KNUTSFORD’S rural community could take a ‘hard hit’ after authorities announced the area as being under threat from bird flu.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced plans to introduce more stringent measures after its current Avian Influenza Prevention Zone boundaries expire on February 28, marking large parts of Knutsford and the surrounding areas at ‘higher risk’ of the disease.

The move means that all birds in higher risk areas must remain ‘housed’ at all times.

The National Farmers Union believes this could pose a serious threat to affected poultry businesses, which in many cases will not be able to market their eggs as free range.

Many supermarkets are already displaying notices to explain to customers that certain free range eggs may not be free range as the chickens have had to be kept inside.

Areas affected by the new perimeters include Knutsford, Allostock, Rostherne, Cranage, Mobberley, Mere, Plumley, Holmes Chapel and Goostrey.

Ron Fahey, owner of Cheshire Chickens which is based at Sycamore Poultry Farm in Allostock, told the Guardian that the sale of back garden chickens is ‘considerably down’ as a result.

“It has had an impact on us,” he said. “Our business is selling point of lay chickens to small holders, back garden buyers and garden centres. We don’t typically sell birds in January and February and we have got orders for the year coming but it’s considerably down on last year.

“It’s not encouraging people to keep chickens. They are not as enthusiastic as they were. I am hoping that it will pick up and at the moment we are weathering the storm- but I don’t know whether it will get to the point where we are keeping the business on life support.”

Ron said that the strict measures in place are those that most farmers should already be carrying out, and that due to the nature of their business all of their chickens are already housed.

In light of the new rules, the National Farmers’ Union is encouraging traders to continue paying free range prices for eggs even though vast areas will be required to house their chickens indoors.

Duncan Priestner, poultry chairman for the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), said: “This is a really big thing for free range egg producers in higher risk areas.

“In higher risk areas they can’t let their birds out all. They won’t be able to sell these eggs as free range eggs. The price is 20p a dozen, and if they don’t get the 20p it will hit them very hard. We hope the retailers will stand by them and say they will keep paying it.”

Duncan said that the disease is one that only affects birds, and has been spread to the UK because of avian migration to countries such as Siberia- which is an area full of birds from all parts of the world who carry the virus.

To find out more visit gisdiseasemap.defra.gov.uk/intmaps/avian/map.jsp