New poultry and kept bird registration rules: check now if you need to take action

New rules make it a legal requirement for everyone in Great Britain who keeps birds to register with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), even if the birds are kept as pets. Keepers must register, regardless of the size of their flock, before 1 October 2024 in England and Wales. 

These changes will improve the effectiveness of national disease control measures and better protect the poultry sector from future outbreaks of avian disease.      

By registering, keepers will receive important updates on any local disease outbreaks and biosecurity guidance to help protect their flocks. The information on the register will also allow for more effective surveillance work, meaning that disease control zones can be lifted at the earliest opportunity and trade can resume more quickly following an outbreak of avian disease in Great Britain.      

Registering as a keeper of less than 50 birds is can be done here.        

Please note: It remains a legal requirement to register as a keeper of 50 or more poultry or other captive birds. You can complete or update this registration here.    

Please contact Chris, our Agricultural Manager, if you have any queries on this topic.