29/10/2025
ATTENTION ALL BIRD KEEPERS
The government announced the following guidelines to bird keepers yesterday:
Due to a significant increase in AI cases in kept & wild birds, AIPZ with mandatory housing measures to protect poultry & captive birds will come into force from 00.01 on 30 October. This will apply to all keepers of over 50 birds & all keepers who sell or give away eggs or poultry products (even if they keep fewer than 50 birds) in: Cheshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Durham, East Riding of Yorks, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Merseyside, Norfolk, North Yorks, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Rutland, Shropshire, South Yorks, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Tyne and Wear and West Yorks. All keepers within these areas must house their birds and follow stringent biosecurity measures. If you fall into a protection zone outside of these areas, you must also house your birds. The AIPZ requiring mandatory biosecurity measures remains in place: www.gov.uk/bird-flu
The guidance states that keepers of less than 50 birds, who do not sell or give away eggs or poultry products, need not take any action. However, we know how much you love your birds. Small Holder Feed suggests that people with a backyard flock consider the best ways to protect their birds from possible further Avian Influenza outbreaks. You may wish to help protect your birds by following some simple suggestions:
• Keep wild birds away from your birds, minimise direct and indirect contact between poultry and captive birds with wild birds, including making sure all feed and water is not accessible to wild birds, you may wish to consider housing or netting all poultry and captive birds
• Clean and disinfect concrete areas and hard surfaces near your birds and thoroughly cleanse and disinfect housing regularly
• Remove any build-up of faeces or feathers, and use disinfectant to decontaminate your run/enclosure (choose an approved disinfectant suitable for outdoor areas)
• Expose any heavily contaminated areas to sunlight
• Fence off or cover standing water or ponds – these areas may be infected with wild bird faeces