Health Archives

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) latest 2023 from APHA

Bird Flu Latest, Health / By HHens / 23rd November 2021 / Bird Flu

Avian Influenza Official Guidance from APHA

There is a lot of confusing misinformation about Avian Influenza and what you must do and what is allowed or not allowed. This page is intended to clarify the situation.

LATEST iMPORTANT UPDATE!!!!! ALTHOUGH THE HOUSING ORDER FOR WALES AND ENGLAND HAS BEEN LIFTED, BIOSECURITY IS STILL EXPECTED TO BE IN FORCE.

Avian Influenza has been detected in the UK at its highest ever level since November 2022 to spring 2023. There have been several H5N1 infection clusters in many parts of the country. Norfolk, Cornwall and Yorkshire have been particularly badly hit. Over the winter of 2022/2023 a housing order was declared which has now been lifted. This is likely to be an annual happening so making sure your chicken keeping and other poultry keeping areas are built with this in mind. Further information can be found at this link. This link shows a map of where the current bird flu cases have been. There is guidance on the APHA site here.

What does a housing order mean?

When there is a housing order in force, then it means all captive birds have to be kept under cover either with a roof or a suitable net which does not allow small birds to enter or foul the ground. Strict biosecurity measures are also required to help minimise the risk of infection spreading. This applies to all bird keepers in England, Scotland and Wales, whether birds are kept commercially or as pets, regardless of whatever type or size. These measures include cleansing and disinfecting clothing, footwear and equipment, reducing the movement of people to and from areas, and preventing access by poultry to ponds and watercourses. Failure to adhere to the housing order means you face a very large fine and possible imprisonment if you are found out.

APHA-advice-on-preparing-range Download

Bird flu biosecurity recommendations (this is good practice regardless)

Keep ALL birds indoors or under cover with either a roof or small holed nets to exclude wild birds and vermin. This becomes compulsory whenever a housing order is declared
Ensure that you feed and water your birds in an area that wild birds and vermin cannot contaminate either by drinking or droppings
Prevent visitors to the area the birds are in
Make any ponds and boggy areas out of bounds to your birds and other wild birds
Don’t encourage wild birds onto your property by feeding them
Enhance your biosecurity by using a DEFRA APPROVED disinfectant foot dip at all entrances if possible. Clean boots and clothing are advised. Hard paved area to be disinfected also.
Keep waterfowl (ducks, geese etc) separated from other poultry as the risk to waterfowl is greater.
Always wash your hands thoroughly after dealing with poultry and make sure that you don’t put your hands near your mouth at any time.

The Food Standards Agency are also offering reassurance that bird flu will not pose a food safety risk for UK consumers. The eating of Poultry products and eating eggs are safe.

What happens following a local outbreak

If avian influenza infection is suspected at a location, then all birds are evaluated by a vet. On confirmation of disease then all the birds on the site are subjected to a humane cull order. There will be no “get out of jail free card” to play here however – all birds die.

Temporary no-movement zones are then created around ground zero. Once the final tests come back and their strain is identified, the following zones are declared. Severe movement restrictions are put in place in the active Protection Zones and active Surveillance Zones. No movement of birds in, or out, or within etc. Surveillance zones are in place for about a month, but checking on the APHA website or viewing the interactive map will give you the current picture. Rules then revert to Prevention zone rules when the active zones are no longer in the active state.

BIRD FLU IS A NOTIFIABLE DISEASE so it is an offence to not report it. Contact details to report suspected possible cases are on the DEFRA/APHA website or contact your vet.

Not all outbreaks are from commercial poultry outfits

The biggest numbers of actual birds in enforced humane cullings have been in commercial units but there have been just as many infected “premises” from hobby keepers too. Many people are blaming the commercial poultry units for the spread however this is not the whole story. So everyone needs to do their bit to protect all birds. The Farne Islands were subjected to a massive cull because of Avian Influenza with many wild birds such as Puffins having huge dents in their numbers. It is feared that many species will find it difficult to recover from such enormous losses.

Can you still buy birds when there is a housing order?

Yes you can BUT ONLY IF THE BIRDS ARE NOT MOVED TO/FROM/OR WITHIN A CURRENTLY ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE ZONE. See the heading below for the interactive map to check whether you as buyer or the seller are outside an active zone. There are some situations where movement is allowed in an active zone BUT ONLY UNDER A LICENCE OBTAINED BEFOREHAND. If you were to want to buy chickens from us, we would check beforehand if you are allowed. All our sales are recorded for traceability if we are asked.

