We’re all aware of the devastating impact avian influenza or bird flu has had on the poultry industry in recent years. Outbreaks have occurred regularly, with the past year identifying nearly 300 cases in captive birds across the UK, which was a record. 

Bird flu can be spread when wild birds come into contact with our captive birds, either directly or indirectly through exposure to infected faeces, feathers or carcasses. In order to protect our captive birds from infection, biosecurity measures such as mandatory housing of birds are put in place.

Following a ‘cross governmental consultation’ it was announced that birds, of whatever sized flocks, will now HAVE to register their poultry by the first of October 2024.

The Government’s Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) says that by registering, they “will be able to contact keepers if there’s a disease outbreak (such as bird flu or Newcastle Disease) in their area. Improving communication and ensuring keepers receive important updates on disease outbreaks and information on biosecurity rules will help protect flocks from future disease outbreaks, which in turn will assist in monitoring the control and spread of notifiable avian diseases in Wales and across the UK.”

So, if you have a few hens in the backyard for your fresh eggs in the morning, you’ll have to register. The regulation extends to poultry including chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, pigeons (bred for meat), partridge, ratites, guinea fowl and pheasants. However, pet birds such as budgies, parrots and similar species that are housed within homes with no outside access are exempt from the new registration. 

It all sounds well and good, but in reality will the administration and policing of the new rules outweigh any meaningful strides in biosecurity?

Do we really think that identifying and ensuring that every backyard bird keeper complies with this new regulation and annually updates their records is a meaningful use of taxpayers money? 

On top of being a nearly impossible task to ensure that every flock is registered, it deduces the intention of the regulation as meaningless bureaucracy. Worryingly, responsibility for policing the regulation will be laid at the door of Wales’ already under resourced local authorities. 

Back to the task in hand, to ensure you adhere to this new regulation, you can voluntarily register flocks or other captive birds, including any pets before the first of October by;