UK Members Please Say HI

[Perris]

I just looked up the new H5N1 compulsory captive bird housing rules, and am delighted to see sense is prevailing at the APHA/ Defra, with clear recognition that small backyard flocks are not like and do not need to be treated like industrial chicken farms with tens of thousands birds packed together in vast sheds:

"AIPZ housing measures in England from 6 November 2025 and Wales from 13 November 2025​

Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) is in an avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ). By law you must follow strict biosecurity and hygiene rules to prevent bird flu and stop it spreading.

In the AIPZ in England and Wales there are mandatory housing measures which mean you may have to house your birds.

If you have more than 50 birds you must house them. This applies to all types of birds.

If you keep less than 50 birds and they are for your own use only (for example you do not sell or give away their eggs or meat), you do not have to house them.

If you keep less than 50 birds but you do sell or give away their eggs, poultry products or live birds, you must house them. These birds are known as ‘poultry’."
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/deleted-bird-flu-avian-influenza-latest-situation-in-england

I need just to not sell or donate eggs to comply; I do not need to force my free ranging and in some cases tree roosting chickens into confinement or under cover. Obviously heightened hygiene routines apply, but they are good practice anyway.

 

[BDutch]

If you keep less than 50 birds and they are for your own use only (for example you do not sell or give away their eggs or meat), you do not have to house them.

Lucky you. I’d wish we had these rules for small flocks too.

Besides I hope you have friends and family who come over on a regular basis for egg party diners. Or you need to make eggnog, and bake lots of waffles and cakes to sell to the community or give those away to family and friends.

Maybe this is not necessary now (in winter they lay few eggs anyway) but this bird flu probably will not come to an end before the laying season starts. Last year we had rules and regulations till the 4th of Juli in the centre of the Netherlands (chicken industry region) because the authorities kept finding wild birds with AI. https://www.avined.nl/nieuws/ophokplicht-gelderse-vallei-ingetrokken-per-04-07-2025
You can read it in English with Google translate. Just select the text and choose translate.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

Hi everyone!
I have a surplus of English dark cuckoo Marans hatching eggs, if anyone would like some posting, feel free to dm me!

 

[kattabelly]

I don't think it was posted here at the time, but with the turkey HPAI vaccination trial being in the news here last week I thought this report published by the vaccination task force last year might be interesting reading for some people who haven't already seen it. It gives some background to the current vaccination situation and the reasoning behind it.

 

[Marie2020]

Hello

I have never shared my location online but I am in uk. So I just dropped in to introduce myself.

Due to health conditions I had to stop keeping chickens. But the way this world is going, I think I will have to start again soon later this year

My old girl's

 

[Perris]

I don't think it was posted here at the time, but with the turkey HPAI vaccination trial being in the news here last week I thought this report published by the vaccination task force last year might be interesting reading for some people who haven't already seen it. It gives some background to the current vaccination situation and the reasoning behind it.

There was an interesting discussion about it on Farming today (Radio 4) on Friday; they summarised the position as it is considered viable for turkeys (and ducks, and breeder commercial chicken stock if I remember aright) because they live long enough to make it pay, whereas ordinary (commercial) chickens don't. Programme here if anyone wants to listen
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002s3h9

 

[ChickenshedStudio]

Hi everyone!
I have a surplus of English dark cuckoo Marans hatching eggs, if anyone would like some posting, feel free to dm me!

Oh I'd love to say yes to this, but none of my hens are ready to go broody yet

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

Oh I'd love to say yes to this, but none of my hens are ready to go broody yet

I’m having this problem with my own hens! I’m working to revive the English Golden Cuckoo marans, but my silkies have decided for once in their lives to not go broody!

 

[ChickenshedStudio]

I’m having this problem with my own hens! I’m working to revive the English Golden Cuckoo marans, but my silkies have decided for once in their lives to not go broody!

It's so frustrating isn't it! I'm realistically down to one very elderly bantam who might sit, she did a brilliant job last September, but I'm worried she might get ill and die on me before I can replace her. My only other two are the leghorns she just hatched, so I'm not pinning my hopes on them - I need to get myself some suitably broody breeds soon, or else I'll be hunting for an incubator!

 

[ChickenshedStudio]

Hello

I have never shared my location online but I am in uk. So I just dropped in to introduce myself.

Due to health conditions I had to stop keeping chickens. But the way this world is going, I think I will have to start again soon later this year

Hi Marie! whatever the reasons, I hope you can soon have some more chickens in your life