DEFINITIONS of Avian Influenza Declared Zones

Zone Name	Description of Zone
Protection Zone	A zone at a 3km radius from round the site of an infection – Movement restrictions apply. No birds moved in out or within this zone. Current map of infections and zone status here
Surveillance Zone	A wider zone of 10km radius from around the site of an infection – Movement restrictions apply. No birds moved in out or within this zone.
Prevention Zone AIPZ	Refers to the rest of the country not in any active Protection or Surveillance Zones. Bird gatherings may be banned but movements are allowed. England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales all issue their own terms (do’s and don’ts) on this.
Increased Biosecurity	Required legally by all areas of the country.
Housing Order	All birds must be housed under cover or a roof or nets to exclude wild birds and vermin. No contact to be possible between any other animal and the poultry or the ground they have access to. The Govt website gives the latest case location updates or you can sign up to the notification service detailed below. Notifications can be delivered to you either by email or text as you specify once you sign up. See link below

The paragraph below is a direct quote from the Governments Notification system

There are no national warnings at the moment on the DEFRA or APHA website, although infections are still being detected so you need to check the interactive map to see if there is an active zone in your area.

What You Can Do for the Future

It is becoming a yearly phenomenon to endure Bird Flu lockdowns so if you wish to continue to keep poultry, your best options are to make sure you are ready. Plan well ahead to make your chicken’s area secure, big enough, and welfare friendly for any future declarations. Being pre-prepared is the best that you can do because this will make the restrictions easier on you and your birds each year.

Previously Avian Influenza was just thought of as being a seasonal risk due to migration patterns, but the feeling now is deemed to be endemic. This means that there is now a reservoir of infection carried by our own native birds who may not always show signs of disease. This reservoir can then be a continued risk which may be year round. The risk to our native bird populations could have disastrous consequences for their future survival.

Latest Situation

Regardless of what this page says, you should still refer to this Govt website for the very latest position. Advice lines and reporting numbers are also on the page. Wales has also issued a housing order. Scotland is insisting on high biosecurity but not forcing a housing order.

In Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland you should contact your local APHA office. Again the contact numbers are on the link above.

Avian Influenza current infections Nov 2022 — The scale of the problem as at 15/11/2022. view the interactive map from the link below for up to date info.

Register your flock – advised – but not Always compulsory

The Government are encouraging everyone who keeps birds to sign up to the free poultry register. It is compulsory if you have a total of 50 or more birds of any species, but voluntary otherwise. The links to the forms are here There is no intrusion or hoops to jump through which is helpful.

Symptoms of Avian Influenza

There are 2 types of avian influenza.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)

This is the more serious type which is often fatal in birds. The main clinical signs of HPAI in birds are:

swollen head
blue discolouration of neck and throat
loss of appetite
respiratory distress such as gaping beak, coughing, sneezing, gurgling, rattling
diarrhoea
fewer eggs laid
increased mortality

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

Low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI)

LPAI is usually less serious but it can cause mild breathing problems, however affected birds will not always show clear signs of infection.

The severity of LPAI depends on the type of bird and also whether it has any other illnesses.

Interactive Map of the current bird flu situation

An interactive map is also here to show you where there are infections and also where tighter restrictions are in place at the moment Interactive map click here

Wild bird cases in the UK

The interactive map doesn’t take account of wild bird confirmed cases of Avian Influenza but they are still being recorded. This shows where HPAI cases have been found in wild birds up to 2022 week 46. The numbers are massive and although the majority are waterfowl there are also birds of prey and some garden birds. There is the possibility that smaller garden type birds have been “tidied up” by other animals or other bird eating species or even flies. The garden birds have only been found in small numbers but fly activity can clear a corpse in days which would make them difficult to spot.

Webinar giving Vet guidance on Bird flu

DEFRA/APHA have produced a recording of a webinar to give more advice on why it is important to follow the rules. It has loads of useful info albeit related to winter of 2021/2022. The advice and information is still very relevant. Find the webinar here There are versions for both commercial and home based flocks.

