Chicken breeders are bracing for a surge in demand for backyard hens amid fears the potential spread of the H5 bird flu could affect supermarket egg supplies.
The poultry industry has not reported any cases of bird flu in its animals so far, but the federal Agriculture Department has recorded more than 300 infection events.
Australian Eggs managing director Rowan McMonnies said in late July that while the H5 flu had been “very destructive” elsewhere, he believed Australia could “limit the impact here”.
But he conceded that bird flu would likely stay active in the country “for the medium term”.
Pandemic-era demand on the cards
Sunshine Coast poultry market founder Kate Grealy saw the enormous demand for laying hens during the COVID lockdown periods.
Kate Grealy is expecting demand for backyard chooks to increase. (ABC News: Megan Kinninment)
She said ongoing discussions about bird flu could spark a spike in hen adoptions, though there had been no effect on local egg production yet.
“I think there’ll be a surge even greater than the COVID experience,” Ms Grealy said.
“People were looking at food security and things that they could do on a small scale to be more self-sustainable.”
No poultry farms in Australia have been affected by an H5N1 yet, but people may start adopting hens as a precaution. (ABC News: Megan Kinninment)
She said backyard hens had become common in some areas since the pandemic.
“One of the really positive outcomes that COVID had was that people were doing a lot of research and a lot of talk within their own community, whether that be online or face to face, about food security,” Ms Grealy said.
“I think people are aware of the fact [the egg industry] can be just a complete shutdown and the shelves will be empty.
“That risk of not being able to buy them is real.”
Shelves in a Darwin supermarket empty of eggs in early 2025 after a previous bird flu strain affected Australian poultry. (ABC Rural: Fiona Broom)
Australian Eggs estimates that about 7 per cent of egg production was lost to a different strain of avian flu in 2024, from which farms largely recovered early last year.
Flu worries for backyard chooks
Although backyard chickens are at some risk of being exposed to H5 avian flu, transmission is rare.
States and territories have released advice on how to minimise the risk to backyard hens.
Victoria’s agriculture department says the risks for backyard flocks “are low” at the moment, but owners ought to monitor their flocks.
Nervous wait for H5 bird flu results
University of Sydney poultry health lecturer Jose Quinteros said owners must keep a close watch on their chickens for any signs of the avian flu, and report any concerns.
“If they don’t notify the authorities, they will keep that virus live or active in their small or medium-sized flocks,” Dr Quinteros said.
“That might reinfect other wildlife and other birds that might keep spreading the disease even further.”
Chickens can contract the H5 avian flu through interactions with wild birds from droppings, or sharing their food or water.
Dr Quinteros said keeping chickens enclosed or even in their coop was the safest option, particularly in areas with the highest number of H5 cases.
South Australia currently has the highest number of infections, followed by Victoria.
A second case was confirmed in Queensland on Tuesday.
Risk of rogue roosters
After COVID-19 laid the groundwork for more people to adopt backyard hens, regional councils started noticing a surprising consequence: the arrival of roosters in public spaces.
Many hopeful hen raisers would buy baby chicks, which are notoriously hard to sex, then abandon the roosters after a few early-morning crows.
Sunshine Coast Council officer Shanagh Jacobs remembers the era clearly, because her team had to wrangle the rogue roosters.
“We did have a bit of a problem, believe it or not, with people actually dumping them in cemeteries, which was a real challenge because, obviously, they get in and do damage to people’s burial sites and flowers and things that are left on the site,” she said.
The gender of these young chicks is not known yet. (ABC News: Megan Kinninment)
Capturing the roosters from rural cemeteries eventually prompted the council to allow roosters and poultry to be left at its pound for a small fee.
They were then rehomed at a no-kill animal centre.
Different local councils will have different rules regarding the number of chickens or roosters allowed on a property, usually governed by land size and proximity to neighbours.
Happiness is a laying hen
Ms Grealy said buying hens from established poultry markets gave people the best chance of avoiding a rude awakening.
Breeders will sell confirmed hens, though some will also offer younger unsexed chicks for less if buyers wish to take a gamble.
“A young female chicken is called a pullet. That’s the kind of language you need to be using,” Ms Grealy said.
She said backyard chickens put you in a good mood, as well as consistently supplying eggs.
“[They’re] time-wasters in that it’s just so lovely just to sit and watch them,” Ms Grealy said.
“Their behaviour is beautiful in a little domestic suburban backyard where they feel safe.
“They are just lovely to have around.”