The Ministry of Agriculture proposes to ban free-ranging chickens

“Small and large farms, as well as enterprises, use floor (with or without paddocks) or cage systems for keeping poultry. Keeping birds using free range is not permitted. Walking birds kept at enterprises is not allowed,” says the draft veterinary rules.

The new rules will become mandatory for personal subsidiary plots and peasant (farm) households, as well as for poultry enterprises.

The ban on free range of farm birds is considered correct by the President of the Russian Poultry Union Vladimir Fisinin, an academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences. “This is correct from the point of view of biosafety, preventing the spread of infectious and parasitic animal diseases,” commented Vladimir Fisinin to ViZh. When free-ranging, poultry can come into contact with wild animals, which can lead to the introduction of infectious animal diseases into the farm. This is confirmed by the epizootic situation in European countries.

“A large-scale spread of avian influenza is observed in Europe, where there is liberal legislation regarding animals and cage-free keeping of free-range birds is practiced. This leads to contact between farm poultry and wild birds and infection of the livestock with avian influenza,” Yulia Melano, adviser to the HEAD of ROSSELKHOZNADZOR, commented to ViZh .

According to the supervisory authority, from the beginning of 2024 to April 5, outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza were registered in 22 European countries. A total of 412 outbreaks have been identified among poultry and wild poultry in European countries.

In addition to epizootic problems, free-ranging chickens may increase injury rates, adds Vladimir Fisinin. “Birds kept freely peck at each other. On average, the number of birds in a poultry house is reduced by 20%. A strong bird kills a weak one, the birds hide - they do not receive food and water. Egg production is decreasing,” the academician explained.

However, Russian producers of organic products expressed concerns that the ban on free range of poultry would become an obstacle to the development of organic poultry farming. 

“Organic production is regulated by the main GOST 33980-2016, where paragraph 6 sets out the rules for keeping birds for organic production. There should be free range, artificial lighting no more than 16 hours a day. The new rules completely abolish free range, which makes organic production impossible,” the Union of Organic Farming explained to ViZh. 

Vladimir Fisinin does not agree with this position. He points out that organic production largely depends on bird nutrition. “The feed should be based on grain grown without the use of chemicals and mineral fertilizers,” said the academician.

What else is contained in the new veterinary regulations?

The document indicates area standards per head. Such standards are prescribed for chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese. Norms for poultry stocking density are also prescribed. 

The rules indicate the distance that should separate poultry houses from the residential sector. If this is a small farm with 100 heads, then the distance to residential buildings should be at least 10 meters, and if it is a large enterprise with 1000 heads, then it should be at least 500 meters.

In addition to poultry houses, the rules require poultry farmers to have an isolated room for quarantine, as well as a separate area for keeping and treating sick birds and those suspected of having the disease. In addition, a site is needed for storing and disinfecting litter, a place for storing veterinary drugs and a room for feed and bedding material.

The rules prescribe requirements for the maintenance and treatment of poultry buildings, disinfection, the condition of feeders and drinkers, and also contain standards for water consumption by birds.