What to do if you keep birds

All bird keepers (even if you have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a garden flock) must keep a close watch on them for signs of disease. If you have concerns about the health of your birds, promptly seek advice from your vet.

The government has announced mandatory housing measures for all poultry and captive birds are in effect in all areas of England.

The housing measures legally require all bird keepers to keep their birds indoors and to follow stringent biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks from disease, regardless of type or size.

You should always register your poultry, even if you are keeping them as pets, this is so you can be contacted during an outbreak. This is a legal requirement if you have 50 or more birds.

Poultry including;

  • Chickens
  • Ducks
  • Turkeys
  • Geese
  • Pigeon (bred for meat)
  • Partridge
  • Quail
  • Guinea fowl
  • Pheasants

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