UK Members Please Say HI

[Perris]

I just looked up the new H5N1 compulsory captive bird housing rules, and am delighted to see sense is prevailing at the APHA/ Defra, with clear recognition that small backyard flocks are not like and do not need to be treated like industrial chicken farms with tens of thousands birds packed together in vast sheds:

"AIPZ housing measures in England from 6 November 2025 and Wales from 13 November 2025​

Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) is in an avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ). By law you must follow strict biosecurity and hygiene rules to prevent bird flu and stop it spreading.

In the AIPZ in England and Wales there are mandatory housing measures which mean you may have to house your birds.

If you have more than 50 birds you must house them. This applies to all types of birds.

If you keep less than 50 birds and they are for your own use only (for example you do not sell or give away their eggs or meat), you do not have to house them.

If you keep less than 50 birds but you do sell or give away their eggs, poultry products or live birds, you must house them. These birds are known as ‘poultry’."
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/deleted-bird-flu-avian-influenza-latest-situation-in-england

I need just to not sell or donate eggs to comply; I do not need to force my free ranging and in some cases tree roosting chickens into confinement or under cover. Obviously heightened hygiene routines apply, but they are good practice anyway.

 

[BDutch]

If you keep less than 50 birds and they are for your own use only (for example you do not sell or give away their eggs or meat), you do not have to house them.

Lucky you. I’d wish we had these rules for small flocks too.

Besides I hope you have friends and family who come over on a regular basis for egg party diners. Or you need to make eggnog, and bake lots of waffles and cakes to sell to the community or give those away to family and friends.

Maybe this is not necessary now (in winter they lay few eggs anyway) but this bird flu probably will not come to an end before the laying season starts. Last year we had rules and regulations till the 4th of Juli in the centre of the Netherlands (chicken industry region) because the authorities kept finding wild birds with AI. https://www.avined.nl/nieuws/ophokplicht-gelderse-vallei-ingetrokken-per-04-07-2025
You can read it in English with Google translate. Just select the text and choose translate.