Ireland's hen population has endured its own lockdown due to avian flu since November last.
But free range birds are ready to roam outside again after the Department of Agriculture last night said the legal requirement to confine poultry and other domestic birds indoors as a precautionary measure against Avian Influenza (bird flu) will be lifted from Friday April 29.
The Department of Agriculture said the decision to withdraw the requirement is based on a number of parameters which indicate a reducing risk of an avian influenza incursion.
This includes the fact that no case of bird flu has been confirmed here in wild birds for a period of four weeks.
There is also the issue of reduced numbers of migratory waterfowl and increasing environmental temperatures and daylight hours.
But the Department urged flock owners to remain vigilant as, notwithstanding the reduced risk, there is still the possibility of the virus being present in the environment or being transmitted to their flock by wild birds.
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