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The obligation to keep poultry and other bird species in place is back in force in the Netherlands since yesterday. This is all due to the increasing number of cases of bird flu. Even hobbyists with a handful of chickens should keep their animals in the coop. “You want to give them space, but that’s no longer possible,” says chicken lover Arie van ‘t Klooster.
The obligation to keep a house also makes amateurs distraught – NH Nieuws
The timing of the obligation to keep the cages is therefore very unsuitable for Gooise poultry enthusiasts. This weekend the annual ‘Kleindierenshow’ was planned in Eemnes. A place where breeders can exhibit their hens, rabbits and pigeons. “There won’t be any chickens there this year,” says Ben Makker of the Gooise Poultry and Small Animal Breeder Association (GPKV), which also organized the show.
A difficult task for the passionate Arie: “It means a lot to me. You are busy all year round spoiling the chickens, especially for the show. It feels like your hobby is being taken away from you.”
bird flu
This is not the first time that hobbyist chickens have had to stay indoors. Last June, the last confinement obligation was lifted. The enthusiasts themselves are also very cautious. “You can carry it with your shoes,” says Ben Makker. For example, infected goose droppings could spread the virus. “I have different shoes at home for the front yard and for the back yard. It would be a disaster if my chickens got bird flu.”
“For professionals, all this is much worse”
Although Ben also quickly relativizes the situation for the amateur: “For professionals, all of this is much worse. Families with children who really suffer from such an obligation of confinement, or worse: an epidemic.”
Shows
The show scheduled for this weekend in Eemnes will continue, but of course without hens. “It will be a lot quieter,” Ben says with a laugh. To accommodate chicken lovers, there is a digital inspection of their livestock. “It’s very important for a farmer to have their chickens inspected from time to time,” says Ben. “It’s definitely different, so digital, but it’s a solution.”
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