Do you keep poultry or other birds?

Defra has confirmed that the threshold for mandatory registration on the GB Poultry Register will be reduced from 50 birds to 1, and all poultry keepers will need to review their entry every year. The deadline is 1 Oct 2024.

New measures to better protect the poultry sector from future avian influenza outbreaks were set out by the Government in March 2024.

Under the changes announced there will be new requirements for all bird keepers - regardless of the size of their flock - to officially register their birds. Currently only those who keep 50 or more poultry must do so, limiting the effectiveness of our national disease control measures.

By registering their birds, keepers will ensure they receive important updates relevant to them, such as on any local avian disease outbreaks and information on biosecurity rules to help protect their flocks.

This will help to manage potential disease outbreaks, such as avian influenza and Newcastle disease, and limit any spread.

The information on the register will also be used to identify all bird keepers in disease control zones, allowing for more effective surveillance, so that zones can be lifted at the earliest possible opportunity and trade can resume more quickly following an outbreak of avian disease in Great Britain.

The changes come following the UK's worst ever outbreak of avian influenza, with more than 360 cases across Great Britain since late October 2021, including in a significant number of backyard flocks. (source:Gov.uk)

It is already compulsory to register if you keep 50 or more of the following kinds of birds-

• chickens
• turkeys
• aviary birds
• birds of prey
• cassowaries
• ducks
• emus
• geese
• guinea fowls
• kiwis
• ostriches
• partridges
• pheasants
• pigeons
• psittacines (for example parrots, budgies and cockatiels)
• quails
• rheas

If you keep birds, even just one off the list above, please ensure you have registered them by October 2024.