5m – Poultry

Poultry breeders and pet bird breeders are invited to prepare for the threat of bird flu in winter

Mar 27 Nov 2018

Chief veterinarians in the UK are encouraging all poultry farmers to take action now to reduce the risk of illness during the winter.

Since June 2017, there has been no detection of avian influenza in poultry or farmed birds in the UK and the UK has retained its OIE free status since September 2017.

There are simple steps that all bird bearers, that they operate a large commercial farm, keeping a few birds in their backyard or raising game birds, should take to protect their animals from the flu threat Avian during the next winter months. These included:

• Keep the area where birds live clean and tidy, control rats and mice and regularly disinfect hard surfaces. Clean shoes before and after visits.
• Place food and bird water in fully enclosed areas, protected from wild birds, and regularly remove spilled food.
• Install fences around the outside areas where birds are allowed and limit their access to ponds or areas visited by wild waterfowl.
• Whenever possible, avoid keeping ducks and geese with other species of poultry.
• For poultry farmers from England, Wales and Scotland, subscribe to a free APHA service to receive text or e-mail alerts about avian influenza outbreaks in the UK . In Northern Ireland, all bird breeders are encouraged to subscribe to a free text alert service by simply sending a text message "BIRDS" to 67300.

These measures are especially important if you are in or near one of the high-risk areas in Britain. You can check if you are in a high-risk area or not using our interactive maps.

A joint statement from the four Chief Veterinary Officers of the United Kingdom today said:

"Avian flu continues to circulate in many parts of the world and, with the coldest months, the risk of disease from migratory birds is increasing. It is essential that all poultry farmers, including game birds and pet birds, now act to reduce the risk of transmission of bird flu to their flocks.

"Good biosecurity must be maintained at all times, including regularly cleaning and disinfecting the area where you keep the birds and separating them from wild birds as much as possible.

"Holders should also be sure to register on the Great Britain Poultry Register and we are pleased that new forms are now in place to streamline this process. Holders of Northern Ireland must register their birds on the DAERA Bird Register. This can now be completed and submitted online. "

All of Britain's bird breeders also need to register their birds on the Great Britain Poultry Register (GBPR). If you have 50 or more birds, it is a legal requirement, although holders of less than 50 birds are also strongly encouraged to register. New, streamlined and user-friendly forms will speed up the process this year.

In Northern Ireland, all bird holders are required by law to record each bird in the DAERA Bird Register, with the exception of pet birds kept at their owner's home.

The registration of your birds means that the government can contact you in case of outbreak and provide you with information on the steps to take to limit the risk of infection of your birds.

Last winter, the H5N6 HPAI avian influenza strain was only detected in wild birds and no outbreaks were seen in domestic birds, either on commercial farms or on small farms. Although no discoveries have been reported in the UK since June 2018, the virus still circulates in wild birds from northern Europe (including Denmark and Germany) and caused outbreaks in poultry. In addition, the HPAI H5N8 virus continues to circulate in Eastern Europe, highlighting the need to remain vigilant.

The government continues to monitor cases of avian influenza and collaborates with the poultry and game bird industries; Repatriation of chickens and pure and traditional poultry raise stakeholders to help prevent incursions.

Further reading

You can visit the bird flu page by clicking here.