Keeping a few chickens in your back garden is becoming more popular. There are no local bylaws preventing anyone from keeping poultry but you may find the points below useful before making your decision.
Check the property deeds
Many properties have covenants to prevent you keeping poultry and other livestock. If you rent your property check with your landlord.
How will you avoid vermin?
Food and water left out for poultry is likely to attract vermin such as rats and mice. Chicken houses may also provide shelter for rats and mice. Environmental Health can take action against the landowner to eradicate any infestation. Further information on controlling rats and mice is available on our pest control page.
How will you keep the area clean and tidy?
In warm weather, poorly kept poultry can result in unpleasant odours and attract flies, which may become a nuisance to your neighbours. If this is proven, Environmental Health will require you to take steps to avoid causing nuisance.
Noise issues
Poultry like to communicate with each other and such noise can become a nuisance to your neighbours. If this is proven, Environmental Health will require you to take steps to avoid causing nuisance. Most noise problems received by Environmental Health are regarding the crowing of cockerels. Further information is available in our cockerel advisory leaflet (PDF, 91KB).
What are you going to do with any eggs?
If you decide to sell your eggs then you may need to register as a food business with Environmental Health. Please contact Environmental Health on 01775 761161 or download our registration form (PDF, 72KB). You may also require planning permission for a change of use of your property.
Where are you going to keep your poultry?
Chicken coops and runs, depending on size, may require planning permission. The planning service should be contacted by telephone on 01775 761161 or email info@sholland.gov.uk.
The welfare of your poultry
Under The Animal Welfare Act 2006, it is against the law to be cruel to an animal and you must ensure that the welfare needs of your animals are met. These include the need:
- for a suitable environment (place to live);
- for a suitable diet;
- to exhibit normal behaviour patterns;
- to be housed with, or apart from, other animals (if applicable);
- to be protected from pain, injury, suffering and disease.
By law, the minimum age any person can buy an animal is 16. It also prohibits giving animals as prizes to unaccompanied children under this age.
Anyone who is cruel to an animal, or does not provide for its welfare needs, may be banned from owning animals, fined up to £20,000 and/or sent to prison.
Consider the number of poultry you are going to keep
By law, you must register if you own or are responsible for a poultry premises with 50 or more birds. This requirement also applies even if the premises is only stocked with 50 or more birds for part of the year. At present, premises with fewer than 50 birds are not required to register, but the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) encourage keepers to do so voluntarily. Register by going to the DEFRA website.
Consider diseases
Poultry are susceptible to many diseases and need regular checks. One such disease is Avian influenza which is a highly contagious viral disease affecting the respiratory, digestive and/or nervous system of many species of birds.
It is a notifiable disease and suspect cases must be notified to the local State Veterinary Service Divisional Veterinary Manager.
