FARMERS had prayed that the sight of disinfectant trays and warning signs outside their gates was a thing of the past.

But five years after foot-and-mouth disease devastated Britain's livestock and dairy industries, poultry farmers are preparing for avian flu to strike.

Many farmers are waiting for guidance from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on whether to bring their birds inside. A large number have already begun to take precautions.

David Maughan, who has 16,000 free-range hens at Morton Tinmouth, near Staindrop, County Durham, had set up disinfectant footbaths and has put up signs restricting access to his farm.

"We haven't got to the next stage yet, which is disinfecting all wagons coming on to the farm," he said.

"You would have to wash them and disinfect them and you are in foot-and-mouth precautions there."

He said vaccination might not be the answer.

"Apparently, it takes some time for the vaccine to work, and sometimes they have to be given a second vaccine.

"It is very disruptive and very stressful for the birds. Egg production would drop quite dramatically."

From next Tuesday, anyone with more than 50 commercial hens will have to be registered with Defra.

Edward Dennison, chairman of North Riding and Durham National Farmers' Union, said the move did not go far enough. He has called for it to be compulsory for people keeping any number of hens to be registered.

"There are a lot of backyard poultry keepers that can have the disease," he said. "If everyone had to register, everyone is totally aware of where the birds are."

North Yorkshire County Council's trading standards team has introduced a voluntary registration system for people with fewer than 50 birds.

Andy Robson, divisional officer for animal health and welfare, said: "We are trying to encourage all people with less than 50 birds to register, so that if the worst happens we have got them on a database that we can share with the state veterinary service."

A newsletter has also been sent to poultry keepers and an advice line, 0845 330221, has been set up.

"Foot-and-mouth broke and came out of the blue," said Mr Robson. "There have been enough warning signs since mid-summer 2005 that there is a potential for bird flu to come this way.

"We thought we have got to be ready."

In Cleveland and Durham, contingency plans are being created to deal with the possibility of an outbreak among poultry. Separate plans are also being drawn up in case the disease mutates and spreads to humans.