Moving poultry into Victoria

There are no specific entry requirements for backyard domestic chickens or other poultry species, except those relating to notifiable diseases.

Poultry includes the following birds, reared or kept in captivity:

  • chickens
  • ducks
  • emus
  • geese
  • guinea fowl
  • ostriches
  • partridges
  • pheasants
  • pigeons
  • quails
  • turkeys

Health requirements

All livestock brought into Victoria must be free of notifiable diseases.

Diseased livestock can only enter Victoria under a licence, usually only direct for slaughter at an abattoir. In some situations, we might issue a licence to introduce the animals to another Victorian property.

Diseased livestock forms

Application and licence to introduce diseased livestock into Victoria to an approved property

Application and licence to introduce diseased livestock into Victoria for immediate slaughter

These licences are issued by the Chief Veterinary Officer Unit at Agriculture Victoria.

Newcastle disease (commercial chickens)

Victoria is a Control Area for Newcastle disease (ND). There are specific requirements for commercial chickens (a flock of more than 1000 chickens) relating to Newcastle disease.

Chickens to be included in a commercial poultry flock will not be permitted to enter Victoria unless:

  • the chickens are vaccinated per Schedules 1 and 3 of the Order Declaring a Control Area For Newcastle Disease and Prohibitions on the Entry of Domestic Chickens into Victoria, and
  • the consignment is accompanied by a vendor declaration or documents that state the age and number of chickens, and the dates and types of ND vaccination (for example, hatchery invoice)

or

  • under written authority of Agriculture Victoria's Chief Veterinary Officer Unit
Page last updated: 31 Jul 2024