Avian Flu - Guidance from LCC Trading Standards

Added at 10:53 on 28 January 2022

An avian flu prevention zone is in force across the whole of the UK and if you keep birds commercially or as pets, it is now a legal requirement to follow strict biosecurity measures to help protect them.

You now need to:

• Keep domestic ducks and geese separate from other poultry

• Ensure the areas where birds are kept are unattractive to wild birds,  

for example, by netting ponds, and by removing wild bird food  

sources

• Feed and water your birds in enclosed areas to discourage wild birds

• Minimise movement in and out of bird enclosures

• Clean and disinfect footwear and keep areas where birds live clean

and tidy

• Reduce any existing contamination by cleansing and disinfecting concrete areas, and fencing off wet or

boggy areas

• Keep free range birds within fenced areas, and ponds, watercourses permanent standing water must be

fenced off

If you find any dead or sick birds, please don’t touch them, or pick them up. Please report any dead swans, geese, ducks, or other dead wild birds, such as gulls or birds of prey, to the Defra helpline on 03459 33 55 77.

Bird keepers should report suspicion of disease in captive birds to the Animal and Plant Health Agency on 03000 200 301.  More information on avian flu and the restrictions currently in force is available at www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu