sad day today ! - Had to sell the last of my ducks

Inger · Post by **Inger** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 10:47 pm

Have a look at this web-site; http://www.grain.org
I had a read through it and decided that we've been had. The virus that the wild birds sometimes carry is a mild form of birdflu virus. Its not a big problem until it gets into the large poultry/battery farms where the birds are held in dense populations and then this mild form of the virus is able to mutate into a more virilent type that can wipe out whole sheds of intensively farmed birds and has done so for many years. Not just because of the current birdflu either.

Most of the big outbreaks of the nasty form of bird flu have occured in commercial poultry farms and then infected nearby backyard flocks and wild birds. They noted that some of the outbreaks followed the route of the train and/or road system, along which infected birds, eggs and poultry by-products have been transported. Not along migratory bird routes at all, as there weren't any birds that migrated in that direction.

So it seems you are all being held over a barrel because of the environment in these big factory farms. I wouldn't buy any fertile eggs, day old chicks, chicken feed or fertiliser from any of these places if I were you. You could be buying in big trouble. In the meantime, I'm not going to worry about my hens anymore. We don't have any poultry farms near us and I'm going to be very careful about where I get our chicken feed from. Just thought I'd let you know. I didn't like the idea of you all sweating over this disease for nothing. Mind you, there's no accounting for your government.

Kathy Millar · Post by **Kathy Millar** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 7:10 am

Inger, I went to that link you supplied and I have to say that it contains the most succinct article I have seen yet on Avian Flu. Thank you! I am going to be e-mailing it to a lot of people. I usually buy 280 meat breed chicks each year to sell but now I am considering just going back to raising my own. And as for keeping my chickens in.....well, the Government Nazis are going to have to come and get them but I'm not taking all this without a fight

kathy

Fionaj · Post by **Fionaj** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 1:32 pm

I live in france and the State of affairs with avian flu is bad. All birds must be housed in accommodation which is wild bird proof. Fines are now being issued to those (particularly French) folk who do not comply
Here in France there is also an alternative, if you own poulty and due to welfare implications you cannot enclose them (eg too many birds for housing). We have been able to get the vet out to do a vet check! He comes sees the poultry, logs them and gives a certificate. As long as all food and water is indoors the birds can remain outside. As EU Countries England should follow the same principles. Having said this DEFRA does seem to get overly protective and does suggest the extremes at times!

There was an outbreak of H5N1 in Lyon, about 3 hours away from me, 11,000 turkeys kept indoors permanently, caught the bug a few dies were tested and the rest were culled. It would appear after iintensive investigation the virus was transmitted by straw!

There is a homeopathic nosode available that although has never been tested is believed to be useful in building up the birds resisitance to the virus.

From my point of view, my birds are well fed, free of parasites, roam freely, given access to a clean dry area, and are given the nosode, should any of them become infected they should have the ability to fight the infection and not succome, unlike their intensive cousins.

Best wishes
Fe

Penny · Post by **Penny** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 3:21 pm

Thanks for all this info. However, it is the actions of Defra I fear most, not bird 'flu!

Inger · Post by **Inger** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 8:53 pm

Yes Penny, the government tends to be lead by big business I'm afraid and big business seems to be making the most of this sad ephisode by encouraging the shut down or curtailment of small businesses. Even though the source of the problem looks more likely to originate inside the huge poultry sheds. I think its going to take an awful lot of lobbying to change Defra's attitude. Although I'm guessing you're not holding your breath.

We had a similar thing in NZ where we were told that backyard poultry keepers couldn't sell their excess eggs any more, because they'd changed the food safety regulations.

Fortunately the law was modified to exclude small time poultry keepers. We've even had problems with the big food chains telling their produce suppliers that they won't buy from them if they also sell their produce at Farmer's. Even though Farmer's Markets only account for a small percentage of fruit and veges sold in NZ. They don't like the competition that the Markets are having on their Organic fruit and vegetable sales. We can't even sell animals to people who want them for homekilled meat. Everything has to go through the freezing works if you want to sell meat to other people.

We now have to send paperwork with all stock being moved from one farm to another. That's cattle, sheep, pigs, Alpaccas, deer, goats etc. Poultry doesn't have to have certificates sent with them YET. But who knows.

PeterO · Post by **PeterO** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 9:31 pm

Inger

Having just registered with the NZ Animal Health Board I can assure you the NZ stock controls are minor compared with the UK/EU - no doubt you (we) will catch up.

Peter

ps I am GBpeter on the NZ lsb site

Inger · Post by **Inger** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 9:35 pm

I'm just sad that we have to catch up with the EU way of running things. It feels like our freedom is slipping away from us and there's nothing we can do about it, cause its 'for our own good'.

I'll keep a look out for you on the LSB site.