
The government have announced that all chickens must be contained in such a way that they cannot interact with wild birds. This effectively means that all chicken keepers on site will need to cover or provide a roof for their their runs. There have been a number of cases of avian influenza in both wild and captive birds in the UK and these measures come into force from December 14.
From the government website:
'The new housing measures, which will come into force on 14 December, mean that it will be a legal requirement for all bird keepers to keep their birds indoors and to follow strict biosecurity measures in order to limit the spread of and eradicate the disease.
Whether you keep just a few birds or thousands, from 14 December onwards you will be legally required to keep your birds indoors, or take appropriate steps to keep them separate from wild birds. We have not taken this decision lightly, but it is the best way to protect your birds from this highly infectious disease.'
For more information visit the Avian flu page on the government website.
From the government website:
'The new housing measures, which will come into force on 14 December, mean that it will be a legal requirement for all bird keepers to keep their birds indoors and to follow strict biosecurity measures in order to limit the spread of and eradicate the disease.
Whether you keep just a few birds or thousands, from 14 December onwards you will be legally required to keep your birds indoors, or take appropriate steps to keep them separate from wild birds. We have not taken this decision lightly, but it is the best way to protect your birds from this highly infectious disease.'
For more information visit the Avian flu page on the government website.