Birds culled at farm due to health fears

Manor Farm Poultry, in Singleton, culled the ducks and cockerels last week amid health risks brought on by regulations stating all birds must be kept inside until the end of the month.

The farm, which boasts ‘a wide range of pure breed, rare breed and hybrid hens and cockerels’, falls under the prevention zone put in place by the government to stop bird flu spreading.

Farm owner Lynda Cole said: “We had to make a decision to cull over 100 birds as we just can’t house them, and it was becoming a health issue having some housed.

“It was a hard decision but it was the right decision based mainly on the welfare side of things, but it was heartbreaking how quiet the pens were today.”

Fellow bird lovers were quick to show their support.

Debbie Garner said: “I’m so sorry to hear this, it must be utterly heartbreaking.

“Well done to you for making such a selfless decision for the welfare of your birds.”

The farm is barely outside of the surveillance zone imposed by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural affairs, and is inside of one of many proposed ‘high risk’ areas.

Their cull comes less than two weeks after government vets ordered the killing of 63,000 pheasants, partridges and ducks at Hyfly Game Hatcheries in Pilling after an outbreak of bird flu on the farm.