Animal health

Poultry keeping – UK guidance & compliance overview

Registration & reporting

• Mandatory registration
  All keepers—any flock size—in England & Wales must register with APHA. In Scotland, use the Scottish Kept Bird Register. 
  Suspected cases of avian influenza (AI) or other notifiable diseases must be reported immediately. Positive lab tests also trigger mandatory reporting per APHA requirements.
• Diagnostic lab requirements
  Diagnostic labs must notify APHA of notifiable disease detections. AI in wild birds must be reported within 14 days.
• EU audit findings
  A January 2025 DG-SANTE audit found the UK’s traceability, export certification, and disease surveillance to be robust, though noted room for quicker response to housing orders and biosecurity lapses. 

Health & welfare codes

• DEFRA codes of practice (Updated Jan 2024)
  • Laying hens & pullets (since 2002), meat chickens (2024), ducks, and turkeys.
  • Required under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007.
  • While not legally binding, they are high-authority guidance, non-compliance can support enforcement proceedings.
• Poultry health scheme (PHS)
  • Voluntary but highly recommended for commercial farms.
  • The revised 2025 v3.0 includes mandatory Salmonella Pullorum/Gallinarum checks. 

Biosecurity & disease prevention

• Biosecurity standards (Red Tractor & Lion Code)
  Farm-specific biosecurity policy, visitor logs, secured site perimeters, PPE, disinfectant footbaths, hygiene between flocks, and 5-day minimum downtime.
• Poultry network biosecurity handbook (2024)
  Fully illustrated guidance covering everything from building layout to daily routines, specifically targeting Avian Influenza.
• Contingency & response planning (2024–25)
  Government publishes detailed plans for AI, African Swine Fever, and other exotic diseases—outlining stamps-out, movement controls, and restocking protocols. 

Transport & slaughter

• Transport regulations (Welfare in Transit 2025)
  Defra’s April 2025 amendment legalises lifting chickens by both legs during loading—aligning legislation with statutory codes.
• On-farm slaughter hygiene (FSA)
  Legal obligations include ante-mortem inspections, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans, and official veterinary oversight (Official or Approved Veterinarian certificates).
• Meat establishments
  FSA monitors processing plants to ensure compliance with hygiene, identification marking, and disease control. 

Housing & physical standards

• General housing requirements (DEFRA)
  Ensure adequate space, predator protection, clean environment, feed, and water, registered premises, disposal of manure to prevent contamination. Keep records (% feed, medications, mortality).
• Laying hen housing grant (May 2024)
  Open to farms ≥1,000 birds: grants of £5,000–£500,000 for verandas or renovating sheds. Improves welfare via ventilation, light, and reduced feather pecking.
• RSPCA assured standards (July–Sept 2025)
  Key enhancements include contingency plans, stricter antibiotic oversight, veranda installation, improved slaughter monitoring, natural daylight, predator shelter, and litter depth requirements. 

Disease surveillance & monitoring

• Notifiable diseases & control orders
  Powers under Animal Health Act 1981 + updated regulations allow APHA or local authorities to enforce movement controls, protective zones, and culling during outbreaks.
• FSA monitoring in packs & abattoirs
  Active surveillance at official establishments helps detect AI, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and other pathogens. 

Disease reporting & APHA infection control

• Monthly reporting obligations (2025)
  Certain pathogens (e.g., Salmonella, Infectious Laryngotracheitis) must be reported to APHA monthly. Legal frameworks guide definitions and action triggers.
• EU audit positives
  The 2025 DG-SANTE audit confirmed UK excellence in traceability, export readiness, and monitoring systems. 

Training & record-keeping

• Farm-Level biosecurity
  Annual policy reviews, visitor logs, secure perimeter, disinfecting facilities, fleet cleanliness, and worker hygiene protocols.
• Veterinary & animal welfare plans
  RSPCA Assured: veterinary-reviewed antibiotic stewardship, written housing contingency plans, and hygiene checklists.
• Slaughterhouse staff & tech
  Emphasis on official inspection, AVS training, and the use of AI-based welfare monitoring equipment. 

Compliance checklist