A mandatory poultry housing AIPZ covering all of England will come into force from 00:01 on 13 Nov, meaning bird keepers in England must house all poultry and captive birds if:
- they keep 50 or more birds or
- if they sell or give eggs, poultry products and live birds away:
The UK Chief Veterinary Officer has ordered a mandatory poultry housing order to cover the whole of England from 00:01 on Friday 13th November 2026, following the increased risk and escalating number of confirmations of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI or bird flu) in kept birds and findings in wild birds.
An England-wide Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) with mandatory biosecurity measures has also been declared, coming into force immediately. This requires all keepers whether they have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock to undertake enhanced biosecurity measures to mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of the disease. These enhanced biosecurity measures include reporting of changes in egg production, mandatory record keeping, disinfecting footwear, and cleansing & disinfecting housing and concrete walkways regularly…. more information can be found on our help sheet: ’11th Nov An avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) has been declared’
All bird keepers in England whether they have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock must:
- cleanse and disinfect clothing, footwear, equipment and vehicles before and after contact with poultry and captive birds– if practical, use disposable protective clothing
- reduce the movement of people, vehicles or equipment to and from areas where poultry and captive birds are kept, to minimise contamination from manure, slurry and other products
- carry out effective vermin control in any areas where poultry and captive birds are kept
- regularly thoroughly cleanse and disinfect housing
- keep fresh disinfectant at the right concentration at all farm and poultry housing entry and exit points
- minimise direct and indirect contact between poultry and captive birds and wild birds, including making sure all feed and water is not accessible to wild birds
- prevent access by poultry to ponds and watercourses and ensure that birds are kept in fenced or enclosed areas
