Birds ordered inside in England as avian flu escalates

England’s poultry industry has been ordered into lockdown after the UK government imposed a national housing order to stem a worsening outbreak of avian influenza sweeping across the country.

Under emergency powers announced today (4 November) by the UK’s chief veterinary officer, Christine Middlemiss, from Thursday 6 November, all birdkeepers in England who own more than 50 birds – or who sell or give away eggs – must house their poultry and captive birds indoors.

The sweeping order, which follows a surge in confirmed cases among both kept and wild birds, marks the extension of housing measures already in force across parts of northern and eastern England.

See also: Wild bird tracking data aims to help manage avian influenza

As of 3 November, there have been 23 confirmed cases this season of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in poultry and captive birds across the UK: 19 in England, three in Wales, one in Northern Ireland and none in Scotland.

The 2025-26 season began on 1 October, with the first cases confirmed in England on 11 October, Northern Ireland on 9 October, and Wales on 25 October. For the whole of the 2024-25 season there were 81 highly pathogenic bird flu cases across the UK.

The housing order for England comes alongside a GB-wide avian influenza prevention zone, requiring every keeper – from commercial producers to backyard hobbyists – to enforce strict biosecurity protocols.

Announcing the housing order, Ms Middlemiss said: “Given the continued increase in the number of avian influenza cases in kept birds and wild birds across England, we are now taking the difficult step to extend the housing measures to the whole of England.” 

She acknowledged the toll on farmers and producers, adding: “I appreciate the impact these measures have on industry and am extremely grateful for the continued cooperation of the poultry sector.

“We know from previous years that housing birds will bring the rates of infection down from the high we are currently experiencing.”

NFU Cymru plea

Aled Jones, NFU Cymru president, has called for the housing order to be extended to cover all of Wales.

“We cannot sleep while the scourge of this infection continues,” he told the Egg and Poultry Industry Conference in Newport, Gwent on Monday 3 November.

The new requirements mean keepers must disinfect clothing, vehicles and equipment, store feed and bedding indoors, and keep fresh disinfectant at entry and exit points.

Movement on and off farms must be restricted, and premises should be made “unattractive to wild birds” using deterrents such as streamers or scarers.

Officials stressed that the risk to human health remained low and that properly cooked poultry and eggs were safe to eat. The UK Health Security Agency said it continued to keep the situation “under constant review”.

Ms Middlemiss urged poultry farmers and all birdkeepers to stay vigilant, saying: “I urge birdkeepers to comply with the new housing measures, continue to exercise robust biosecurity measures, remain alert for any signs of disease, and report suspected disease immediately.”

The housing order for England and GB-wide prevention zone will remain in place until further notice, with regular reviews as officials work to contain one of the country’s most severe waves of bird flu in years.

Further guidance is available at gov.uk/birdflu.