A few hens in the back garden are treated as pets by many owners, but in England and Wales the law treats them as kept birds. Registration is compulsory, records must be kept up to date, and sensible hygiene routines are set out in official guidance. This guide summarises what GOV.UK says for England and Wales, with notes on where Scotland and Northern Ireland differ. It is general information, not legal advice, and a vet can advise on the health of individual birds.
Do pet chickens have to be registered?
GOV.UK’s guidance for keepers of fewer than 50 birds says a person must register within one month of keeping poultry or other captive birds at any premises in England or Wales, and that failing to register is breaking the law. The guidance covers up to 49 birds, “including any you keep as pets”. The requirement is set out in the Exotic Disease (Amendment) (England) Order 2024 and the Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2024.
Keepers with a County Parish Holding (CPH) number can register by form or email. Those without one can register online, which GOV.UK says should take about 10 minutes. The page is marked as applying to England and Wales and links to separate guidance for Scotland, so a Scottish keeper should follow that guidance rather than this article.
Which birds are exempt?
Budgies, parrots, cockatiels, canaries and finches do not need to be registered if they are fully housed in a dwelling with no access to the open air. GOV.UK adds that registration is required if such birds are taken outdoors at any time, for example to exercise or train them. This is an exemption for indoor cage birds; chickens are poultry and fall within the general requirement.
Keeping the record up to date
After registering, keepers must confirm their details and their birds to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) every 12 months. Changes must be reported within 30 days, including a new contact address, no longer keeping birds, a change in species or numbers, or a change in the main purpose for keeping them. The bird flu prevention guidance adds that the record should also be updated sooner if a flock grows or shrinks by 20% or more. Records can be updated online, by email to [email protected], or by phone on 03000 200 301.
GOV.UK explains the practical point of the register: APHA can contact registered keepers with updates and guidance if there is a disease outbreak such as bird flu in the area.
Biosecurity for a small garden flock
GOV.UK’s prevention guidance, which is marked as applying to England with separate pages for the other nations, names the main routes for bird flu as contact with wild birds (waterfowl such as geese, ducks, swans and gulls in particular), faeces from infected birds, and dirty footwear, clothing, vehicles and equipment. Its advice for keepers includes:
- keep feed, water and bedding in covered, enclosed areas that wild birds and rodents cannot reach;
- check the area around the housing daily and remove wild bird faeces, feathers and carcasses;
- fence or net outdoor areas and stop birds accessing standing water;
- keep ducks and geese away from other birds, because they may not show signs of bird flu;
- wear clean clothing and footwear when entering bird housing, and use a Defra-approved disinfectant when cleaning hard surfaces and equipment;
- control rats and mice, and limit and record visitors to the birds.
A separate GOV.UK page says that anyone who suspects bird flu in poultry or other captive birds must report it immediately, as it is a notifiable disease. In England the number is 03000 200 301, in Wales 03003 038 268, and in Scotland the local Field Services Office. Anything more specific about a sick bird is a matter for a vet.
Housing rules can change
When bird flu is circulating, the government can introduce housing measures that require birds to be kept indoors in defined areas. GOV.UK has published notices both introducing and lifting them, so keepers should check the current position for their area.
Selling spare eggs
Many small keepers end up with more eggs than they need. GOV.UK’s egg marketing guidance, marked as applying to England and Wales, says eggs need not be stamped with a producer code if they are sold directly to consumers for their own use from the keeper’s own farm or door to door locally. A keeper of fewer than 50 birds selling at a local public market also need not stamp them, but must display their name, address, a best-before date (a maximum of 28 days from the date of lay) and advice to keep the eggs chilled after purchase. The guidance says a keeper with 50 or more hens selling ungraded eggs at a local public market must register as an egg production site, as must one with 350 or more hens.
Selling food for human consumption may also involve food business registration with the local authority, which the local council can explain. For a wider picture of duties towards animals, see the guide to the Animal Welfare Act 2006 in England and Wales, which applies to chickens as it does to other pets.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to register two hens kept for eggs?
In England and Wales, GOV.UK says birds kept as pets are covered, and the guidance for smaller keepers sets no lower limit on flock size.
The bottom line
In England and Wales, pet hens are kept birds in law, so registration with APHA is compulsory whatever the flock size, and details must be confirmed every 12 months. Good biosecurity, checking local housing notices and knowing the rules on selling eggs are the other duties that come with even a small garden flock. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own guidance.
Sources
- GOV.UK, “Register as a keeper of less than 50 poultry or other captive birds”
- GOV.UK, “Register as a keeper of 50 or more poultry or other captive birds”
- GOV.UK, “Bird flu (avian influenza): how to prevent it and stop it spreading”
- GOV.UK, “Bird flu (avian influenza): how to spot and report it in poultry or other captive birds”
- GOV.UK, “Egg marketing standards”