If you keep poultry or racing pigeons there are certain registration and record-keeping requirements

Although the United Kingdom left the European Union (EU) in 2021, certain pieces of legislation (known as 'assimilated law') continue to apply until such time as they are replaced by new UK legislation, revoked or permitted to expire. This means that our guidance still contains references to legislation that originated from the EU.

This guidance is for Wales

Owners / keepers of poultry are required to notify / register as keepers of poultry with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and to keep records relating to their poultry.

These records include:

• movement of poultry and eggs on to and off premises
• transport and marketing of poultry
• any medicinal treatment administered
• number of mortalities
• measures to control hazards
• results of testing for Salmonella

NOTIFICATION: THE GREAT BRITAIN POULTRY REGISTER

The Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (Wales) Regulations 2006 require any person who keeps 50 or more poultry at any one premises to notify APHA of the following:

• address of premises and holding number (if it has one)
• keeper's name and, if different, that of the owner of the poultry and the occupier of the premises
• species kept
• type of husbandry system (meat, eggs or hatching eggs)
• number of each species of poultry usually kept at the premises
• incubator capacity of any hatchery
• details of any seasonal stocking variations that might result in significant differences in the numbers or species of poultry on the premises
• number of each species with access to the open air
• whether the poultry are kept in the presence of, or in the vicinity of, any body of water that attracts wild birds

This is done via the Great Britain Poultry Register (GBPR).

New keepers must register on the GBPR within one month of acquiring the birds.

The Welsh Government encourages keepers with fewer than 50 birds to register on the GBPR voluntarily, making it easier and quicker for you to be contacted in a disease outbreak situation, and therefore allowing any potential disease outbreak situation to be better managed and resources effectively targeted.

'Poultry' is defined in the Regulations as "all birds that are reared or kept in captivity for the production of meat or eggs for consumption, the production of other commercial products, for restocking supplies of game or for the purposes of any breeding programme for the production of these categories of birds".

How to register on the GBPR:

• phone. Freephone 0800 634 1112. Trained advisors will then complete the form with you over the phone or, alternatively, send you a form to complete
• post / email. You can register your flock by post or email using the GOV.UK website to download the required form

Changes to information (address, owner, occupier, species kept) or a change in numbers (plus or minus 20%) must be notified within one month to APHA (this does not include usual management fluctuations).

FAIRS, MARKETS, SHOWS, EXHIBITIONS OR OTHER GATHERINGS

Gatherings of poultry or captive birds at fairs, markets, shows, exhibitions or other events are allowed under a general licence issued by APHA on behalf of the Welsh Government. Licence conditions require the event organiser / licensee to make a record of all people who bring poultry or other captive birds to a gathering or take such birds from a gathering. These records are to be kept for three months and must include the following information:

• full name
• home address
• telephone number
• number and type of birds exhibited
• a confirmation from entrants that they will comply with biosecurity arrangements
• a declaration that the birds exhibited have not, to the best of the owner's / keeper's knowledge:
  • been in contact with any birds infected with a notifiable avian disease
  • come from an avian disease control zone

MOVEMENT RECORDS OF POULTRY AND/OR EGGS

The Diseases of Poultry (Wales) Order 2003 requires every person:

• engaged in the transport or marketing of poultry or eggs (including a slaughterer or auctioneer) to keep a record in respect of any poultry or eggs transported or marketed
• who owns or keeps any flock of 250 or more poultry, consisting of any species on the premises, to keep a record of poultry entering or leaving those premises

'Poultry' is defined in the Order as "domestic fowls, turkey, geese, ducks, guinea fowl, quails, pigeons, ratites, pheasants and partridges reared or kept in captivity for breeding, the production of meat or eggs for consumption or for restocking supplies of game".

Note: this is different to the definition in the Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (Wales) Regulations 2006 (see above).

