thing on a price/metre basis. Plastics-express have 25m rolls of it for about 10 quid a pop.
Title: Re: Info please bird flu
Post by: Backinwellies on January 07, 2017, 04:37:20 pm
Old trampoline?
Title: Re: Info please bird flu
Post by: Marches Farmer on January 07, 2017, 05:06:51 pm
In the past we've utilised an old livestock trailer, garden bench and table, wooden crate of the type used to hold roof tiles, tea chests, puppy cages, compost bins, a log store, kennels, an old wardrobe, a Black & Decker Workmate ...  I sometimes think I may have been a builder in a shanty town in a previous existence.
Title: Re: Info please bird flu
Post by: Daisys Mum on January 07, 2017, 05:08:35 pm
Old trampoline?


Just been out for a walk and thought exactly the same when I passed one of my neighbours gardens, perhaps I should ask to hire it for the winter  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Info please bird flu
Post by: mojocafa on January 07, 2017, 05:15:56 pm
My local scrap yard was smashing up and burning pallets and tattie boxes, I was welcome to take any of it for free, also ibc tanks are useful , Google ibc tanks for chickens some ideas on Pinterest as well
Title: Re: Info please bird flu
Post by: Dans on January 07, 2017, 08:57:00 pm
We bought some aviary panels off ebay and tied them together with cable ties with tarp over the top and when we ran out of tarp scaffolding netting.

We used some wood over the top to keep the tarp from dipping and tied it to the panels using string. Put the whole thing in front of the house so that they can go in and out as they please.

Hope you can find some solution.

Dans
Title: Re: Info please bird flu
Post by: doganjo on January 08, 2017, 01:44:58 pm
Old trampoline?


Just been out for a walk and thought exactly the same when I passed one of my neighbours gardens, perhaps I should ask to hire it for the winter  :thumbsup:
Wish I'd kept mine now - just needs a roll of chicken wire round it to keep out unwanted wild birds
Title: Re: Info please bird flu
Post by: CarolineR on January 09, 2017, 01:36:05 pm
Hi everyone,
Here's a DEFRA factsheet - there are options, and you just try to do as very much as you can. Not everyone will manage to house everything.

On another topic - would anyone be interested in a webinar about bird flu then? Liza Donaldson just had the brilliant idea to pop out an emergency talk for those who are really worrying about their set ups.

They're quite easy to access - even for the tech-shy like me - would that be something that would help?

Caroline