Disruption to UK chick supplies

Published on : 16 Apr 2026

All parties are working towards resolving the situation as quickly as safely and practically possible

The issue centres on chicks hatched on 26 March at the company’s Peterborough hatchery, where chick liner sampling supplied to customers returned a positive for Group B salmonella. The Animal and Plant Health Agency later confirmed the serotype as Salmonella typhimurium, with further customer and retained tray liner samples also testing positive and awaiting formal confirmation from Weybridge.

Despite the apparent spread, the situation has in part been contained through the National Salmonella Control Programme, which has enabled rapid tracing and intervention following the initial detections.

APHA has placed Joice and Hill under official restrictions while investigations continue, with all parties working towards resolving the situation as quickly as safely and practically possible.

In a statement issued to customers, Nick Bailey, managing director of Joice and Hill Poultry Ltd, said: “Chick liners from our hatch on 26th March and supplied to one of our customers have turned up a positive for Group B salmonella. Late last week APHA confirmed that the serotype was S. typhimurium.”

The statement continued: “Since this supply date, a number of customer and retained samples from hatcher tray liners have shown positive results and are awaiting formal serotyping from Weybridge.”

Outlining its response, the company said: “Joice and Hill have done extensive rounds of sampling since the first suspicion but have yet to isolate salmonella from any supply flocks or their environment. Hatchery sampling has returned one positive from 300 samples taken and this was in a non production area.”

“We are working hard with APHA and our veterinary consultants to identify the source and have pulled hatching eggs from certain flocks that have a level of suspicion due to the pattern of positives. We have also increased our levels of cleaning and disinfection at the hatchery to address any potential recycling of infection between hatches.”

Customers have been urged to tighten on farm controls, with the company stating: “We urge all customers receiving chicks since the 26th March to take all care and attention in their biosecurity to prevent any possible onward contamination and to consult with their veterinary consultant as to what steps should be taken. We have been in contact with customers delivered in this period to advise them to do this.”

Providing further reassurance, the statement added: “The level of infection is very low as witnessed by our failure to find any salmonella from our supply farms despite multiple rounds of extensive testing. Hatchery testing shows that our C&D between hatches is working. We are confident that we can eradicate this issue.”

Describing the situation, the company said: “This really is an unprecedented situation, and we apologise to customers affected by this. Joice and Hill take the health status of our operation very seriously and this is the first time in my 30 year career that this has happened.”

It also highlighted existing protocols: “For many years now we have been practicing a level of testing and biosecurity beyond that required under NCP legislation and the Lion Code. All PS houses are sampled and tested fortnightly with the view that we will detect any salmonella before the chicks hatch, after the 3 week incubation process. It is very frustrating that despite this, we have seen positive results from chick liners.”

With the egg market already tight, it is understood the developing situation may affect some producers who have scheduled pullet deliveries from rearers in 3 to 4 months time. Producers in this situation should speak to their rearer and / or packer to discuss further.