Overview
- A BOE order taking effect today requires all free-range, ecological and backyard flocks to be kept under cover nationwide, expanding earlier limits in high‑risk areas.
- The rule adds targeted biosecurity steps, including bans on mixing ducks and geese with other poultry, restrictions on untreated outdoor water sources and a halt to poultry at fairs and markets.
- Authorities report 139 poultry outbreaks in the EU and 14 in Spain this season, with roughly 2.5 million hens culled as Spain seeks to block transmission from wild waterfowl.
- Some regional officials and free‑range producers criticize the scope as premature and economically damaging, while governments highlight compensation mechanisms and limited, authorized exceptions using bird netting.
- Health experts describe the risk to people as low and say eggs and meat remain safe when properly handled and cooked, as the sector urges support and the government warns against price speculation.