[in the hills]

Has anyone read DEFRAS latest update? Dated 29th December.

Sounds as though we can expect the Prevention measures to continue?

'pose a continuing risk to our poultry sector for a considerable time' 

[Bionic]

We had visitors over Christmas who went out for the day on boxing day. On their travels they said thy saw several batches of chickens not enclosed in any way. Some straying across the road. :-(

[Womble]

I couldn't find the 29th December update [member=24384]in the hills[/member] - do you have a link?

Whilst I was looking, I did notice this statement though:

Clinical signs can vary between species of bird and some species may show minimal clinical signs (ducks and geese).

Is that perhaps why migrating waterfowl are a particular problem?  If they aren't feeling too bad, they just carry on migrating or whatever, and infect other birds en route?

[Dans]

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/avian-influenza-bird-flu-in-europe

Pdf on that page.

Yeah that is likely why waterfowl are the issue and why I put my geese in first as they can incubate it and spread ithe without showing much signs.

Dans

[in the hills]

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/580867/hpai-europe-update7.pdf

On DEFRAs page. It was an article under the heading 'latest' at the bottom of the page. Hope the link works.

Bionic, mine are in and under cover but very few are being kept in around me and as we have travelled around Mid _ North Wales over the last few days we have seen loads out free ranging. Sometimes wonder why I'm bothering!!!

[Marches Farmer]

I've seen some free-ranging too. Maybe some folks with a few birds haven't heard about it ....?    I wouldn't want to be the one whose birds caught H5N8 - the grapevine around here would ensure everyone knew about it!

[pharnorth]

We have ours safely cooped up but there is an escaped Rhea running around the village.  Ho hum.

[Ghdp]

We have seen quite a few small flocks still out around us in North Wales but I would not know anything about the restriction if it was not for this forum. There is no wide scale advertising of the measures that I have seen.

[twizzel]

My chicken are coping fine as we have netted their existing run so they haven't had any restriction on space. My ducks are totally fed up however and look very bored. They have ad lib wheat/maize and water to bath in but can anyone suggest anything to help with the boredom? The only silver lining is the drakes are fattening quicker than normal but if this restriction is going to be semi permanent I want to try and help their boredom a bit  they are in a woodchip, netted pen

[ColinS]

14 more wild birds found with it in three different locations:-

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/580997/ai-findings-1617.csv/preview

[ColinS]

Watched a flock of geese fly over today, heading West,  then actually made a 90deg turn to the north, wonder if co-pilot said ooops read the map wrong :-).
Can anyone ID.  Dark wings, fawn breast,  bright white patch under tail, almost like an electric light burning :-). Low sun probably highlighted them. Canada geese? Sounded different somehow.

My  guess is that would be a flock of mainly juvenile Canada geese - they still have the faun breast but are bright white below the tail. They don't get the brilliant white breast till after the first moult

[Penninehillbilly]

Thanks ColinS, Canada geese were all I could think of, not sure what other non-white would be around. Also just sounded different, been having a few flocks over recently.

[Rupert the bear]

Current situation in UK  https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/580997/ai-findings-1617.csv/preview

Avian influenza (subtype H5N8) identified in wild birds in Great Britain             
Week beginning    Location (county)    Number of findings    Species involved    Total number of birds involved
19/12/2016    Carmarthenshire    1    Duck    1
19/12/2016    Dumfries and Galloway    1    Bird of prey    1
19/12/2016    Leicestershire    1    Duck    1
19/12/2016    Somerset    1    Duck    1
26/12/2016    Lincolnshire    1    Ducks    5
26/12/2016    Gloucestershire    1    Ducks, Geese    4
26/12/2016    Merseyside    1    Ducks, Gull, Cormorant    5
Last updated: 30 December 2016    

 

[ColinS]

...Also just sounded different ...

Just have to hope that wasn't down to them all having a bit of a sore throat   

[doganjo]

I've just registered for alerts on Bird flu so I know exactly when I can let my birds out.

http://animalhealth.system-message.co.uk/AH_subscribe_index.php