Bird flu (avian influenza): how to prevent it and stop it spreading

You must follow this guidance to prevent bird flu and stop it spreading.

The main causes of bird flu in poultry and other captive birds are contact with:

• wild birds, in particular waterfowl such as geese, ducks,ducks and swans and gulls
• faeces from infected birds
• dirty footwear, clothing,clothing and vehicles and equipment

You can speak to your vet about the specific risks to your birds. They can give you advice about practical things you can do to reduce the risk of disease.

Register as a keeper of birds

You must register within one month of keeping poultry or other captive birds at any premises.premises in England or Wales. You’re breaking the law if you don’t register. 

Register as a keeper of: 

• less than 50 poultry or other captive birds 

• 50 or more poultry or other captive birds 

You must also update your kept bird record annually, or sooner if the size of your flock increases (or decreases) by 20% or more, or for other major changes.

Registering means the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) can contact you during a bird flu outbreak. 

If you keep ‘schedule 4’ birds of prey, you also need to register each bird. Find out about registering captive birds of prey.

Keep your birds away from other captive and wild birds

Keep ducks and geese in a separate pen or building away from other birds.

Ducks and geese do not always show signs of bird flu. This means they can quickly pass it on to other birds, such as chickens or turkeys.

Do not let poultry or captive birds from neighbouring sites or properties near your birds.

Prevent contact with wild birds

Wild birds can spread bird flu. Your birds can get infected if they they:

• mix with wild birds (direct contact).

  Theycontact)

• are canexposed alsoto get infected through exposure to:
  • wild bird faeces, feathers or carcassescarcases (indirect contact)

  Your birds’ food, water, housing orwater, equipment,housing ifor itequipment iscan be contaminated by direct or indirect contact

contact.

Make your birdproperty areasor premises unattractive to wild birds. You can use:

• bird deterrents such as scarecrows (for(you responsiblecan use check the National Farmers’ Union code of practice)
• spike strips to stop perching
• foils or streamers (narrow strips of material used for decoration)

Check outside areas around your birds’ housing daily.daily Removeand remove wild bird faeces, feathers and carcasses.bird:

• faeces
• feathers
• carcasses

Keep food, water and bedding in covered, enclosed areas,areas so wild birds and rodents cannot access them.

If bedding (such as straw and shavings) isare stored outside itthey must be covered. OnlyUnwrap takethe clean bedding inside the bird house – disinfect the wrapping before takingyou take it intoinside the birds’bird accommodation.house Do– notonly usetake anyclean bedding with damaged wrapping for your birds.inside.

Regularly change birdthe feedingtimes times.you feed your birds. Wild birds can learn when itpoultry isand feedingother timecaptive birds are fed and gather in the area.

Maintain bird houses and sheds

To maintain your birds’ housing:

• prevent wild birds nesting or roosting on it
• repair any holes or gaps to stop wild birds and rodents getting in
• fix leaks andto stop contaminated water getting in
• fix blocked drains or downpipes to stop contaminated water getting in
• remove moss from the roof – it attracts wild birds

Follow guidance to manage your birds’ housing and welfare.

If your birds are not housed

You must:

• keep birds in fenced or netted outdoor areas – follow guidance about netting outdoor areas
• prevent your birds accessing standing water – you can use netting to cover it (this does not apply in zoos)
• keep food and water in covered, enclosed areas thatso wild birds and rodents cannot access them
• clean and disinfect all hard surfacessurfaces, and concrete walkways, paths and similar surfaces regularly using a Defra-approved disinfectant
• check your birds’ area regularly tofor remove contamination suchfrom as wild birdbirds and remove it – for example, faeces, feathers or carcasses
• usediscourage wild birds by using bird deterrents,scarers, such as scarecrows

KeepFence groupsoff ofor birdscover separatestanding water and ponds

KeepIf ducksyou andhave geeseopen inwater aon separateyour penpremises orfence buildingit awayoff fromand otherwhere possible cover it with netting to discourage wild birds. Water and wild birds can carry disease.

Control rodents and pests

DucksRats and geesemice docan notcarry alwaysdiseases showon signstheir offeet birdand flu.fur. ThisEffective meanspest theycontrol canwill quicklyprevent passdiseases.

Control itrats onor tomice otherwith birds.an approved rodenticide .

DoWhen notusing letrodenticide poultrymake orsure captiveit birdsdoes fromnot neighbouringrisk premisesthe nearhealth of your birds.

Fence offRead oradvice coverfor standingrodent watercontrol and ponds

the safe use of rodenticide.

