A “highly pathogenic” avian flu (HPAI) virus was detected in backyard poultry in Massachusetts, according to the state Department of Agricultural Resources.
The department recently culled a flock of non-commercial, backyard poultry in Essex County after the birds tested positive for the disease, it said in a press release Wednesday. HPAI spreads rapidly and is often fatal in chicken and turkeys, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
This is at least the second time this year that the virus has been detected in backyard birds in Massachusetts. It was found in a domesticated flock in Barnstable County in January.
Both flocks exhibited “clinical signs” of HPAI, the Department of Agricultural Resources said. Such symptoms include sudden death; lack of energy and appetite; decreased egg production; soft-shelled or misshapen eggs; swelling of the head, comb, eyelid, wattles and hocks; purple discoloration of the wattles, comb and legs; nasal discharge, coughing and sneezing; incoordination or diarrhea, according to the USDA.
The virus is circulating in Massachusetts’ wild bird population, particularly in waterfowl, the Department of Agricultural Resources said. As such, the department is urging both commercial and backyard poultry owners to take action to prevent their flocks from coming into contact with wild birds, as well as their feathers and feces.
“Allowing domesticated flocks the ability to roam freely poses substantial and elevated risk of exposure to HPAI and should be avoided or the consequences can be deadly,” the department wrote.
The department recommends eliminating standing water and preventing domesticated birds from having access to ponds, streams and wetlands that attract wild waterfowl. It also asks that residents report both backyard and wild birds that may have died of HPAI.
You can report sick or dead domesticated poultry here and dead wild birds here.
