Avian Flu (Bird Flu) Latest

5th April 2025: APHA has announced ... in addition to the national Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ), mandatory housing measures to protect poultry and captive birds will now also apply in new areas in Cumbria, County Durham, Northumberland and Tyneside. PLease check their website (link below) for full details.

12th February:  The APHA has added mandatory Housing Orders to the following areas  from 00:01 Sun 16th Feb - Cheshire; Herefordshire; Lancashire; Merseyside; Worcestershire.

25th JANUARY 2025: 
Notification from the APHA has extended the mandatory housing order to include N Yorkshire, York, and Shropshire. This comes into effect from 00:01 Mon 27th January and adds to areas already under this order - East Riding of Yorkshire; Kingston upon Hull; Lincolnshire; Norfolk and Suffolk.

Additionally, they have announced that mandatory biosecurity measures will come into place across the whole of England and Scotland from Sat 25th January. To clarify - this is not a housing order, it is a biosecurity order (disinfectant footbaths, restrict contact with wild birds, cover food and water utensils, etc). Visit our Hints & Tips page.

More information is available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/bird-flu-avian-influenza-latest-situation-in-england

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What are the Bird flu symptoms in Chickens?

Bird flu spreads quickly and can affect your chicken's health within hours. In severe cases, without warning, chickens can die within a day.

These are some of the symptoms to look out for: Swelling of the comb and wattles often with a purple tinge; Diarrhoea; Soft-shelled or misshapen eggs; Coughing, sneezing, and nasal discharge; Disorientation; Swelling of the head and eyelids; Lack of energy and appetite. It can be any one of these symptoms or a combination of them. However, do remember, that these symptoms also indicate other issues that are not Bird flu.

More information about Avian Influenza and what it means can be found in our Information Centre, and link here to our latest Video on the 2025 Bird Flu and what you need to do.