IfWild youanimals havesuch openas waterfoxes onand yourdogs, premisescats fenceand itother offlivestock andcan wherealso possiblecarry coverdiseases iton withtheir nettingfeet toand discouragefur. wildKeep birds.them Wateraway canfrom carryyour disease.birds’ housing and food supplies.

Clean and disinfect housing

Keep your premises and birds’ housing clean at all times.

Clean and disinfect regularly:

• hard surfaces
• equipment,equipment such as wheelbarrows, crates, containers, buckets and plastic egg trays
• vehicles (to stop disease spreading between premises)

When using disinfectant you must:

• use the approvedcorrect dilutionvolume rate listed forand diseasesconcentration of poultry,disinfectant, following the manufacturer’s instructions
• follow the manufacturer’s recommended dilution rate
• apply pollution prevention measures to stop excessive disinfectant runoff

Keep all areas and access routes clean

This helps to stop wild birds and animals:

• being attracted to your property or premises
• entering buildings and stores

It will also reduce the risk of vehicles becoming contaminated.

Use clean clothing and footwear, and foot dips

You must wear clean clothingfootwear and footwearclothing when you enter bird housing.

If you have more than one bird house you shouldmust have dedicated clothing or overalls for each house.

To enteraccess the bird househousing in clean footwear, you must either:do one of the following:

• use a Defra-approved disinfectant foot dip before you enter and when you step out of the bird housing
• keep theusing foota dipDefra-approved underdisinfectant cover– andthis should be at least ankle deep,deep and under cover so it’s not diluted by rainwater,rain contaminated by organic matter (such as leaves), or exposed to UV light
• use dedicated footwear which stays inside the bird housing,housing leaving– leave your general footwear outside

Do not walk on ground outside the bird housing in your disinfected or dedicated footwear.

Control rodents and pests

Rats and mice can carry diseases on their feet and fur. Effective pest control will reduce the chances of diseases infecting your birds.

Control rats or mice with an approved rodenticide, while making sure it does not risk the health of your birds. Read advice for rodent control and the safe use of rodenticide.

Wild animals such as foxes and dogs, cats and other livestock can also carry diseases on their feet and fur. Keep them away from your birds’ housing and food supplies.

Limit and control access to your birds

The risk of disease can increase whenif morelots of people have access to your birds. Limit access to your birds to essential visitors only.

Keep a record of all the people that visit and leave your birds’ housing.housing Record:

• names
• (names, contact details
• dates
• details, dates, times
• and purpose offor the visit

visit). This does not apply to zoos.

You can use records to contact people if you get a confirmed case of bird flu or Newcastle disease.

Zoos do not need to record individual visitors to the zoo, but must record all the keepers that have contact with the birds. Record:

• names
• contact details
• dates

Protecting the welfare of your birds

You are responsible for the welfare of your birds.

When they need to be housed,housed make sure they are calm and comfortable.

Read about how to manage your birds’ housing and welfare.

Adding new birds to your flock

If you buy new birds, always check their health before you bring them to your property.

WhenKeep adding new birds to your flock, you must:

• keep them separate from the rest of yourthe flockflock. by
• put them inTalk housingto thatyour hasvet beenabout cleanedthis and disinfected
• use separateagree equipmenta formonitoring eachprogramme.

  You groupmust ofput new birds

• change into cleanin coverallshousing orthat overallshas been cleaned and footweardisinfected.

  Use separate equipment when you gohandle between new birds andor yourisolated existing flock

flocks.

If possible, have differenthave different people to handle thehandle new birdsbirds. -If if thisthis is not possible, handlepossible handle the new birds last.

TalkYou tomust yourchange vetinto aboutclean thisclothes and agreefootwear awhen monitoringyou programme.

Rulesgo forbetween birdnew showsbirds and gatherings

your existing flock.

CheckIf theyou rules for bird gatherings.keep: 

• Youless mustthan meet50 allpoultry theor conditionsother ofcaptive thebirds, birdyou gatheringmust licence,tell including notifying APHA atwithin leastone 7month daysif beforeyou thestart event.

  Keepkeeping records50 ofor birdmore movements, deaths and eggs

  Keep daily records of:birds 

  • any birds that die
  • movements

    50 ofor birdsmore andpoultry eggs,or onother andcaptive offbirds, youryou premises,must withtell dates,APHA numberswithin andone contactmonth detailsif of the originsize orof destination premises

  • your birds’flock foodincreases and(or waterdecreases) consumption
  • howby many20% or eggs your birds producemore

  Damaged

  Read eggs,more deadabout birdsregistration andrequirements manure

  Damagedas eggs,a deadkeeper birdsof: 

  • less andthan manure50 canpoultry carryor disease.other Disposecaptive ofbirds 

  • 50 themor quicklymore andpoultry appropriately.or Followother guidancecaptive for:birds

    • how

    Rules tofor use,bird storeshows orand movegatherings

    Check poultrythe manurerules for bird gatherings

  • fallen.