Sign up now for the free alerts service

The government has a free alerts service where they send you a text message or an email with the latest avian influenza news so you know when you are clear or otherwise. It is very useful service. All you need to do is give an email address or a mobile number for either an email or a text message alert.
Sign up here it only takes a minute.

Not just a UK problem

See the map below to see how widespread the infections are, because as you see, the UK is not alone. Many countries are struggling to gain control. Economic losses are huge for the major producers and exporters who have been prevented from carrying on their normal trading.

avian Influenza info from Overseas

The CDC in the USA (Centre for Disease Control) has extensive information on the types of influenza. It also gives statistics on the human cases worldwide and the risk factors. If you are keen to know more then it is a good resource.

Moulting -Now you see them now you don’t

Health / By HHens / 13th September 2021 / Chicken Care, Chicken Health

What is a Moult?

Moulting is an annual phenomenon that begins at approx 18 months and older hens. In reality, she will experience her first full moult in her second Autumn, and then every year after that.

What happens?

Bam! At a time when you think that hens actually need a good feather covering, almost overnight, the coop looks like an explosion in a pillow factory. The girls drop feathers like it’s a drunken pool party in Ibiza. They also renew the scales on their legs too. It can be quite upsetting for people who have not kept hens before, to see how sad they look when they are stripped of their finery. Hens can look like a badly stuffed pillow, really unkempt and un-cared for when this happens. The reverse is true, as they are provided with more protein and are not handled too much to avoid pressing the newly forming quills back into their skin. This is the reality of keeping hens.

Blue Partridge Brahma in Moult — During a moult

Brahma Blue Partridge in full feather — During a moult

The process of creating feathers

Once the feathers start to regrow, the hen will look like a pincushion. The incoming feather shafts are called pin or blood feathers. They are dark and look almost blue. In reality, they are filled with blood which is nourishing the newly forming feathers within the shafts. The pin feathers are very easy to damage and can bleed profusely if broken. Once the feather has finished being created inside its sheath, then the blood supply is no longer needed. The blood is shut off and the sheath begins to flake away. It is made of keratin and will look like dandruff as the hen preens the dried casing to reveal a beautiful new feather.

Other physical changes during the moult

Her comb will shrivel and become pink instead of red. Her face will also go less red than normal. This is in response to the reduction in hormones.

A moulting hen will lose condition, she will look quite dejected if she finds herself at the bottom of the pecking order. Other changes in her body will occur such as reversal of the bleaching phenomenon which removed the colour from legs, skin, and vent areas. Legs, skin and vent will return to the original colour as occurs in a non-laying hen. This is particularly noticeable on yellow skinned and yellow legged birds. The birds legs will return to yellow as the bleaching fades.

Does this affect the pecking order?

When a hen moults, her status within the flock plummets, and hens who were once high up in the pecking order will find themselves struggling to find any peace. They are often in hiding places and are unable to eat when they want. This becomes an ideal opportunity for a lower ranking hen who may not yet be moulting, to triumphantly seize power. Sometimes these once meek hens, turn into little monsters and can really give the shrinking ex-head chickens a really hard time.

In the normal ranking or pecking order, the head chicken (always a girl by the way) eats first, then number 2, then number 3 etc. The lowest ranking hens must wait until all the others have eaten and even then must be given permission by those of a higher rank. Such is the life of a lowly hen.

Why do my hens stop laying in winter?

A moulting hen needs good quality protein in her food as protein is the building block of feathers. Egg production also uses a lot of protein, therefore, no eggs will be laid for the duration of the moult. Something has to give, as all the protein has to be diverted to their feathering needs. A full moult can last 8 weeks with some older hens taking much longer. The moult coincides with the shortening of days which in itself can trigger a shut-off of the egg-laying hormones. These will normally be reactivated once the days start to lengthen again after Christmas. Lack of eggs seems like a sort of curse for the chicken keeper, but it is a good thing. It gives the hens a well-deserved break from the rigours of laying for a few weeks.

Another reason why it is good for chickens to have a break from laying

Oestrogen during a laying cycle prevents calcium depositing into the fabric of the bones so chickens cannot make new bone while laying. During lay the calcium is deposited into medullary bone material which is constantly mobilised in shell formation. Chickens that never stop laying cannot restock and make new bone which can result in osteoporosis or fragile bones. Another good reason for chickens to take a break.

What is the best food for moulting chickens?

