Bird flu case confirmed in Central Kentucky backyard flock. Here’s what to know
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- Officials confirmed Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a Jessamine County flock.
- Authorities quarantined and began depopulation and a 10-kilometer surveillance zone.
- Officials urge biosecurity for backyard and commercial bird owners; meat and eggs safe.
Federal and state officials have confirmed a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, in a Jessamine County backyard poultry flock.
In a Monday news release, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture said it received a report Dec. 6 of increased deaths among a backyard chicken flock in the county. The University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories conducted testing, confirming the presence of bird flu.
After the samples tested positive, the KDA’s Office of State Veterinarian visited the site, the specific address of which the state agency did not share, and quarantined the flock. The agency said it began euthanizing other members of the flock Dec. 11.
Madison Pergrem, a spokesperson for the KDA, said on Tuesday that the flock of nearly 2,200 birds was fully euthanized.
Officials also set up a 10-kilometer surveillance zone around the infected site. Movement on all backyard and commercial facilities in the zone is being restricted to prevent the spread of bird flu.
“The Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Office of State Veterinarian is working closely with federal animal health officials and other state agencies to contain this incident of avian influenza,” Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell said in the Dec. 15 news release. “Protecting the health of livestock and poultry in the Commonwealth is a top priority of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.”
This is the first detection of bird flu in non-wild birds in Kentucky since 2022, according to the KDA. The outbreak then included commercial operations in Webster and Fulton counties and a backyard flock of mixed-species birds in Fayette County.
The bird flu is not a food safety risk, and eggs and meat are safe to eat when handled and cooked properly. The KDA said birds at locations with detected cases will not enter the food supply. However, avian flu is a deadly threat to commercial and backyard birds. The agency urged bird-keepers to take steps to protect their flock.
This story was originally published December 15, 2025 at 12:14 PM.
