Author Topic: Regulations on Keeping Chickens  (Read 25518 times)

Alan_Y

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Regulations on Keeping Chickens
« on: January 19, 2006, 08:20:47 »
Can any of you fine people help.
I am the allotment officer for Halton Borough Council in Cheshire and one of our tenants have asked me are there any regulations regarding the keeping of chickens on an allotment plot. e.g.  The transportation of livestock , where they are purchased, inoculations and do they need to be registered.
What regulations do you have to apply with. Do vets have to come out periodically to inoculate against salmonella etc , how much does it cost. what are the hazards ,pitfalls and problems.

All advise welcome.

Regards

Alan
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Jesse

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Re: Regulations on Keeping Chickens
« Reply #1 on: January 19, 2006, 09:15:47 »
Alan are you asking specifically about keeping hens on allotments (I'm not sure if there are any extra regulations applied to hens on allotments, if there are I would have thought they would be decided by the relevant council) or keeping hens as a hobby in general?

Take a look at DEFRA's website and here's a link to the UK legislation for poultry, most of it applies to backyard poultry keepers as well, but some of it doesn't....e.g. none of my hens are vaccinated. DEFRA's site will probably confirm it somewhere but if I remember correctly anyone keeping under 50 birds would not need to register their birds.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodrin/poultry/legislation.htm
« Last Edit: January 19, 2006, 09:29:13 by Jesse »
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Paulines7

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Re: Regulations on Keeping Chickens
« Reply #2 on: January 19, 2006, 09:48:30 »
Can any of you fine people help.
I am the allotment officer for Halton Borough Council in Cheshire and one of our tenants have asked me are there any regulations regarding the keeping of chickens on an allotment plot. e.g.  The transportation of livestock , where they are purchased, inoculations and do they need to be registered.
What regulations do you have to apply with. Do vets have to come out periodically to inoculate against salmonella etc , how much does it cost. what are the hazards ,pitfalls and problems.

If the number of chickens exceeds 50 then it is classed as a commercial venture and there are many rules and regulations to take into account.  However, I imagine your allotment holder is just wanting a few chickens for his own personal use, in which case they do not need to be registered or inoculated. 

Councils have their own rules and regulations regarding the keeping of hens on allotments so if your Council has no objections then there should be no reasons to refuse the request.

As for hazzards, pitfalls and problems, there are only two that I can think of at the moment.  The first is that the run should be very secure, preferably with a net over the top or if not, at least 5 ft high fencing.  Just imagine the damage the birds could do to if they managed to get out.  The second concern is Bird Flu.  What would happen to the birds if the Government brought in a regulation that all poultry should be kept indoors?  Some European countries already have this rule.
There is more about Bird Flu on a previous thread.

kenkew

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Re: Regulations on Keeping Chickens
« Reply #3 on: January 20, 2006, 22:33:32 »
I'm sure there is something regarding regulations with regard to salmonella. A friend of mine had to get rid of his stock (about 100 birds) due to the cost of implimenting the rules. This was in the Edwina Curry flurry days!

Paulines7

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Re: Regulations on Keeping Chickens
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2006, 23:33:38 »
I'm sure there is something regarding regulations with regard to salmonella. A friend of mine had to get rid of his stock (about 100 birds) due to the cost of implimenting the rules. This was in the Edwina Curry flurry days!

Yes Ken, that's because more than 50 birds were kept.

misterphil

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Re: Regulations on Keeping Chickens
« Reply #5 on: February 03, 2006, 13:08:04 »
I found this guide to allotments on the office of the deputy prime minister's site:

http://www.odpm.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1127689

What can I do with my plot?

"Provided the plot is used mainly for growing vegetables and fruit, plot holders are allowed to keep hens and rabbits on their allotment, although this can be restricted by local by-laws."
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Trixiebelle

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Re: Regulations on Keeping Chickens
« Reply #6 on: February 03, 2006, 13:54:03 »
I think the main regulations are to do with 'nuisance' (noise levels/runaway chooks) and pest control (rats)

I was told that as long as we showed adequate evidence of reducing pests, keeping chickens secure and not having cockerels that woke everyone up @ 5am then we should be ok.

I agree with the cockerel-keeping in built-up areas by the way. There's nothing more annoying if you ask me ... apart from the 2 woodpigeons that DELIGHT in WOOOO HOOOO HOOOOOING outside my bedroom window.

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Robert_Brenchley

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Re: Regulations on Keeping Chickens
« Reply #7 on: February 03, 2006, 16:56:30 »
Woodpigeons do woo-hoo rather loudly, but I know of something far worse. That's a cuckoo going off at 4am every day, right over your tent. It happened to me one June in Glen Rosa, on Arran.

Old Bean

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Re: Regulations on Keeping Chickens
« Reply #8 on: February 05, 2006, 11:13:59 »
As a city dweller I would happily have a cockerel (or a wood-pigeon) wake me rather than the rumble of large lorries.

Trixiebelle

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Re: Regulations on Keeping Chickens
« Reply #9 on: February 05, 2006, 13:26:30 »
As a city dweller I would happily have a cockerel (or a wood-pigeon) wake me rather than the rumble of large lorries.

I'm a city dweller too Old Bean! The thing is, the woodpigeons round here actually DRIVE large lorries ... doubly annoying  ;D
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