The council has issued a warning to bird keepers across Lancashire as cases of bird flu, also known as avian influenza, rise.
England is in an avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) with mandatory biosecurity measures.
Mandatory housing measures also apply in Lancashire, among other areas of the country. This means that all bird keepers in Blackburn with Darwen, and other parts of the county, must keep their birds inside.
A Blackburn with Darwen Council spokesperson said: “Got chickens, ducks, or any other birds?
“Avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) housing measures have since been extended to include Lancashire. This means that all bird keepers in Blackburn with Darwen must keep their birds inside.”
The housing measures have been in force since February 16
A spokesperson for the Department for Food and Rural Affairs said: “From February 16, the avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) housing measures have been extended to cover Lancashire [and other areas].
“The England-wide AIPZ mandating enhanced biosecurity in all other counties remains in force. The AIPZ measures apply to all bird keepers whether they have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock and are essential to protecting flocks from avian influenza.
“The AIPZ will be in place until further notice and will be kept under regular review as part of the government’s work to monitor and manage the risks of avian influenza. Bird keepers should use the interactive map to check if they are in an area where they must house their birds and then read the AIPZ declaration schedule relevant to their area.”
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed that a person in the West Midlands contracted bird flu at the end of January following “close and prolonged contact with a large number of infected birds”.
The case is one of only seven seen in the UK since 2021 and the risk to the wider public is “very low”, the agency has said.
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