It is now a legal requirement for all bird keepers in Great Britain to follow strict biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks from avian influenza. 
 

Following a number of detections of avian influenza (bird flu) in wild birds across Great Britain, the Chief Veterinary Officers from England, Scotland and Wales have declared an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) across the whole of Great Britain to mitigate the risk of the disease
spreading amongst poultry and captive birds. 

Avian influenza circulates naturally in wild birds and when they migrate to the UK from mainland Europe over the winter, they can spread the disease to poultry and other captive birds. 

Enhanced measures apply to keepers with more than 500 birds and includes the need to: restrict access for non-essential people on their sites, get workers to change clothing and footwear before entering bird enclosures and ensure site vehicles are cleaned and disinfected regularly to limit the risk of the disease spreading.  

All bird owners, including backyard owners with smaller numbers of birds and poultry such as chickens, ducks and geese, must follow minimum biosecurity measures to help control the disease.  

The minimum biosecurity measures relate to ensuring that the area where birds are kept is regularly cleaned with vermin humanely controlled. Movement of people, vehicles and equipment to and from this area should be kept to a minimum and appropriate records kept. Any housing should be watertight and free from contamination. Birds that aren’t housed must be kept in fenced/enclosed outdoor areas and mustn’t be permitted to come into contact with other birds on neighbouring land. It is important to make sure that ‘free range’ birds are prevented from accessing standing water or waterlogged land with care taken to shelter food, water and bedding from the elements and from wild birds. Steps should be taken to discourage wild birds from the property.  

Full guidance covering biosecurity requirements and other useful information about avian influenza, including the main clinical signs to look out for, can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu. Bird keepers are encouraged to familiarise themselves with these details. 

The UK health agencies advise that the risk to public health from the virus is very low and the UK food standards agencies advise that avian influenzas pose a very low food safety risk for UK consumers. Properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat. 

The prevention zone will be in place until further notice and will be kept under regular review as part of the work to monitor the threat of bird flu. 

Northumberland County Councillor Colin Horncastle, cabinet member with responsibility for Public Protection, said: “It is really important that bird keepers ensure they are doing all they can to maintain and strengthen biosecurity measures on their premises to prevent further outbreaks.” 

Poultry keepers and members of the public should report dead wild birds to the Defra helpline on 03459 33 55 77 and keepers should report suspicion of disease to APHA on 03000 200 301. If you require any further advice, please contact Public Protection on 01670 623780 or via email at tradingstandards@northumberland.gov.uk