Clare IFA Chair Urges Bird Owners To Protect Themseleves And Their Flocks As Housing Order Takes Affect

The Clare County Chair of The Irish Farmers Association is encouraging bird owners to take steps to protect themselves along with their flocks. A National Housing Order for all poultry has come into effect today, following a bird flu outbreak at Fota Wildlife Park last month and a number of recorded cases in commercial turkey flocks in Carlow and Meath last week. The order means all flocks must be confined so they don't have access to other captive or wild birds, while poultry bred for meat will retain their free range labels for 12 weeks, with this extending to 16 weeks for eggs. Clare IFA County Chair and Feakle farmer, Stephen Walsh has been telling Clare FM's Darragh O'Grady that owners can impliment a number of changes to housing to best accomodate free range birds.