Farm moves chickens indoors under bird flu rules

Under new rules, all poultry and captive birds must be kept indoors from 16 February

A farm attraction has been forced to move its normally free-range flock of chickens indoors, as part of new measures to prevent the spread of bird flu.

Under an order which came into force on 16 February, poultry and captive birds in Herefordshire and Worcestershire must be kept indoors, the government said.

Top Barn, based at Hallow, near Worcester, has hundreds of chickens and offers a farm park for families to experience nature during half-term holidays.

Mike Harper, owner, said a fully-netted marquee had been set up to allow the birds to "roam" inside it but not beyond.

"Not as wide as an area as they have here, a reduced area, but obviously fully penned in to meet with those regulations," he said.

Mike Harper is making changes based on government guidelines

Mr Harper added, however, that time and the cost of labour to set up the new housing measures would have the "biggest effect" on the business.

As for half-term visitors, he added that days-old chicks should still be on view for them, albeit behind a fence so families could not gain direct access.

"We can't have people handling them with the restrictions as they are," he said.

The government said the measures were a response to an increased number of cases across the country and "heightened risk levels".

The response is also in force in parts of Yorkshire, eastern England and Shropshire, as well as Cheshire, Merseyside and Lancashire.