Avian Influenza in the UK Wet suits & Wellies for Chickens The Jitokko Preparing for the Winter Shows pt. 2 Christmas is coming!
As most of you will know the winter of 2016 saw the breakout of the H5N8 strain of Avian Influenza more commonly known as Bird Flu. This strain has had no cases of passing onto humans, but has impacted on many of us poultry keepers none the less. Shows and gatherings were canceled, new guidelines and regulations were put in place by DEFRA and the outbreaks affected many keepers across the country. On the 13th September 2017 the Government Chief Vet announced that the UK met the international requirements to declare itself free from H5N8 avian influenza, but called for keepers to remain vigilant for signs of the disease. This for many of us was good news and an important milestone, but as winter approaches there have already been new outbreaks within France, subsequently some areas are now on 'lock-down' once again. As the disease continues to circulate Europe, the winter months bring with them migratory wild birds increasing the risk of infection within our domestic flocks and although the last 10 months have been incredibly challenging for most, we should be able to maintain the basic steps we have routinely carried out to reduce any further risks. So what steps can we take to minimise the risks and keep our flocks happy and healthy? Well its all rather simple and boils down to a high standard of Bio-Security. Keep your footwear clean, keep your feed, feeders and drinkers covered and reduce contact with wild birds, 3 simple steps to help prepare for any future outbreaks. Cleaning your footwear the environment outside is exposed to many things and don't be fooled that AI wont be clinging to the mud outside in your garden. It is essential that you have a foot bath available for anyone who accesses your property including yourself. This can be a bucket filled with disinfectant or indeed a mat that is soaked in the solution, a quick dunk or brush and you have protected your shoes from potential risks. Disinfectants such as Virkon S are powder form and are soluble within water, this is handy for a foot bath but can also be used within a pump sprayer for easy application and complete coverage of coops, runs and surrounding areas Virkon S is a DEFRA approved disinfectant, and is effective against viruses such as those that cause Bird Flu.
Keeping your Feed, Feeders and Drinkers covered. By this DEFRA means that all feed should be stored inside or sealed within an air tight container. This is to aid the prevention of any pests who have free roam outside to access and potentially contaminate your feed supplies. Keeping your feed within buildings such as your home, a shed or garage and sealing your sacks within large bin like containers reduces your risks greatly. When it comes to keeping your feeders and drinkers covered, there are ways in which this can be achieved. If your flock are lucky enough to have access to a shed or large covered structure for shelter, nesting or roosting then you have the perfect environment already to keep your feeders and drinkers covered. If however like many chicken keepers your chooks are kept within coops then the nest boxes are rather compact and the attached runs are meshed and uncovered. In order to keep your feeders and drinkers covered with these types of housing then we suggest hanging both your feeder and drinker from the roof bars of the run with materials such as rope and chain, this raises them off the ground and aids to keep them clean. To minimise any contamination from the elements and wild birds, we recommend plastic sheet roofing, which can be bought from most mainstream market DIY stores and are a perfect choice. They are a durable, cheap way of covering the roof of your run, if secured properly your DIY roof should last all winter. How do you keep your poultry away from Wild Birds? The answer is very simple, but unfortunately it isn't always the ideal way. The most efficient way of fully protecting your flock would be to keep them housed at all times, which is a shame for most free-rangers and can cause chickens to become stressed and restless if not used to being penned all of the time. How do you combat this? Well some keepers this year have invested in larger runs for their chickens, we ourselves have recently transferred our coops into poly tunnels! These are a fantastic way of giving your chooks a large area of covered ground to roam freely within and also helps with keeping your feeders and drinkers covered also. For those who do not have the space to add something quite as large as a poly tunnel into your back garden, why not consider run extensions which are largely available on the internet. Click on the pictures to take a look at our wide range of Disinfectants and feeders and drinkers.
Wet suits and Wellies for chickens... Now wouldn't that be a perfect solution for many Winter weather related issues. Unfortunately these waterproof items don't yet exist for our feathered friends, and yes I agree they would be a pointless effort when there are so many alternatives to keep your flock dry and healthy this winter. 1) Don't cover up the vents inside your coops! As the winter months get colder your chooks will be spending more time inside, even if its just because the winter nights are longer! Chickens create a lot of moisture from their breathing and a lot of moisture evaporates from their droppings, and a tightly insulated coop will retain this moisture. There is a chance that this moisture could in turn freeze, with the chooks inside this could be harmful for their combs and wattles, potentially they could get frost bite. More risks include, respiratory infections, mould spore related illnesses and poor ventilation will also allow the ammonia from the droppings to build up inside the coop, which can be harmful to the chickens lungs. So please don't block up your ventilation within your coops, chickens are a lot more hardy than we think. 2) Don't forget to collect your eggs more often! If you are lucky to still have layers at this time of year then be sure to remember those gifts in the nest boxes. The chances of eggs freezing here in the UK are lower than some other countries. However we do get quite a freeze from time to time, although a frozen egg does not harm the chickens in the slightest, it can be a potential bacteria fest for us. As the Egg gets colder and freezes, the contents can start to expand which in turn can create hairline cracks on the shell of the egg. If eaten on the same day as collected then at least once it defrosts the contents wont leak out of the shell! 3)Staying on the topic of all things frozen, don't forget to protect your chickens from the frost. You can do this by applying a thin layer of oil or vaseline onto the combs and wattles of your chickens. Less is more! You only want to stop the skin from chapping and cracking, and so a thin layer that you would apply to your own lips will be perfect. 4)A little trick to keep your chooks warm throughout the night! Why not try feeding your flock a little corn before bed time? This means that the will digest while they are sleeping and in turn keep them warmer. 5) Roosts are important! Chickens will roost together and fluff themselves out. This is what keeps them warm. It also keeps them off the cold ground. So make sure you have plenty of space for all your chickens to comfortably roost at least 2ft off the ground.
The Jitokko In the last edition of the newsletter we introduced to you our new arrivals The Jitokko. We had welcomed 3 little fluffy chicks into the world and introduced them to you all. Well over a month on and the hens are still laying and we are still hatching here at GPBP. The Jitokko haven't been easy oh no! In fact they have been quite the frustrating breed, when working with the short legged gene, combated by longer legged birds our hatches have been a mixed sort. Over 60% are hatching with the short leg, which is brilliant, however most of which are splayed legged, which in turn affects the survival rate for these small chicks. Those that are hatched with longer legs thrive much better, but sadly are not correct to type for this breed, merely just a method of improving hatch and survival rates at this time. If you think that is a pity, well not only are we combating the legs, but not every chick hatches with a crest, a beard, or muffs and ideally we want to breed for all 3! Sounds like we have ourselves quite the task and yes we do. We believe there are less than 30 Jitokko within the UK, and so for the time being we are concentrating on improving the numbers, but keeping in mind the direction we wish to take once we have enough birds to work with. Ourselves at GPBP, Jacqui Moore at Trebberfed Poultry and Ian Lambert at WestCountry Longtails are very passionate and driven for this breed and are working hard to promote the Jitokko within the UK. If you would like to get involved in this project, or would like to learn more about the breed please feel free to contact us and we will answer any questions you may have. Info@grahamspurebreedpoultry.co.uk
So we've all sent off our entry forms and we're on countdown until the big day! Many poultry exhibitors have established a finely tuned routine in how to prepare their birds for show. There are many tricks out there and not every one shares! But here are some of our handy tips that will hopefully be of some use. Last edition we covered pen training, bird selection and working on points of improvement. In this section we will discuss the best methods to grooming and pruning your chickens to the best that they can be. Many people use buckets and sinks to wash their chickens, where as we stick them in the shower. We find that the pressure from the shower head really shifts the dirt and muck from deep within the feathers and gives the feet a good blast too. We make sure the water is luke warm so that the chicken is comfortable at all times, the bottom of a bath can be quite slippy so we use a non slip mat to help keep them steady on their feet. Bathing chickens for a show should be done 1 week before, this is so that the natural oils come through on the feathers if you're anything like us the whole lot get done the night before! We use the Animology range of grooming products, marketed for equine and dogs, we find that these products provide excellent results. For washing the chickens we use the Patch Work Stain Remover, we find that this shampoo really works hard to lift any dirt from the feathers. It is particularly good with light coloured breeds that are either sun bleached or just rather mud stained! We wash each section of the bird at a time, so we start with the head and the neck, then the body and lastly the tail. I will just add to be extra careful, if the water is too warm, then the feather pores will open and you could lose a few vital feathers! Before taking the chicken out of the water, make sure your give their feathers a good squeeze to drain any excess water. Once washed, we wrap our chickens in a warm towel, this stops them getting a chill from being in water and keeps them calm.
We then leave the chicken within the towel to rest for around 15-20 minuets. At this point the towel will have helped soak up some of the moisture from the feathers making the next step a little bit quicker. Some folk use Dog dryers, which I have to say do save a lot of time and are a lot faster in drying your chickens. We however use the simple but effective hairdryer! My own, I share with the chickens. With the chicken still wrapped in the towel, I place them between my legs on the floor. I keep the heat settings to medium and I don't use full power either. I start from the head, and gently ruffle the feathers as I make my way down the body. This helps to separate the feathers and also makes sure that they are drying from the pore to the tip. One thing I will point out, make sure that you have dried your birds entirely under the wing, you risk the chances of them getting a cold if under their wings are still damp during the night. Once dry, we let our chooks roam around for a while so that they can do what comes natural and preen their feathers just the way they like them! One thing that is very important for anyone who shows and that is a full cleaning kit for penning. I use a tool box, I have seen others use tackle boxes, cosmetic cases, as long as it can fit everything you need inside, it really doesn't matter. Some vital pieces of equipment for me are: Nail file Nail Scissors Tweezers Cotton Buds Tooth Picks A shine hand mitt Vitamin E Oil Animology clean sheets Animology Gloss Finishing Spray Animology Dirty Dawg Dry Shampoo This kit has served me well, it has changed throughout the years as I have learned what works and what doesn't. With any luck your birds are now looking like Show Winners!
Tis the season to be Jolly... Only if all of your parcels arrive on time! Our final order dates for Christmas delivery is 17th December for UK delivery and 10th December for International delivery. Christmas is a busy time for us at GPBP, trying to fit in some Christmas shopping and preparing the house for visitors, whilst maintaining the farm and tending to the animals and somehow washing and pampering chickens for the winter shows. December is such a crazy month... If you find yourself overwhelmed very much like we do sometimes, please remember that we provide a gift wrap service on all of our products. This is a charge that can be applied at check out, and you can include a personal card within your order. All you have to do is hand it over to your loved one! Don't forget we also sell gift cards for those fussy hard to buy people We know a few of those. We'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year and Thank you for all of your support in 2017.