
01/24/2025
As we continue to see HPAI detections in wild birds in PA, biosecurity is crucial to your poultry's health and safety.
Everyone should assume any wild bird near their flocks could be carrying the HPAI virus. Many waterfowl travel in large groups and may continue to move around the state regardless of where an initial detection happened and some birds may be asymptomatic but continue shedding the virus. Therefore, you should limit contact of your poultry with any and all wildlife. Limit your own contact with wildlife, especially wild waterfowl. If you have been in contact with or in an area where wild waterfowl frequent, make sure to change clothes and shoes, shower, and wash your vehicle before interacting with your poultry.
If you have any issues with nuisance from wildlife near your poultry, call USDA wildlife services and they can provide assistance. You can find the numbers for different state offices on this webpage. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife-state-offices
If you notice dead wild birds, especially waterfowl, vultures, or birds of prey, please contact the Pennsylvania Game Commission by calling 1-833-742-9453, emailing [email protected], or using their online wildlife health survey tool at https://www.pgcapps.pa.gov/WHS/app/home
Cold temperatures can complicate cleaning and disinfection as well. Make sure to check label instructions for temperatures in which disinfectants may become less effective or require a longer contact than normal. Call the manufacturer if this information is not available on the label. Adding antifreeze to disinfect solutions can also decrease their effectiveness, so using insulated containers for these may be a better solution.
If you suspect HPAI in your poultry flock (the first sign is often a sudden increase in mortality), it should be considered an emergency! Please do not wait to seek help. Report sick or dead domestic birds to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture via their 24-Hour Hotline at 717-772-2852.