You may hear stories of what to feed your hens while they are moulting. All sorts of codswallop is spouted. Some advocate using growers pellets. Most growers pellets are lower in protein so this is a bad move. It also does not contain calcium. Hens use calcium when they are not laying to strengthen their bones so growers pellets is again a bad move. Yet other people advocate dog or cat food, pilchards, anchovies, and other fishy confections. Upsetting the delicate balance of nutrition is a bad move. Hens need all the help they can get at moulting time.

Keep your hens on layers pellets during the moult as the calcium will help top up her depleted reserves and the additional protein it contains will be beneficial for the feather production. If you must feed random junk to your hens then just feed a handful of hemp seeds. This is high protein and has a good nutritional profile.

Moulting at other times

A mini or partial moult, which is usually a neck moult or a chest moult, can occur due to stress. Stress can be anything from a predator fright, or extremes in the weather, too hot, very wet, very windy. Fireworks, loud banging, DIY, lawn-mowing, dogs, or cats will take their toll. They can feel stress by you wearing the wrong wellies, or any change in the environment or habits. Getting the picture? Chickens are stressy creatures. Stress can depress their immune response and egg laying can also be interrupted or erratic for a while.

Heat stress in Chickens

Health, Illness in Chickens / By HHens / 29th May 2021 / Chicken Care, Chicken Health, Chicken Illnesses

Heat Stress…Is it a thing?

Heat stress in chickens is one of the major factors in illness, death and egg production failures. Chickens can cope very well in temperatures just over zero degrees centigrade, however, adding chickens to heat is a whole new ball game.

Why is a bit of heat a problem?

Chickens are covered in their own feather duvet
Their natural temperature is 41 degrees C
They cannot sweat to cool down

Heat stress can result in collapse, lack of eggs, stress related moult, neurological issues, organ failure, and death. It can happen suddenly which leaves you the keeper wondering why on earth it has happened.

Symptoms of heat stress

The danger period happens once the temperature rises to above 22 degrees C and above. It is worse on days when there is no wind. If you spot any of the symptoms below then you need to act VERY quickly

The birds will start to seek out shade.
They will start to hold their wings away from their bodies if they are too hot to lose heat
Chickens will start to pant.
Slow panting at first, followed by quick panting and throat fluttering as the risk increases.
Chickens may start to show neurological symptoms such as throwing their heads back or circling
They could go off their legs all of a sudden
Egg production will reduce or cease entirely
You may see an abnormal amount of feather loss in chickens, usually around the neck or crop area.

Fast panting sets off a dangerous chain reaction. It changes the chemical composition in the body and respiratory system which in turn puts pressure on organs such as the brain and kidneys. Heat stress is cumulative, which means the problems build up over time, getting ever serious.

The Solution to heat stress in chickens

Electrolytes are extremely important to supplement in the water when the temperature gets over 22C which assists the birds with replacing lost vital salts. A poultry supplement such as “Solulyte” which is designed to combat heat stress is essential. It is wise to have this on standby for the summer. I have linked to a website, but there are many suppliers who do the same product with varying sizes etc. Supplementing with Solulyte will save the life and health of your chickens during prolonged heatwave situations. Alternatively you can Google a recipe for poultry electrolytes for a home-made fix. You may need to keep the bird cool and encourage them to drink by dipping their beak. Neurological or collapse symptoms will mean they are confused and may become unresponsive, so they need assistance to drink.

Homemade Electrolyte Recipe for chickens

4.5 Litres of water (1 gallon)
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of baking soda/bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon of salt (sea salt preferably)
Splash of orange juice (optional for vitamin C or crush a vitamin C tablet)

Mix together and then serve to your chickens.

Warning

Don’t use this if there is no danger of heat stress. Chickens will pant when they are heat stressed. YOUR BIRDS SHOULD NOT HAVE SALT OR SUGAR IN THEIR WATER UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS.

Mud Management

Chicken Environment / By HHens / 12th May 2021 / Chicken Care, Chicken Health

Mud Management for chickens

Mud Mud Glorious Mud as the song goes is something that a lot of chicken keepers end up with. The problem with chickens is that they are the worlds most committed excavators. They will dig and scrape looking for tasty morsels in the ground. If you have some precious plants, or that lovely rose that dear departed Auntie May gave you, then you will need to protect the roots from the attentions of your chickens. Chickens will uproot almost everything they find, apart from nettles and brambles annoyingly. Such is their dedication to extreme garden remodelling.

