Owners of a large free range poultry farm in the North Lakes are taking all precautions necessary to prevent the spread of avian flu to their flock of hens and turkeys.
Tom and Sheila Wilson, who keep 4,500 chickens and 285 turkeys at their farm, just off the A66 at Embleton, have locked up all their birds after being instructed, along with other keepers of poultry and captive birds, to follow tougher bio-security measures from last Monday.
“We actually locked up all the birds on Sunday when a swan appeared in the fields,” said Mrs Wilson.
“If we get avian flu then there is no compensation. You have just lost your flock. Goodbye.
“Insurance costs us more than the hens are worth, so we really don’t want it. The birds are quite happy at the moment as the fields are wet and they are nice and dry in the sheds. But if it went on for three or four months then it would not be good.”
The hens are normally let out into the fields but they are now in straw-filled sheds and round discs have been hung up for them to peck at. Last time Avian Flu struck for a prolonged period the farm was issued with a blue sticker to put on egg boxes stating that it was a free range holding although not at the moment.
The stricter bio-security measures are also impacting on smaller scale poultry keepers like Anne Cornthwaite who keeps 50 hens and ducks at Ashness Farm, Borrowdale.
“We are just going to keep our birds locked in now,” she said.
“This is becoming something of a winter thing.
“At least it’s the right time of year because the days are short. If it had been summer, then it would be a lot worse as the birds are out a lot more.
“It will probably have less of an effect on our chickens because they have a window in the hen house and will at least get some daylight. But it will be interesting to see if they give up laying completely.”
“Our ducks will be less happy and we will have to do some organising to find them somewhere where there is a little bath or something as they like water.”
Avian flu was confirmed in a number of swans on Ulverston Canal at the end of November and DEFRA was notified along with Public Health England.
New housing measures were introduced on Monday which made it a legal requirement for all domestic birds to be kept indoors.
The new measures build on the strengthened bio-security regulations that were brought in as part of the Avian Influenza Protection Zone (AIPZ) on November 11th.
The AIPZ means that all captive bird and poultry keepers need to take extra precautions, such as cleaning and disinfecting equipment, clothing and vehicles, limiting access to non-essential people on their sites, and workers changing clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures.
Keepers of birds and poultry are also advised to be vigilant for any signs of disease in wild and domesticated birds and to seek prompt advice from their vet if they have any concerns.
They can help prevent avian flu by maintaining good bio-security on their premises, including housing and netting all poultry and captive birds, cleansing and disinfecting clothing, footwear, equipment and vehicles and reducing the movement of people and using effective vermin control.
It is also advised that fresh disinfectant at the right concentration is kept at all points where people should use it, such as farm entrances and before entering poultry and captive bird housing or enclosures. Feed and water should also not be accessible by wild birds.
Public health advice is that the risk to human health from the virus is very low and food standards bodies advise that avian influenzas pose a very low food safety risk for UK consumers and does not affect the consumption of poultry products, including eggs.
The new housing measures will be kept under regular review as part of theGovernment’s work to protect flocks.
Poultry and captive bird keepers and members of the public should report dead wild birds to the Defra helpline on 03459 33 55 77, and keepers should report suspicion of disease to the Animal and Plant Health Agency on 03000 200 301.
Keepers should also familiarise themselves with the latest avian flu advice.