About 1,800 households keeping several thousand birds will be asked to surrender them when the ban on backyard poultry-keeping takes effect, the Health, Welfare & Food Bureau says.

Patrol teams will be formed to ensure effective enforcement of the new law.

Since February 2, the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department has appealed to villagers to hand in their backyard poultry.

The legislative exemption for people keeping up to 20 poultry will be removed.