Editor’s note: This story, originally published at 10:15 a.m. Jan. 31, 2025, was updated at 12:17 p.m. to include information from Maryland State Veterinarian Jennifer Trout.
A residence with backyard chicken flock in Montgomery County has been placed under quarantine after state testing discovered the H5N1 bird flu within the flock, according to a Thursday statement from the Maryland Department of Agriculture.
The Montgomery County flock is the first instance of bird flu in a backyard flock in Maryland since 2024, Maryland State Veterinarian Jennifer Trout said Friday. Department officials quarantined the affected premises and birds are being “depopulated” to prevent the spread of disease, according to the statement. Birds from the flock will not enter the food system.
“This owner called in because he had concerns about his chickens being sick and he had lost some chickens,” Trout told Bethesda Today. “He talked to one of the field veterinarians, and they recommended that he take some birds in for testing at our Frederick lab. So that’s how we found this one.”
The statement did not identify the owner of the flock or the community where the flock was located. Trout said the agriculture department doesn’t release information about owners to protect them, and to emphasize the importance of being attentive to bird flu.
“We’re really trying to stress to everyone to do their due diligence and be vigilant about having a backyard flock and backyard chickens and recognizing signs and implementing some biosecurity,” Trout said.
Confirmation of the cases by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Veterinary Services is pending. The Maryland Department of Agriculture said final results are expected in the next several days.
Bird flu is a highly contagious airborne respiratory virus that spreads by birds through nasal and eye secretions, as well as manure, according to the statement. H5N1 bird flu is widespread in wild birds and is causing outbreaks in poultry and dairy cows in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to Trout, there are four cases of bird flu on Maryland’s Eastern Shore in commercial flocks that are used for meat. Trout said the farms are all in various stages of being recognized, depopulated and disinfected.
There have been 67 confirmed reported cases among humans nationwide as of Friday morning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One human death has been associated with the bird flu infection. The majority of cases have been in people working at dairy and poultry farms.
The Montgomery County Department of Agriculture said in the statement that the risk of bird flu transmission between birds and the general public is low.
“The food supply is safe — No. 1,” Trout said, noting that commercial flocks are tested before harvest.
The department noted that residents are required to register any backyard flocks “to assist in protecting Maryland’s poultry industries from diseases.”
Trout emphasized the importance of biosecurity measures for those who have backyard flocks or hunt waterfowl. Measures include keeping visitors to a minimum, cleaning equipment and washing your hands before and after coming in contact with live poultry, according to the Thursday statement.
Montgomery County doesn’t have a restriction on keeping backyard chickens. In February 2023, Poolesville, which previously prohibited the practice, overturned the ban.