Published: Wednesday, fourth January 2023
It is now a legal requirement for all bird keepers in the UK to follow rigorous biosecurity procedures to help safeguard their animals from the risk of bird influenza.
As of Monday 7 November 2022, the United Kingdom’s Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss revealed the intro of the “National Housing Order”. The order has actually been presented following the biggest ever break out of bird influenza in the UK in 2021, where the extremely contagious illness was discovered on some business facilities and in wild birds.
This implies that bird keepers need to keep all birds inside at all times. This consists of anybody in Royal Greenwich who owns any poultry, consisting of chickens, ducks and geese with flock smaller sized than 500, in addition to personal aviaries and individuals who own birds that they keep in their gardens, such as peacocks.
Stringent biosecurity determines to help safeguard flocks from the illness, despite type or size, need to likewise be followed. Keepers with more than 500 birds need to limit gain access to for non-essential individuals on their websites, employees will require to alter clothes and shoes prior to getting in bird enclosures and website lorries will require to be cleaned up and sanitized frequently to restrict the danger of the illness dispersing.
Despite the boost in bird influenza, effectively prepared poultry and poultry items, consisting of eggs, are safe to consume.
Councillor Ann-Marie Cousins, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Enforcement said: “The boost in bird influenza in the UK will be extremely fretting for our regional bird owners and keepers. But there are actions you can require to safeguard your flocks from this dreadful illness.
“Please make sure you are following the enhanced requirements to keep all our birds in the borough safe.”
What actions do you require to take?
If you are a bird owner, you require to ensure that you:
- Register your birds
- Keep your birds far from other slave and wild birds
- Prevent contact with wild birds
- Maintain bird homes and sheds
- Fence off or cover standing water and ponds
- Control rodents and insects
- Clean and sanitize housing
- Use tidy clothes and shoes, and foot dips
- Limit and control access to your birds
- Keep records of bird motions, deaths and eggs.
Read more about protecting your flock from avian flu.
Signs of bird influenza
Birds contaminated with the most major stress of bird influenza, called extremely pathogenic bird influenza (HPAI), generally reveal some (or all) of the following indications, however some birds can reveal no signs at all.
- Sudden death
- Swollen head
- Closed and runny eyes
- Lethargy and anxiety
- Lying down and unresponsiveness
- Lack of coordination
- Eating less than normal
- Lethargy
- Sudden boost or reduce in water intake
- Head and body shaking
- Drooping of the wings
- Dragging of legs
- Twisting of the head and neck
- Swelling and blue discolouration of comb and wattles
- Haemorrhages and soreness on shanks of the legs and under the skin of the neck
- Breathing problems such as open (mouth breathing), nasal snicking (coughing noise), sneezing, gurgling or rattling
- Fever or visible boost in body temperature level
- Discoloured or loose watery droppings
- Stop or substantial drop in egg production.
If you think bird influenza in poultry or other captive birds, you need to report it right away by calling 03000 200 301. Members of the general public can report ill or hurt wild birds to the RSPCA by calling 0300 1234 999.
What to do if you discover a dead bird
Call DEFRA on 03459 33 55 77 if you discover:
- several dead birds of victim
- 3 or more dead gulls or wild waterfowl (swans, geese and ducks)
- 5 or more dead birds of any types
You do not require to report any other discovered dead wild birds. Bird influenza is not a notifiable illness in wild birds. Do not touch or get a dead or noticeably ill wild bird.
Disposing of dead wild birds
For dealing with dead wild birds on public land, call the Council. Do not touch or get a dead or noticeably ill wild bird on public land. If you discover little numbers of dead garden birds at your home (domestic home just), follow the rigorous directions on bagging them and after that you can dispose of them in your household or municipal waste bin, or you can bury them.
