Bird Flu Possibilities

[Cookham Webmaster]

Tom Copas, the turkey farmer in Cookham, has expressed serious concern about bird flu coming to our area.  You may have read or heard this morning that there are already cases in East Anglia.  He has asked for the local community to support Kings Coppice Farm to encourage walkers, ramblers and local people to avoid walking through the turkey fields on the footpath by walking around the outside, or by avoiding the fields altogether. This helps reduce the risk of infection. Some if you may already have noticed, if you walk in the Cookham Dean woods, that there are antiseptic foot baths at the edge of the fields.

As you have probably seen on the news, bird flu is absolutely devastating so please can people help our farmers and stay away from the turkeys.

[Birdman]

Most cases have been in East Anglia or other remote counties, but an outbreak at Faringdon, Oxon is worryingly nearby!

[Cookham Webmaster]

The current status can be seen on the government website:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu?fbclid=IwAR3XfGJ4QUnCcynB_245vzh72UECpvuhnE3BS8Y8O5qD7ABhxshaTF8sOHU

[Cookham Webmaster]

Bird Flu is still spreading throughout the UK and Copas Turkey Farm is asking the public to be considerate when visiting Kings Coppice Farm to minimise the risk. Temporary voluntary footpath diversions have been put in place around the turkeys, rather than through the usual footpaths, and people are asked to dip their feet when entering. With some fellow poultry farms suffering huge losses already this season, all help is much appreciated.

Copas Turkeys are now housing a large number of their turkeys in barns to try to minimise the risk of bird flu getting to the flock. Mortality rates can be 85% of the flock if it hits so it's crucial we do everything we can to avoid it. Some other UK poultry farmers have lost their flocks.