Record details required:

• date and place they were obtained
• their species and description
• name and address of the person from whom they were obtained
• date and manner of disposal
• place of slaughter, if that was the manner of disposal
• name and address of the person to whom the poultry or eggs were transferred (if known), if that was the manner of disposal

Retention and production of records:

• records must be kept for at least 12 months from the date of the recorded transportation or marketing
• records must be produced to an inspector on request at all reasonable times

RACING PIGEONS

Every person who owns or keeps racing pigeons must keep a record of every race or show for which the pigeons have been entered.

Every racing pigeon entered for a race or show must be vaccinated against paramyxovirus 1 (the cause of Newcastle disease).

CONTROL OF SALMONELLA IN BREEDING AND LAYING FLOCKS, AND IN HATCHERIES

The Control of Salmonella in Poultry (Wales) Order 2008 requires the occupier of a holding on which one or more breeding or laying flocks of at least 250 poultry of any single species are kept, and any occupier of a poultry hatchery with a total incubator capacity of 1,000 eggs or more, to notify APHA.

Definitions in the Order:

• 'poultry' is defined as "birds of the species Gallus gallus, turkey, ducks or geese"
• 'laying flock' is defined as "a flock of poultry kept for the production of eggs intended for human consumption"
• 'breeding flock' is defined as "a flock of poultry kept for the production of eggs intended for incubation"

In relation to the breeding or laying flocks of the species Gallus gallus, the order requires:

• sampling for Salmonella
• prior notification to APHA of the arrival of breeding flocks (at least two weeks before the expected arrival date)
• notification two weeks prior to the movement to the laying phase and end of production cycle of breeding flocks
• records of movements
• records of Salmonella sampling

Sampling for Salmonella for breeding flocks must occur at the following times:

• when the birds are chicks
• when the birds are four weeks old
• two weeks before the date the flock is moved to a laying unit or (if they are not moved) the date they are expected to come into lay
• every second week during the laying period

Sampling for Salmonella for laying flocks must occur:

• when the birds are chicks
• two weeks before the date the flock is moved to a laying unit or (if they are not moved) the date they are expected to come into lay
• every 15 weeks during the laying period, starting when the birds are between 22 and 26 weeks old

The occupier must keep a record of the samples taken and provide the following information:

• type of sample
• date sample taken
• identification of the flock sampled
• age of the flock sampled
• laboratory to which the sample was sent
• result of any test on any sample

The above applies to breeding flocks (250 minimum) and to laying flocks except those where all the eggs are either:

• for private domestic use
  or
• supplied in small quantities by the producer to the final consumer or to local retail shops

RECORD OF MOVEMENTS

The occupier of premises must keep a record of the following information when there is movement of domestic fowl and eggs (other than eggs for human consumption) to and from holdings as follows:

• date of movement
• whether the movement was on to or off the holding
• number of birds or eggs moved
• age of the birds moved
• if a whole flock is moved, the identification of that flock
• identity of the building(s) into or from which the birds or eggs were moved
• address of the holding of destination (for movements off) or the address of the holding of origin (for movements on)

HATCHERY RECORDS

When eggs or chicks are moved on to or off the hatchery, the occupier must record the following:

• date of movement
• number of eggs or chicks moved
• whether the movement is on to or off the hatchery
• if the movement is off the holding, the holding destination
• in the case of eggs brought on to the hatchery for incubation, holding of origin

All records must be retained for two years and produced to an inspector on demand.

CONTROL OF SALMONELLA IN BROILER FLOCKS

The Control of Salmonella in Broiler Flocks (Wales) Order 2009 requires the occupier of the holding on which one or more broiler flocks are kept to notify APHA of this information within three months of the establishment of the holding and to sample for Salmonella.

'Broiler flock' is defined as "a flock kept for the production of meat intended for human consumption".

Records of Salmonella samples taken must be kept as follows:

• type of sample taken
• the date on which the sample was taken
• where there is more than one flock on the holding, the identification of the flock from which the sample was taken
• the age of the flock sampled
• the laboratory to which the sample was sent
• intended date of slaughter of the flock sampled
• results of tests

When birds are moved on to or off the holding, the occupier must record: 

• the date of the movement
• whether the movement was on to or off the holding
• number of birds moved
• age of birds moved
• when the movement involves an entire flock, and there is more than one flock on the holding, the identification of that flock
• the identity of the building or group of buildings into or from which the birds were moved
• the address of the holding that they came from or the slaughterhouse or holding they were sent to

All records must be retained for two years and produced to an inspector on demand.

