Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

8. Birds

During agricultural research, when the aim of the project requires that the animals are kept under similar conditions to those under which commercial farm animals are kept, the keeping of the animals shall comply at least with the standards laid down in Directives 98/58/EC, 1999/74/EC(1) and 2007/43/EC(2).

Table 8.1. Domestic fowl

Where these minimum enclosure sizes cannot be provided for scientific reasons, the duration of the confinement shall be justified by the experimenter in consultation with veterinary staff. In such circumstances, birds can be housed in smaller enclosures containing appropriate enrichment and with a minimum floor area of 0,75 m².

Body mass(g)	Minimum enclosure size(m2)	Minimum area per bird(m2)	Minimum height(cm)	Minimum length of feed trough per bird(cm)	Date referred to in Article 33(2)
Up to 200	1,0	0,025	30	3	1 January 2017
over 200 to 300	1,0	0,03	30	3
over 300 to 600	1,0	0,05	40	7
over 600 to 1 200	2,0	0,09	50	15
over 1 200 to 1 800	2,0	0,11	75	15
over 1 800 to 2 400	2,0	0,13	75	15
over 2 400	2,0	0,21	75	15

Table 8.2. Domestic turkeys

All enclosure sides shall be at least 1,5 m long. Where these minimum enclosures sizes cannot be provided for scientific reasons, the duration of the confinement shall be justified by the experimenter in consultation with veterinary staff. In such circumstances, birds can be housed in smaller enclosures containing appropriate enrichment and with a minimum floor area of 0,75 m² and a minimum height of 50 cm for birds below 0,6 kg, 75 cm for birds below 4 kg, and 100 cm for birds over 4 kg. These can be used to house small groups of birds in accordance with the space allowances given in table 8.2.

Body mass(kg)	Minimum enclosure size(m2)	Minimum area per bird(m2)	Minimum height(cm)	Minimum length of feed trough per bird(cm)	Date referred to in Article 33(2)
Up to 0,3	2,0	0,13	50	3	1 January 2017
over 0,3 to 0,6	2,0	0,17	50	7
over 0,6 to 1	2,0	0,3	100	15
over 1 to 4	2,0	0,35	100	15
over 4 to 8	2,0	0,4	100	15
over 8 to 12	2,0	0,5	150	20
over 12 to 16	2,0	0,55	150	20
over 16 to 20	2,0	0,6	150	20
over 20	3,0	1,0	150	20

Table 8.3. Quails

Body mass(g)	Minimum enclosure size(m2)	Area per bird pair-housed(m2)	Area per additional bird group-housed(m2)	Minimum height(cm)	Minimum length of trough per bird(cm)	Date referred to in Article 33(2)
Up to 150	1,0	0,5	0,1	20	4	1 January 2017
Over 150	1,0	0,6	0,15	30	4

Table 8.4. Ducks and geese

Where these minimum enclosures sizes cannot be provided for scientific reasons, the duration of the confinement shall be justified by the experimenter in consultation with veterinary staff. In such circumstances, birds can be housed in smaller enclosures containing appropriate enrichment and with a minimum floor area of 0,75 m². These can be used to house small groups of birds in accordance with the space allowances given in table 8.4.

a This shall include a pond of minimum area 0,5 m2 per 2 m2 enclosure with a minimum depth of 30 cm. The pond may contribute up to 50 % of the minimum enclosure size.
b Pre-fledged birds may be held in enclosures with a minimum height of 75 cm.
Body mass(g)	Minimum enclosure size(m2)	Area per bird(m2)a	Minimum height(cm)	Minimum length of feed trough per bird(cm)	Date referred to in Article 33(2)
Ducks					1 January 2017
Up to 300	2,0	0,1	50	10
Over 300 to 1 200b	2,0	0,2	200	10
Over 1 200 to 3 500	2,0	0,25	200	15
Over 3 500	2,0	0,5	200	15
Geese
Up to 500	2,0	0,2	200	10
Over 500 to 2 000	2,0	0,33	200	15
Over 2 000	2,0	0,5	200	15

Table 8.5.

Ducks and geese: Minimum pond sizes ^a

a Pond sizes are per 2 m2 enclosure. The pond may contribute up to 50 % of the minimum enclosure size.
	Area(m2)	Depth(cm)
Ducks	0,5	30
Geese	0,5	from 10 to 30

Table 8.6. Pigeons

Enclosures shall be long and narrow (for example 2 m by 1 m) rather than square to allow birds to perform short flights.

Group size	Minimum enclosure size(m2)	Minimum height(cm)	Minimum length of food trough per bird(cm)	Minimum length of perch per bird(cm)	Date referred to in Article 33(2)
Up to 6	2	200	5	30	1 January 2017
from 7 to 12	3	200	5	30
for each additional bird above 12	0,15		5	30

Table 8.7. Zebra finches

Enclosures shall be long and narrow (for example 2 m by 1 m) to enable birds to perform short flights. For breeding studies, pairs may be housed in smaller enclosures containing appropriate enrichment with a minimum floor area of 0,5 m² and a minimum height of 40 cm. The duration of the confinement shall be justified by the experimenter in consultation with veterinary staff.

Group size	Minimum enclosure size(m2)	Minimum height(cm)	Minimum number of feeders	Date referred to in Article 33(2)
Up to 6	1,0	100	2	1 January 2017
7 to 12	1,5	200	2
13 to 20	2,0	200	3
for each additional bird above 20	0,05		1 per 6 birds

(1)

Council Directive 1999/74/EC of 19 July 1999 laying down minimum standards for the protection of laying hens (OJ L 203, 3.8.1999, p. 53).

(2)

Council Directive 2007/43/EC of 28 June 2007 laying down minimum rules for the protection of chickens kept for meat production (OJ L 182, 12.7.2007, p. 19).