Poultry keepers say they have been unable to register their birds in line with mandatory new government requirements, due to glitches with the online registration process.
As of 1st October 2024, all flocks, no matter how small, must be registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), to help with monitoring bird flu outbreaks; even those comprising just one or two chickens. Failure to comply could mean a fine of £2,500.
However, bird owners who’ve tried to register say the system is not working. Defra says it’s received a high number of applications and is working at pace to process them.
A recent episode of BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today programme charts the trials and tribulations of poultry keepers attempting to register their small flocks online via the government website, with several listeners venting their frustrations with the “ineffective” system.
These include problems verifying email addresses and obtaining the necessary codes.
After spending almost 17 hours attempting to register his flock, Michael Pollitt from Norfolk phoned the APHA, but still experienced problems despite the efforts of a ‘helpful Defra colleague’.
Michael said: “I did my best [to register] and I’m hoping that my hens and I can sleep peacefully knowing that we’re not at risk of prosecution from the poultry police.”
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