1.2 mln chickens culled on US farm due to bird flu

Bird flu was detected in late February on a farm in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, US.

This was reported by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), writes WATTPoultry.

The virus was detected on a farm that keeps 1.22 million laying hens, which will be destroyed to prevent the spread of the disease. The poultry farms are quarantined to limit the movement of poultry and poultry products.

The Wisconsin Department of Health and the Jefferson County Public Health Service are monitoring farmers who have been in contact with sick animals for symptoms of highly pathogenic avian influenza.

According to APHIS, this is the first poultry farm affected by the bird virus in Wisconsin in 2026. Last year, two outbreaks of the virus were recorded, both in Jefferson County. Then it was necessary to destroy more than 3.5 million birds.

In addition, in 2026, bird flu was recorded in Delaware, Kent County. The disease affected 147.9 thousand broilers.

In Indiana, bird flu affected two farms that raise ducks. They kept 3,800 and 6,300 birds, respectively.

Also, in late February, the disease was detected on three farms in Maryland, affecting almost 60 thousand chickens.

Since the beginning of 2025, bird flu has been detected on farms in Pennsylvania (157 thousand broilers), South Dakota (50.4 thousand turkeys) and Kansas (24 thousand chickens).