Keep Your Poultry Safe!

Poultry

UPDATE: 16 December 2016
This afternoon the BBC reported that H5N8 strain of avian flu has been diagnosed in a flock of 5000 turkeys at a farm in Louth, Lincolnshire. Defra’s announcement states, “All birds at the premises have died or will be humanely culled to limit the risk of disease spread.”
Public Health England (PHE) said the risk to humans was “very low”. A 1.8 mile (3km) protection zone has been set up around the farm. Defra has also set up a six mile (10km) surveillance area to reduce the risk of the disease spreading.


All commercial poultry farmers will have heard by now that on Tuesday (6/12/16) the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) declared the whole of England an “Declaration of an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone”. Full details can be accessed via this page. The declaration is in force for 30 days (until 6 January) but it may be extended after that date.
The restrictions also apply to any householder who keep a few birds in their gardens or yards.
Defra makes this comment about domestic flocks:

The Prevention Zones requires all poultry and captive birds, including backyard flocks and other captive birds, to be housed or, where it is not practicable to do so, requires steps to be taken to keep them separate from wild birds. If you keep your birds near your home, consider housing them in alternative accommodation, such as a garden building, a garage or redundant building that could be adapted to house your birds temporarily.

They also state:

We have taken this action because of the increased risk of avian influenza (bird flu) reaching the UK. During the autumn of 2016, outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza of subtype H5N8 have been found in poultry and wild birds in several countries across Europe.

In a press release the British Poultry Council states:

The British Poultry Council, as part of the Poultry Health and Welfare Group, supports the Defra decision to implement an order for a temporary housing of poultry in England; along with the parallel decisions taken in Scotland and Wales. This is a routine step in managing the risk of avian influenza, and part of business as usual for the poultry meat industry.
The decision to bring in enhanced biosecurity requirements for poultry and captive birds is a precautionary measure to help reduce the risk from a strain of avian flu circulating in mainland Europe. The poultry industry has been liaising closely with Defra to ensure we are best prepared should the risk of bird flu heighten, and contingency plans are in place and under constant review. Most birds can be taken inside their houses within a matter of hours. Where birds like geese and game can’t be housed, measures will be put in place to ensure separation from wild birds. There is no risk to public health and this is a precaution based on a disease in birds.

If you have a small number of birds on domestic property please take the appropriate action in response to this decision. (If you have neighbours who keep poultry and appear not to know about this requirement, perhaps you could let them know about this post.) The purpose of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone is to keep all commercial and domestic poultry out of contact with wild birds or their droppings.
A PDF copy of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone declaration can be downloaded here.
Poultry