Meat chickens
Keeping chickens for meat is popular with smallholders and crofters, and many people in Scotland keep a couple of chickens in their backyards for personal use. Chickens can be kept alongside other livestock, combined with market gardening, and kept in a variety of spaces.
Updated 7 June 2026
Records & inspections
Before getting chickens you should familiarise yourself with ongoing administrative and reporting duties. You can then keep legally required records and are prepared for inspections from the Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate (RPID). For more details, please see Poultry inspections (ruralpayments.org).
Keeping records
All keepers of chickens for meat production must record:
- Mortalities – keep for at least 3 years
- Veterinary medicines used – keep for at least 5 years
- Bird transport records – keep for at least 12 months
Additional records may be required depending on flock size, production system (e.g. organic or higher-welfare schemes), and whether birds are moved for slaughter.
Read more:
’Registration and records of poultry’, Business Companion
Medicine records
You must keep records of any medicine given to your chickens for five years.
Check the legal recording requirements for:
- Medicine bought, administered, or disposed by you
- Medicine administered by a vet
- Prescribed medicine products
The Farm Advisory Service has a video guide on key medicine record requirements. Read more about medicine records on the Veterinary Medicines Directorate website.