Bird flu (avian influenza): housing your birds safely
Manage your birds’ housing and welfare when they must be kept inside because of disease outbreaks.
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
You may be in a bird flu disease control zone where you must house your birds. Check what zone you’re in and follow the rules.
Housing your birds reduces the risk of contact with wild birds, which can spread bird flu.
You must follow strict biosecurity rules to prevent bird flu and stop it spreading.
Welfare of housed birds
Housing your birds during a disease outbreak may impact the welfare of your birds, especially if they’re not used to being housed for long periods.
You are responsible for the welfare of your birds while they’re housed. You should:
- make sure they’re not overcrowded (check the recommendations and guidance for poultry)
- make sure they have natural light where possible - do not keep them permanently in the dark (during the day you should be able to see your birds clearly and artificial light should follow typical day and night patterns)
- monitor the temperature inside the housing - consider installing a thermometer at bird level and do not allow temperatures to go significantly above 21°C
- make sure there is enough ventilation
- make sure they have enough food and fresh, clean water (clean water-drinkers frequently and do not use standing water as it may have been contaminated by wild birds)
- use good quality litter that crumbles easily - you can use damp-proof membranes for earth floors to help keep litter dry
- provide enrichment items to prevent boredom like straw bales, shaving bales, low barriers, scattered whole grain, dustbathing boxes, pecking blocks, cabbages, rope and footballs
- check them more than once a day to make sure they’re healthy and have enough food, water and dry bedding
- avoid sudden changes to their diet – if in doubt, speak to your vet
- check for skin parasites like red mite
Consider providing aerial perches for your birds. This helps prevent overcrowding and gives them:
- more vertical space
- space to move away from pecking by other birds
In Scotland registered laying flocks must have aerial perches.
Welfare of pullets (young hens)
Pullets should be reared in an environment that matches the environment they will live in as adults. If pullets are reared in a range and then confined, it increases the risk of injurious feather pecking.
Pullet suppliers should make any confinement history available to buyers.
Signs of poor welfare and boredom
Look out for:
- injurious and aggressive feather pecking
- loss of feathers
- loss of body weight
If you see signs of feather pecking, you can:
- reduce the light (check the recommendations and guidance for poultry)
- provide more enrichment items to prevent boredom
- mash their food to increase eating time and keep your birds occupied
- add nutritional supplements to drinking water to help keep your birds calm
Get advice from your vet or check the FeatherWel website if you have any concerns about welfare.
If you’re a commercial keeper you can also use the benchmarking tool for feather loss from AssureWel and the British Egg Industry Council (BEIC).
Welfare of ducks, geese and game birds
If you’re in a protection zone or captive bird (monitoring) controlled zone you must house ducks, geese and game birds when possible.
If this is not practical, keep them in fully netted areas.
If you cannot house or fully net an outdoor bird area because of unavoidable welfare concerns, you must:
- feed and water them undercover
- move them away from large bodies of water that attract wildfowl
- take steps to discourage wild birds
You must also speak to your private vet and put in writing:
- why you cannot house your birds
- the steps you are taking to protect them from bird flu
Avoid keeping ducks and geese with other poultry. Ducks and geese often do not show any signs of disease but can still pass it on to other captive birds.
Ducks need access to open water like troughs and buckets. They use them to preen and immerse their heads to keep their eyes, nostrils, beaks and plumage healthy.
To help keep bedding dry, you can:
- put open water sources on raised, perforated plastic floors
- place a container underneath to catch any water that drips through
Wet bedding can increase the spread and severity of infectious diseases.
Follow the cleaning and disinfecting guidance to prevent bird flu.
Planning permission for bird housing
Planning permission regulations are different for commercial poultry keepers and those who keep birds as pets. You must check with your local planning authority before you build any bird housing.
Find out about the planning system in England, Scotland and Wales.
You do not normally need planning permission for:
- simple structures like posts and netting
- temporary or mobile structures
Temporary structures could have solid walls and a roof, or you can use a polytunnel. Polytunnels can get very hot so will only be suitable in cool weather.
You can use existing buildings to house birds (such as barns, farm sheds, outbuildings, garages, garden sheds and verandas). Make sure there is adequate ventilation and light.
Check for and remove hazardous and toxic substances if garages and outbuildings are being used as temporary accommodation.
Cover gaps, openings or ranges (outside areas) with netting
If you’re in a protection zone or a captive bird (monitoring) controlled zone you must house your birds. You should cover any gaps, openings in buildings or build a covered pen or net ranges (outside areas).
Netting can reduce the spread of disease if it stops wild birds getting into enclosed areas where you keep your birds but wild bird droppings can still be a risk.
You can also use nets to help protect birds that cannot easily be housed, such as ducks, geese and game birds.
If you choose to net outdoor areas, or it’s a legal requirement, you should:
- contact suppliers of bird netting for advice on equipment
- use netting with a maximum mesh size of 25mm (if you used 50mm mesh through the winter, cover it with 25mm mesh to stop small birds getting in)
- stop wild birds perching on the roof and defecating through it
- use nets to cover light and ventilation gaps if you build temporary outdoor pens, for example using straw bales and a tarpaulin roof
- put a windbreak around netted areas to keep your birds safe from bad weather
You should check bird housing and nets regularly for any damage that may allow wild birds to get in.
Preparing to let your birds outside again
You can let your birds outside unless you’re in a protection zone or a captive bird (monitoring) controlled zone. Check what zone you’re in and follow the rules.
Your outdoor area may be contaminated by wild bird faeces, carcases or feathers.
The virus that causes bird flu can stay infectious in faeces, carcases and feathers for around 50 days. It can stay infectious for even longer in wet conditions and standing water.
You must take steps to prepare your range and outdoor areas before letting your birds outside:
- follow the biosecurity rules to prevent bird flu and stop it spreading
- keep wild birds away from your birds and their range (any outdoor areas they use)
- clean and disinfect concrete areas and hard surfaces
- remove any build-up of faeces, carcases or feathers and then use disinfectant to decontaminate your range (choose an approved disinfectant that’s suitable to use on soil and outdoor areas)
- expose any heavily contaminated areas to sunlight
- fence off or cover standing water or ponds – these areas may be contaminated with wild bird faeces
If you have any concerns you can talk to your vet about how to protect your birds’ welfare when letting them outside.
More information on bird welfare
The rules on bird welfare vary across Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales).
In England follow poultry on farm welfare guidance.
In Scotland follow Scottish government guidance on animal welfare.
In Wales follow Welsh government guidance on animal welfare.
Last updated 18 April 2023 + show all updates
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Mandatory housing measures in England and Wales have been lifted. Housing measures are still in place in some bird flu control zones.
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Updated the section 'Cover gaps, openings or ranges (outside areas) with netting'. Updated the bullet point about the mesh size you should use.
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Added a new section titled 'Preparing to let your birds outside again'.
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Updated the section 'Welfare of ducks, geese and game birds'.
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In England you must now house your birds to protect them from bird flu.
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First published.