Bird flu (avian influenza): housing your birds safely

Housing your birds reduces the risk of contact with wild birds, which can spread bird flu.

In England and Wales you must house your birds to protect them from bird flu.

In Scotland and Wales you may be in a disease control zone with housing measures.measures.

YouCheck mustthe followScottish strictgovernment biosecuritywebsite.

Check rulesthe toWelsh preventgovernment bird flu and stop it spreadingwebsite.

Welfare of housed birds

Housing your birds during a disease outbreak may impact the welfare of your birds, especially if they’re not used to being housed for long periods.

You are responsible for the welfare of your birds while they’re housed. You should:

• make sure they’re not overcrowded (check the recommendations and guidance for poultry)
• make sure they have natural light where possible - do not keep them permanently in the dark (during(artificial thelight day you should befollow abletypical today seeand yournight birdspatterns)
• make clearlysure andthere artificialis lightadequate shouldventilation follow– typicaladult daybirds andwill nighttolerate patterns)
• monitorlow thetemperatures temperaturebut insidemay thenot housingtolerate -high considertemperatures (consider installing a thermometer at bird level and do not allow temperatures to go significantly above 21°C21°C)
• make sure there is enough ventilation
• make sure they have enough food and fresh, clean water (clean(do water-drinkers frequently and do not use standing water as it may have been contaminated by wild birds)
• usekeep goodbird quality litter thatfresh crumbles easily - you can use damp-proof membranes for earth floors to help keep litter dry
• provide enrichment items to prevent boredomboredom, like strawscatter bales,feeds, shaving bales, low barriers, scattered whole grain, dustbathinglitter boxes,with grit, pecking blocks, straw bales, cabbages, rope and footballs
• check them more than once a day to make sure they’re healthy and have enough food, water and dry bedding
• avoid sudden changes to their diet – if inyou doubt,need speak to yourchange vettheir diet, mix old and new food through a transition period
• check for skin parasites like red mite – they can make birds irritable

Consider providing aerial perches for your birds. This helps prevent overcrowding and gives them:birds:

• more vertical space
• space to move away from pecking by other birds

In Scotland registered laying flocks must have aerial perches.

Welfare of pullets (young hens)

PulletsYou should beprovide rearedpullets inwith anconditions environmentlike thatthose matches the environment they willhad liveduring inlaying. as adults. If pullets are reared in a range and then confined, it increases the risk of injurious feather pecking.

Pullet suppliers should make any confinement history available to buyers.

Signs of poor welfare and boredom

Look out for:

• injurious and aggressive feather pecking
• lossredirected offoraging feathersbehaviour, such as pecking other birds
• loss of body weightcondition

If you see signs of feather pecking, you can:

• reduce the light (check(there theshould recommendationsstill andbe guidanceenough light for poultry)you to read a newspaper)
• provide more enrichment items tolike preventscratch boredomfeeds, straw bales, cabbages, rope and footballs
• include more whole oats, wheat, corn, alfalfa, maize, barley, pea, silage and carrots in their diet
• mash their food to increase eating time and keep your birds occupied
• add nutritional supplements to drinking water to help keep your birds calm

Get advice from your vet or check the FeatherWelFeatherwel website if you have any concerns about welfare.

If you’re a commercial keeper you can also use the benchmarking tool for feather loss from AssureWel and the British Egg Industry Council (BEIC).

Welfare of ducks, geese and game birds

You must house ducks and geese and game birds when possible.

If this is not practical, keep them in fully netted areas.

If you cannot house or fully net anyour outdoorbirds bird area because of unavoidable welfare concerns, you must:

• feed and water them undercover
• move them away from large bodies of water that attract wildfowl
• take steps to discourage wild birdsbirds, for example by using bird scarers such as scarecrows (before you use a bird scarer check the National Farmers’ Union code of practice)

You must also speak to your private vet and putset out in writing:

• why you cannot house your birds
• the steps you are taking to protect them from bird flu

You can use the example template (ODT, 20 KB).

Avoid keeping ducks and geese with other poultry. Ducks and geese often do not show any signs of disease but can still pass it on to other captive birds.

Ducks need access to open water like troughs and buckets. They use them to preen and immerse their heads to keep their eyes, nostrils, beaks and plumage healthy.

To help keep bedding dry, you can:

• put open water sources on raised, perforated plastic floors
• place a container underneath to catch any water that drips through

Wet bedding can increase the spread and severity of infectious diseases.

Duck housing needs more ventilation and temperature control than housing for other poultry. Adult ducks prefer lower temperatures (around 13°C) to other birds.

Planning permission for bird housing

Planning permission regulations are different for commercial poultry keepers and those who keep birds as pets. You mustshould always check with your local planning authority before you build any bird housing.

Find out about the planning system in England, Scotland and Wales.

You do not normally need planning permission for:

• simple structures like posts and netting
• temporary or mobile structures

Temporary structures could have solid walls and a roof, or you can use a polytunnel. Polytunnels can get very hot so will only be suitable in cool weather.

You can use existing buildings to house birds (such as barns, farm sheds, outbuildings, garages,garages garden sheds and verandas).garden sheds). Make sure there is adequate ventilation and light.

Check for and remove hazardous and toxic substances if garages and outbuildings are being used as temporary accommodation.

Cover gaps, openings or ranges (outside areas) with netting

If you’re in a zone where it is a legal requirement to house birds you should cover any gaps, openings in buildings or build a covered pen or net ranges (outside areas).

Netting can reduce the spread of disease if it stops wild birds getting into enclosed areas where you keep your birds but wild bird droppings can still be a risk.

You can also use nets to help protect birds that cannot easily be housed, such as ducks, geese and game birds.

If you choose to net outdoor areas, or it’s a legal requirement, you should:

• contact suppliers of bird netting for advice on equipment
• use netting with a maximum mesh size of 25mm (or 50mm if you live in an area likely to get heavy snow)
• stop wild birds perching on the roof and defecating through it – for example by using bird scarers, such as scarecrows
• use nets to cover light and ventilation gaps if you build temporary outdoor pens, for example using straw bales and a tarpaulin roof
• put a windbreak around netted areas to keep your birds safe from bad weather

You should check bird housing and nets regularly for any damage that may allow wild birds to get in.

More information on bird welfare

The rules on bird welfare vary across Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales).

In England follow poultry on farm welfare guidance.

In Scotland follow Scottish government guidance on animal welfare.

In Wales follow Welsh government guidance on animal welfare.