WHEN it comes to the short and often wet and windy days of winter it makes sense to lessen the work of looking after the poultry as much as you can.

This not only includes having the birds in as labour free environment as possible but also preparing them now so that they get through the winter period as healthy as possible.

Making sure they are fit enough to withstand the colder months is vitally important. Any coughs, wheezes or sneezes should be dealt with straight away. A specialist poultry veterinary surgeon has told me that this year has been very bad for respiratory problems, with the wet but mild - yes, it was supposed to be summer - conditions allowing bacteria and viruses to thrive. If any birds are verging on respiratory problems it is so important to treat them before the shorter days. Once housed for longer periods the ailments are likely to worsen and spread faster to other birds.

Check the birds over by handling each one and this will give a good idea as to whether they are truly flourishing or not. Feathers can hide a multitude of problems, from a loss of weight to parasites. If the breast bone is very prominent and there is little flesh on the breast then something is causing the bird to be in such a poor condition. Even if the bird is moulting - and some can go into the moult quite late in the year - it is still possible to recognise the difference between a fit bird that is just featherless from one that is ailing, in which case the moult is possibly the last challenge they need.

At this time of the year it is as well to carry out a thorough worming and parasite control. There are various treatments on the market but Flubenvet and Solubenol are currently the only licensed wormers for poultry. Both are prescription only medicines available from a veterinary practice or a specially qualified person - such as an agricultural merchant who has taken the necessary qualifications for selling such medicines over the counter. Some pour-ons are also used at the owners own risk but can be very effective for internal and external parasites. An important point when worming is to thoroughly clean out all the housing litter at the same time because there are likely to be worm eggs just waiting to be ingested again and your efforts of worming the birds will have been wasted if this isn't done. A basic farm animal louse powder will deal with fleas and lice immediately and anti-mite sprays, some of which are for cage birds are very effective for Northern mite.

Rid housing of Red mite

It is not just the birds themselves that need an inspection and clean-up. Before the weather turns too damp housing should be thoroughly cleaned and sprayed against Red mite. These parasites can cause a great deal of harm by hiding in nooks and crannies of the hen house and then crawling onto the birds at night to feed off them. They are very small but can often been seen in the early morning - little red specks dashing away to hide once light is upon them. By feeding off the birds' blood they can soon debilitate the birds by causing anaemia and if nothing is done this will eventually cause death. Several good Red mite treatments are now available and any poultry merchant will give advice on the most suitable for your situation.

As well as preparing the housing for winter also think about its location. What can be grassy and dry in the summer can often become a muddy quagmire in the winter, so any mobile units should be moved to drier ground before the need to do so arises. Mud is very bad for poultry, for it not only causes welfare problems with caked feet and feathers but bacteria thrive in mud, so it is better to try to eliminate any possible health risks by keeping the birds on a hard, drier surface or completely housed.

Although many poultry keepers like to see poultry outside during the day, when it is pouring down with rain or blowing a gale the birds are really better off inside. As long as there is sufficient room for them along with adequate ventilation they will probably be much happier in the dry surroundings.

When the light disappears in mid-afternoon it might well be preferable to have poultry housed, especially if you are working and cannot return home until after dark. If housed this immediately eliminates any concerns about whether or not the poultry will be safe until your return to see to them.

Waterfowl are more of a problem because it is difficult to house them completely without welfare problems. However, a contained wire run with roof connected to the housing should provide a safer area for them until they are shut in for the night that is, unless there is someone available to see to them for you.

Reducing the number of birds you have might also be worthwhile. There may be hens that are too old for the pot or ones that by the following spring would not be very productive egg-layers either.

Those kept as pets obviously have less of a cost priority but their welfare should still take priority and a thorough check up for any signs of ailing would be useful. However, if the birds are being kept commercially then there is little point in paying for their upkeep over the winter for them then to be of little value later on.

Eliminate any bullies in your flock. All birds create a pecking order and on the whole they will cope with that as long as there is not a bully amongst them. You can often pick out a victimised bird that tries to keep out of trouble and who will go off and find some space of its own.

However, this only works if the area in which they are kept is large enough to do this. Once they are housed in less spacious surroundings a bully can cause misery on a grand scale. The victim will eventually become frightened to eat, lose condition, become nervy and depressed and eventually get to the point where it wastes away.

Surplus males, such as cockerels and drakes should also be dealt with. Too many males will be bad news for the females in the spring so decide on the ones that should be kept and despatch or sell the others. You may not have an option but to despatch them though as not many auctions allow cockerels only to be sold. Having decided that some need to go, do not attempt to despatch them yourself unless you have been trained.

There are courses held by various training organisations around the country, including the Humane Slaughter Association, who also publish the booklet "Practical Slaughter of Poultry - a guide for the small producer," price £2 - Humane Slaughter Association, The Old Schools, Brewhouse Hill, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, AL4 8AN Tel: 01582 831919 E-mail: info@hsa.org.uk.

Have a day out with poultry

On a much lighter note I really do recommend a visit to one of the big national poultry shows that are held in December. The Poultry Club of Great Britain organises the National Poultry Show, which is held on December 1 and 2 at Stoneleigh Park, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.

Another is the National Federation of Poultry Club's Championship Show on December 15 and 16 in the Bingley Hall at the Showground, Stafford. Both these shows will have between 6-7,000 birds on show of over 100 different breeds of large fowl, bantams, waterfowl and turkeys. If you are thinking of starting up in poultry or looking for a different breed to keep either of these shows would be well worth attending.