Amical Veterinary Centre

This survey investigated the housing, feeding, health and welfare of backyard chickens kept in the UK. Information was collected via an online questionnaire active from May to July 2021. The survey asked about flock demographics, housing, diet, enrichment provision, if the flock was registered with the Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA) and the reason, preventative health care and biosecurity, and the incidence and methods of euthanasia. The majority of flocks (48.8%) consisted of one to five birds, were located in rural areas (58%) and were kept as pets (77%) and/or for eggs (71.6%). Enrichment was provided by 78.4% of keepers. Most respondents (69%) were aware of the Animal Plant and Health Agency poultry registration scheme, with 32.8% being registered with the scheme. Kitchen scraps were fed by 29% of keepers. Veterinary services were used by 63.6% of keepers, although 4% said they struggled to find a veterinarian willing to treat backyard poultry. New additions to the flock were isolated by 70.2% of keepers. The survey was distributed through poultry-specific Facebook groups and via chicken rescue centres, so it is not a truly random sample of backyard chicken keepers. All survey-based studies have an inherent element of subjectivity. The survey identified biosecurity, humane euthanasia training, veterinary training in backyard poultry medicine, and enrichment provision as areas where improvements can be made to improve poultry health and welfare and reduce the risks of infectious disease transmission.

Veterinary RecordVolume 158, Issue 4 p. 140-140 Letter Cutaneous blastomycosis in a cat Nick Valley, Nick Valley Amical Veterinary Centre, 90 High Street, March, Cambridgeshire, PE15 9LQSearch for more papers by this author Nick Valley, Nick Valley Amical Veterinary Centre, 90 High Street, March, Cambridgeshire, PE15 9LQSearch for more papers by this author First published: 28 January 2006 https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.158.4.140-cCitations: 1Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article.Citing Literature Volume158, Issue4January 2006Pages 140-140 RelatedInformation