    You stockmust andtell safeAPHA disposalif ofyou’re deadholding animals

  a bird gathering.

  If your premises has over 500 birds

  There are extra requirements you need to follow to keep your birds and premises safe from disease.

  You must separate your premises into 3 different parts:

  1. Poultry or captive birds (live birds): in the Lion Code this area is known as the ‘specific’ area, and in Red Tractor this is a ‘bird‘defined biosecure area’.
  2. Private use: in the Lion Code this area is known as the ‘general’ area, and in Red Tractor this is a ‘general‘defined biosecure area’.
  3. Restricted access (biosecure barrier).

  Rules for the live bird part

  You must:

  • restrict access to essential authorised personnel only
  • make sure all bird keepers change their footwear before entering and leaving
  • use different coveralls or overalls for each bird area or house
  • only allow essential equipment and vehicles to enter
  • clean and disinfect the outside of any vehiclesvehicles, including strawchoppers, forklifts and pallet trolleys (particularly wheels and wheel arches) when entering and leaving
  • clean and disinfect equipment that enters or leaves
  • keep records of any vehicles and personnel that enter and leave

  You must clean and disinfect housing and equipment at the end of a production cycle and when new birds are introduced.

  Rules for the private part

  You must:

  • restrict access to essential personnel only
  • carry out full biosecurity practices when entering and leaving
  • have a clear boundary between the private part and the live bird part
  • hold waste and fallen stock in biosecure facilities in this part, completely separate from the live bird and the restricted access biosecure part
  • clean and disinfect the exterior of any vehiclesvehicles, including fork-lifts and pallet trolleys (particularly wheels and wheel arches) when entering and leaving

  Egg producers should:

  • separate eggsmake whichsure arethe crackedpacking, orhandling leakingand (secondstorage qualityof eggs)second fromquality clean,eggs wholeare eggsmanaged (firstin qualitya eggs)biosecure way
  • storeclean first and seconddisinfect qualityplastic eggsegg intrays separatebefore areasthey’re used
  • onlykeep userecords aof dryegg clothproduction

  Rules for cleaning

the restricted access (biosecure barrier) part

You must:

• whenrestrict handlingaccess eggsto useessential disposablepersonnel glovesonly
• not orlet thoroughlyany cleannon-essential handsvehicles enter
• cleannot andfeed disinfectwild equipmentgame birds within 500m of this part of the premises

All bird keepers must regularly inspect bird housing including plasticroofs, egggutters traysand beforedownpipes usefor holes and leaks.

Repair any holes or leaks immediately. Water can carry disease.

Keep records of bird movements, deaths and eggs

Keep records of:

• any birds that die
• domovements notof reusebirds cardboardand containerseggs, foron secondand qualityoff eggsyour aspremises
• your theybirds’ dofood notand sanitisewater wellconsumption
• keephow recordsmany ofeggs eggyour productionbirds produce

Rules

Damaged foreggs, thedead restrictedbirds accessand (biosecure barrier) part

manure

YouThese must:can carry disease. Dispose of them quickly and appropriately. Follow guidance for:

• restricthow access to essentialuse, personnelstore andor vehiclesmove onlypoultry manure
• notfallen feedstock wildand gamesafe birdsdisposal withinof 500mdead ofanimals this(England)
• fallen partstock ofguidance the(Scotland)
• fallen premisesstock guidance (Wales)

Bird flu vaccinations

Poultry and most captive birds cannot be vaccinated against bird flu. Vaccination is not a routine measure to control the disease.

Zoo birds in England can be vaccinated, but you must get authorisation from APHA.

Read the bird flu vaccination guidance and apply to have your zoo birds vaccinated.

Protecting people from bird flu

Bird flu mainly affects birds. It can on very rare occasions affect humans and other mammals. The UK Health Security Agency advise that the current risk tofrom thethis UKbird humanflu populationstrain is very low.

The Food Standards Agency advise that it is safe to eat properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs.

For more advice go to the:

• NHS website
• UK Health Security Agency website

Follow Health and Safety Executive advice to protect workers from bird flu.

Download biosecurity checklist and posters

If you’re in an AIPZ, complete the self-assessment checklist to make sure you’re meeting the minimum standards to protect your birds against bird flu.

Representatives from APHA or local authorities may ask for it if you are in an AIPZ and they inspect your premises.

You can download posters about biosecurity requirements for bird keepers to help keep your birds safe.

Landowners, local authorities and other organisations can download and print bird flu posters to display on site when there is a risk of bird flu or if bird has been detected in the area.