[doganjo]

I think if I have to keep the geese indoors for another two months it'd be kinder to cull them.

Why?

[Womble]

Well, hens generally just walk about, scratch a bit, flap up on things, that sort of thing. They may not like being enclosed, but they can still express the majority of their natural behaviours.

Geese on the other hand, want to graze, swim, honk, run about trying to take off, etc etc. We put ours in the freezer at the start of the restrictions, and for us it was definitely the correct decision.

[ColinS]

I think if I have to keep the geese indoors for another two months it'd be kinder to cull them.

Remember the DEFRA advice regarding geese is rather different to chickens and ducks - " For farmed geese, gamebirds and other captive birds where housing is less practicable, keepers must take steps to keep them separate from wild birds." See:-
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/575619/captive-birds-biosecurity-inside-prevention-zone.pdf

[Penninehillbilly]

From the same paper -
There are certain species of bird – such as ostrich, captive wildfowl or geese, which are not normally housed – for which the housing steps outlined above may not be practicable. In such cases you should isolate their food and water from wild birds. Available feed and water will attract wild birds; by feeding and watering your birds under cover, the possibility of mingling is reduced. The steps you should take, where practical, include:
*  Providing extra protection to feed and water stations to avoid attracting wild birds.
• Rotating feeding times. Many wild birds learn when captive birds are fed and congregate at these times.
• Preventing your birds from accessing open water that may be contaminated. Ensure that your birds receive only mains or treated water, or ensure that reservoirs or storage tanks are covered. Sealed nipple systems can be considered.
----
It was follow these guidelines or cull for me, mine are fed inside, water is in a deep bucket that wild birds cannot access.
I noticed there was someone else up the valley who had also decided this action.
My hens are inside of course.

[twizzel]

The thing I don't understand r.e this whole thing is people are openly saying they aren't shutting their chickens and ducks up, and why are geese not being ordered to be housed? Why are geese different to ducks- they are all succeptable to it at the end of the day? Is it because they are grazing animals ? I feel if avian flu is becoming prevalent and a serious risk to poultry and waterfowl then geese should be housed too .

[Dans]

*sigh* well just been out and shovelled a bunch of goose poo and put straw down to try and keep them clean. It's not great for them and I don't know how they will manage laying in there. I guess I buy some straw bales and make them some private areas.

I wonder if I can pen off an area of grass outside and tarp it? They would have less space but at least they would have grass for a bit. But then they would eat it pretty quick and we would be back to square one. I'm starting to worry about them as they just don't seem to be eating much grain based food at all and there's nothing much else in there for them to eat.

Maybe I'll call defra for advice but I can't see how having them out I can keep them safe as birds will go to thier bath and water.

It is going to be a long 2 months.

Dans

[ColinS]

Dans - Have you weighed how much grain they are eating? With them being fairly inactive I reckon 100grams/bird/day is more than enough to sustain them even with no intake of grass.

[lord flynn]

just to say-I've been giving my hens hay to play with in the winter for nearly a decade-they are also kept on a variety of long grass and forage. They have access to grit and I have never had any crop problems (and some of my hens are 7/8 years old now), same with my ducks.


my geese and ducks are in covered pens outside, a mix of bird netting, rubble netting and tarps. they both have refillable troughs and are doing fine with a mix of forage-their pellet rations are fed inside their housing. The duck pen is not *that* large for 7 muscovy and the floor is covered in pallets with some old rubber matting over the top. They seem quite happy really but apart from their twice daily flying laps they are quite sedate birds anyway. They also spend the first two months of their lives under netting. The have perches so they can still fly a little, swim, preen, gossip and mate.


The geese have been trickier but we seem to have cracked it-they have a bucket with greens and corn in user water, plus their trough. They love lettuce, spring greens, apples and peas. If their pen becomes muddy (and given this is Lanarkshire its been fairly dry) I will also provide them with pallets. Both are housed on the only place on my property that has any shelter from a SW wind-just hoping a big storm doesn't come in.

[Penninehillbilly]

Just had the text saying period will be extended. Better late than never I suppose.

[angie]

:-(

I've been holding out hope that it will be lifted soon but I think it's pretty unlikely now.

Anyone have any tips of something I can put on the ground in my chicken's run as it is getting muddy. I use wood shavings in the house.

And anything for geese as the polytunnel (weed proof fabric) is turning into a mud skating ring. Would straw be ok for them?

Dans

can you get hold of pallets to put down for them to stand on, could infill with straw

[Penninehillbilly]

Why not lift weed control fabric, fork the ground over,  then put straw down. When it gets messy, just fork it in. Should improve the soil.

[davet]

I think if I have to keep the geese indoors for another two months it'd be kinder to cull them.

Why?

Much as others have said.  They're not happy.  The chickens are happy enough in their shed with lots of woodchip and straw to scratch around in.  They'd probably rather be outside (except when it's raining) but I don't think they're suffering where they are.

The geese, however, would like to be out in the field, walking around, pulling stuff out of the sheep's wool and eating grass all day long.

[davet]

From the same paper -
There are certain species of bird – such as ostrich, captive wildfowl or geese, which are not normally housed – for which the housing steps outlined above may not be practicable.
[snip]
• Preventing your birds from accessing open water that may be contaminated. Ensure that your birds receive only mains or treated water, or ensure that reservoirs or storage tanks are covered. Sealed nipple systems can be considered.

Unfortunately it is practicable for me to house them, they just don't like it.  Their evening wheat was always fed under water, but the field has open ditches.

Although frankly the grass is as likely to be contaminated as the ditches, and netting over runs seems unlikely to achieve much either, if we're really supposed to be practicing "biosecurity".

[Herdygirl]

Ah well, my geese will just have to have to stay in for another two months. :-(  As the hay is going down I might move them to some space in the barn.  One question I do have is were the birds recently fund to have the 'flu' being kept in? and if not, why not? and if they weren't, will the owners be penalised?

[Marches Farmer]

Just seen an interview with Christianne Glossop on the news and it's still "under investigation".