TRANSPORT RECORDS

The Welfare of Animals (Transport) (Wales) Order 2007 requires poultry being transported to be accompanied by an animal transport certificate (ATC) showing the:

• origin and ownership of the poultry
• place of departure
• date and time of departure
• intended place of destination
• expected duration of the intended journey

Note: transport records are not required for transport of poultry:

• that does not take place in connection with an economic activity
• to and from veterinary practices
• by farmers of their own birds in their own means of transport for a distance of less than 50 km from their holding (31.07 miles)

Further information on the documentation required to transport poultry, including transporter authorisations and certificates of competence, can be found in 'Transporting livestock by road: paperwork'.

FARM RECORDS

The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Wales) Regulations 2007 require a person responsible for farmed animals (animals bred or kept for the production of food, wool, skin or other farming purposes) to maintain a record of the number of mortalities found on each inspection, which must be at least once a day.

These records must be kept for three years and made available to an inspector on request.

MEDICINE RECORDS

The Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013 require keepers of food-producing animals to keep a record of:

• proof of purchase of veterinary medicines
• name of product and batch number
• quantity purchased
• name and address of supplier
• administration:
  • name of product
  • date of administration
  • quantity administered
  • withdrawal period
  • identification of animals treated
• disposal:
  • date of disposal
  • quantity of the product involved
  • how and where it was disposed of

Records of veterinary medicine purchase and administration records must be kept for five years. Further information on the record-keeping requirements in relation to the purchasing, administration and disposal of veterinary medicines can be found in 'Keeping veterinary medicine records'.

FOOD BUSINESS RECORDS

The Food Hygiene (Wales) Regulations 2006 and assimilated Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs require food business operators to keep and maintain records relating to measures put in place to control hazards. In particular, those rearing animals or producing primary products of animal origin must keep records that include:

• the nature and origin of feed fed to the animals
• veterinary medicinal products or other treatments administered to the animals, dates of administration and withdrawal periods
• the results of any analysis carried out on samples taken from animals or other samples taken for diagnostic purposes, that have importance for human health
• any relevant reports or checks carried out on animals or products of animal origin
• the occurrence of diseases that may affect the safety of the meat

These records must be made available to an inspector and receiving food business operators on request.

Other persons - such as veterinarians, agronomists and farm technicians - may assist food business operators with the keeping of records.

FURTHER INFORMATION

The Welsh Government has published useful information on biosecurity and preventing disease.

TRADING STANDARDS

For more information on the work of Trading Standards services - and the possible consequences of not abiding by the law - please see 'Trading Standards: powers, enforcement and penalties'.

In addition to the information covered in the above guide, under some legislation, where a person is found not to be complying with a notice, the enforcing authority may arrange for the notice to be complied with and the person will be liable for any costs incurred.

IN THIS UPDATE

Clarified the information on the three- and five-year record retention periods in the 'Farm records' and 'Medicine records' sections.

Last reviewed / updated: April 2024

Key legislation

• Animal Health Act 1981
• Diseases of Poultry (Wales) Order 2003
• Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs
• Avian Influenza (Preventative Measures) (Wales) Regulations 2006
• Food Hygiene (Wales) Regulations 2006
• Welfare of Animals (Transport) (Wales) Order 2007
• Welfare of Farmed Animals (Wales) Regulations 2007
• Control of Salmonella in Poultry (Wales) Order 2008
• Control of Salmonella in Broiler Flocks (Wales) Order 2009
• Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013

Please note

This information is intended for guidance; only the courts can give an authoritative interpretation of the law.

The guide's 'Key legislation' links may only show the original version of the legislation, although some amending legislation is linked to separately where it is directly related to the content of a guide. Information on changes to legislation can be found on each link's 'More Resources' tab.

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