Bird Flu Prevention zone

Bird flu Prevention zone.
Following a second confirmed case of H5N6 in wild birds in Warwickshire, DEFRA has announced this morning (18th January) that an extended Avian flu Prevention Zone now applies across the whole of England.
This doesn’t mean that you must keep your birds housed inside, (as happened last year) but you are required to follow some basic biosecurity procedures.  This applies to all bird keepers. No matter how few birds you have.
This order comes as last week 17 wild birds in Dorset tested positive for H5N6 and a total of 31 birds has now been identified at the site. Last Friday DEFRA was quick to put in a local Prevention zone, however this second confirmed case has shown that the disease is not isolated to a single area, therefore the Extended Prevention zone has been put in place to try and stop the spread.
 
So what does this Prevention one mean to us? Well, even if your birds, like my 2 hens are pets; If you keep poultry you must by law follow disease prevention measures.
You can still let your birds outside but you must take action to reduce the chance of your birds coming into contact with wild birds. Remove wild bird feeders, net off ponds ect.
Take action to prevent contamination by disinfecting areas such as patios and concrete areas that wild birds may come into contact with. Prevent contamination of food and water by placing feeders undercover.
Good hygiene routines and vigilance will help keep everyone’s birds better protected.
for more information visit:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu?mc_cid=2bfb84e190&mc_eid=71e7d24eda#prevention-zone