Defra - Avian Influenza Latest Situation

28 October 2025

In response to the significant increase of findings of avian influenza in kept and wild birds, housing measures to protect poultry & captive birds from #AvianInfluenza are coming into force in Cheshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Durham, East Riding of Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Merseyside, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Rutland, Shropshire, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Tyne & Wear and West Yorkshire from 00:01 on Thursday 30 Oct 2025.

This means that from this time it will be a legal requirement for all keepers of over 50 birds and all keepers who sell or give away eggs, meat or poultry (even if they keep fewer than 50 birds), in these areas to house their birds. Keeping your birds undercover away from wild birds is vital to minimise the risk of them becoming infected with avian influenza by wild birds.

If you are currently in a Protection Zone outside of these areas, you must continue to house your birds.

Please check GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/.../housing-measures-introduced-to... for more info.

An Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) with mandatory biosecurity measures is also in force across Great Britain: https://www.gov.uk/.../bird-flu-regional-avian-influenza...