Chickens can now roam freely, but keepers must take precautions to avoid poultry mixing with wild birds.
While the risk of transmission to humans is low, members of the public are encouraged to continue reporting and not to touch or pick up dead or sick birds they come across while out enjoying the county’s great outdoors.
The Kent County Council (KCC) calls come after the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) confirmed that the H5NI strain of the disease was discovered at a premises near Bexhill-on-Sea, Rother, East Sussex, close to Kent’s border.
AI, also known as bird flu, circulates naturally in wild birds, where it can infect poultry and other domestic birds.
Although regulations requiring poultry and pet birds to be kept indoors in order to reduce contact with wild birds were lifted in May, the risk posed by wild birds remains. With over 101 cases of the H5N1 strain reported in the UK since October, an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) remains in effect.
While birds are permitted to roam freely outside, all bird keepers – whether they have pet birds, a commercial flock, or a backyard flock – are legally required to implement effective and precautionary biosecurity measures. This includes cleaning and disinfecting hard surfaces, as well as fencing off ponds or standing water to keep wild birds at bay.
“While the recent lifting of mandatory housing measures was welcome news to bird keepers, recent cases of avian influenza, including just over our border in East Sussex, show that it is critical Kent keepers remain vigilant for signs of disease and maintain high standards of biosecurity,” said Mike Hill, Kent County Council Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services.
“The UK Health Security Agency has reassured the general public that the risk to their health is very low, and the Food Standards Agency assures that properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat.”
“However, if people come across visibly sick or dead swans, geese, or ducks, or other wild birds such as gulls or birds of prey, they should not pick them up and instead call the Defra Helpline at 03459 33 55 77.”
This reporting assists the APHA in understanding how avian flu is distributed geographically and in various types of birds, so calls do count.
In February, a highly pathogenic strain of Avian Flu was discovered in two wild swans during routine surveillance on Stodmarsh.
In the event of a bird flu outbreak in Kent, KCC Trading Standards would work closely with colleagues from Emergency Planning and the APHA to ensure that the measures and restrictions in place to protect public and animal health are followed – and to enforce the legislation.
“Good housekeeping is an essential defence against bird flu and key to limiting its spread,” said Steve Rock, head of Kent Trading Standards.
“All Kent bird keepers should continue to follow Defra rules and report any signs of disease in their flocks immediately to the Defra Rural Services Helpline at 03000 200 301.”
“People with more than 50 birds are required by law to register, but anyone who keeps poultry, even as pets, should sign up – if they haven’t already – so they can be contacted in the event of an outbreak.”
Visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu for the most recent bird flu situation and advice for both keepers and members of the public.
