You must register if you own or are responsible for a poultry premises with 50 or more birds. They do not have to be all of the same species. This applies even if your premises are only stocked for part of the year.
Premises with fewer than 50 birds do not need to register, but the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) (GOV.UK) encourages keepers to do so voluntarily.
For more information on keeping poultry, please read through the following information below from the Department for Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and GOV.UK:
- Poultry (including game birds): registration rules and forms
- Poultry: on-farm welfare
- Poultry: welfare off the farm
If you have any queries, contact our Business Advice line on 0300 123 2329 or email: business.advice@surreycc.gov.uk
Avian Flu
APHA continues to regularly update the Avian Influenza (bird flu) information (GOV.UK) and the latest situation regarding outbreaks and restrictions for poultry keepers.
See also APHA's report and findings of Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in wild birds in Great Britain (GOV.UK) and associated outbreak assessments (GOV.UK).
Important information regarding wild birds
If you find three or more dead wild waterfowl (swans, geese or ducks) or gulls or birds of prey, or five or more dead birds of any species, you should report them to the Defra helpline on 03459 335577.
APHA will collect some of these birds and test them to help to understand how the disease is distributed geographically and in different types of bird. Not all birds will be collected.
Do not touch or pick up any dead or visibly sick birds that you find. For further information, see APHA's advice for the public (GOV.UK).
