New chicken lock-down announced

Due to outbreaks of bird flu in the UK, DEFRA have announced that all poultry must be kept indoors, or in enclosed runs, starting on Monday 29th November. Having had no cases of bird flu in the UK previously, there were cases and a subsequent lock-down in winter 2016, then again in winter 2020, and now in winter 2021. Because of this we are no longer allowed to have people visiting our chicken sheds or field, except those of us on official chicken-care duties (feeding, collecting eggs, mucking out etc...). We expect this situation to last for 16 weeks. On Tuesday 30th we will be constructing enclosed runs for each of our three chicken sheds, to allow them access to the outside, but in a safe place where wild birds cannot enter.