By Abigail Gocek OMAHA, Neb.- Highly Pathogenic avian influenza is sweeping the nation for the fourth year. First reported in wild birds in January 2022, avian influenza has since affected over 150 million birds in the United States.
A Chicken in the coop at Carper’s Farm, Denton, Nebraska, Sunday. March 10, 2025. (UNO/Abigail Gocek)
Outbreaks of avian influenza tend to spike in the fall and spring as birds migrate. The United States Department of Agriculture reports 13 million birds have been affected by the disease in the last 30 days. Of the 116 flocks, 60 were commercial flocks and 50 backyard flocks.
In Nebraska, three cases of avian influenza have been reported in 2025. In January, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture confirmed cases of avian influenza in backyard flocks in Nance and Kearney counties. In February, the NDA confirmed a third case of the disease in another backyard flock in Saunders County.
According to the USDA, 35 million birds have been culled due to the disease in 2025. The rapid decline in the poultry population has led to a rise in egg prices across the nation. The Bureu of labor Statistics reports the average price in January for a dozen eggs reached $4.95. With a prediction of a 41% rise in egg prices in 2025, the USDA has announced a one billion dollar plan to curb spread and lower prices. Additionally, Chairman of the Egg Producers Central Union in Turkey, Ibrahim Afyon, announced that a total of15,000 tons of eggs will be shipped to the United States monthly through July.
Eggs in the chicken coop at Carper’s Farm, Denton, Nebraska, Sunday. March 10, 2025. (UNO/Abigail Gocek)
Avian influenza spreads through both direct contact and infected surfaces. According to the USDA, symptoms of avian flu in poultry includes sudden death, lack of appetite, a drop in egg production or misshapen eggs, swelling or discoloration of the body, difficulty breathing, coughing or sneezing, excessive twisting of the head or neck, falling, and diarrhea.
While relatively rare, the disease can be transmitted between infected animals and humans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report 70 cases of humans contracting avian influenza since 2022. While 67 of these cases were a result of close exposure to infected dairy cows or poultry, the remaining three cases were infected from unknown origins.
When in contact with poultry, the USDA advises frequent disinfection of the poultry area, changing clothes and washing hands after handling birds and limiting human or wild bird contact with domestic flocks. For birds suspected of carrying the disease, the CDC advises zero contact with any ill or dead birds, proper use of PPE when in the poultry area and to avoid stirring any dust around contaminated surfaces.
