Backyard keepers need to be responsible

Backyard poultry producers need to be serious about taking on chickens, ensuring they’ve been trained in properly looking after the birds and have a vet backing them up, NFU Scotland has said.

The NFU made the call at the same time as a television programme aired in Scotland pointing out the significant increase in households’ raising poultry.

“There is a danger that people get caught up in the whole wave of producing your own food without giving serious thought to all that is involved in properly looking after your hens and chickens,” NFU Scotland Communications Director Bob Carruth said.

“These birds are not pets or fashion items. There is a big difference between growing a few carrots and lettuce to actually keeping and looking after livestock.”

Producers only need register their birds if their flock contains 50 or more but the NFU encouraged all owners of poultry to register to give authorities a complete picture in the event of an outbreak of disease.