It’s not all bad

The ground your chickens’ run sits on will become a moonscape of barren earth in a short space of time. They quickly create dust-bathing pot-holes and they fervently dig for insects, worms and other goodies. However, there is a plus side. If you have some ground you need clearing, veg plot, allotment, jungle, greenhouse, then team chicken are the ones to call. Add chickens to any unruly wilderness and you will have ground clearance par excellance. Sit back with your cup of tea and watch diligence in motion.

Why does it turn into mud and why is it a problem?

Chickens’ feet are also great at padding the ground and compacting it despite not being very heavy creatures. The combination of compaction, and lack of greenery means the soil now won’t be able to soak up any water without a bit of help. Surface water creates mud, thick, gooey, welly sucking mud. Mud is great at growing nasty bacteria and other pathogens as pathogens just love moisture. Pathogens make smells to add insult to injury.

So now we have a job description of chicken destruction, we now need to find a solution.

One Solution

So how do you stop mud in a chicken run? You could do some sort of rain dance but this will certainly entertain your neighbours. The top and bottom of it is your run or the chicken area needs to remain dry. Dry earth is less likely to harbour or grow nasties that will harm the health of your chickens. Compacted earth doesn’t allow the rain to soak in so digging the area over will keep the drainage good. It also gives the microbes in the soil some much needed air. Microbes in the soil are your friends, so keep them alive. This in combination with a roof covering is going to make it a winner all round.

If you tackle the mud issue then you will have a nicer area for everyone. No smells, no disease and no slipping in mud.

Voila!

So there we have it!!! Microbes are your friend and chickens will uproot anything that is remotely green, even poisonous plants. Who’da thought it? It didn’t take us long to realise that the chickens had to have their own area, so segregate them. You get your own garden and the chickens can have theirs. That is where sanity lives but because I am a chicken nut our human area is very small because the girls just gotta have fun.

We have much more information on this very topic on our online course and also many more useful nuggets of useful info if you wish to know more

Keeping chickens Warm in winter

Health / By HHens / 27th February 2018 / Health, Keeping chickens warm

How good are chickens at keeping warm in winter?

How to keep chickens warm when the temperatures drop to zero degrees C is a common worry amongst chicken keepers. So what problems does this cause for chickens? How do you keep chickens warm in the winter? The quick answer is that chickens are covered in their own feather duvets. They are well able to keep themselves warm without any additional aids or methods.

Frostbite in below freezing temperatures may be an issue for hens or cockerels with large combs on their heads. As chickens remove the warm blood from their combs as the temperature plummets, this can make the comb cooler and therefore vulnerable to frostbite. A slick of Vaseline over the fleshy parts will assist in keeping the comb protected. Keeping the coop draught free but well ventilated will also help to keep it condensation free. It is the condensation which freezes and makes the combs succumb to ice crystals generated by the condensation. You will be helping in keeping chickens warm by making sure they stay dry also.

Chickens naturally cover their tootsies by lowering their feathers as they crouch down to roost overnight. This and tucking their heads under their wings help them keep their extremities warm and toasty. The picture above from a thermal imaging camera shows where the most heat loss is for chickens. Their heads and feet are showing up brighter. Their bodies are not losing much heat at all due their feathery coverage.

The most pressing issue for chickens in this weather is to keep their water free from ice so they can actually drink. Check on their water during the day to make sure. A heat plate or heated wire introduced into the drinker can assist in regions particularly affected by the cold wintery breath of the “beast”.

A chickens’ metabolism is active all night, so you can keep chickens warm by adding a handful of mixed corn to their diet late afternoon before bedtime. This heats them up from the inside as they digest it while they roost. It is tempting to give them warm porridge or any other warm human food, however, oats has the effect of cooling them down as it happens so is counter productive. In fact any warm food is counter-productive as it cools them down faster.

What you shouldn’t do

You should not be tempted to add a heater to your coop. This will be a fire hazard. Candles and other apparatus with a naked flame are definitely risky and can cause fires or dangerous fumes. Fumes and birds are a bad combination. Dont cover the coop with anything like a duvet, carpet etc as you will block the ventilation which can cause condensation inside. Condensation freezing on the skin of the bird will make frostbite more likely. Chickens are better able to cope with the cold than the heat of summer.