Avian Influenza and Small Flock Health

Ministry of Agriculture and Food

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food (the Ministry) would like to provide the following information and resources for small flock owners following the recent detections of Avian Influenza (AI) in B.C., as well as other provinces in Canada and the United States.

Commingling of birds restricted
The Ministry has released a General Order for Avian Influenza as per the Animal Health Act (AHA), restricting the commingling of birds during events that include poultry swaps, auctions, flea markets, bird shows, fairs, public displays or competitions where birds from multiple sources would be present. The order can be found here: General Order; April 19, 2022: Avian Influenza (Commingling) (PDF, 286 KB)

The ministry strongly requests and recommends that all small lot and backyard flock poultry and domestic waterfowl producers avoid commingling events. Protecting people and birds from avian influenza requires the cooperation and effort of everyone.Bird species included in the order are: chicken, turkeys, doves, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, peafowl, pheasants, pigeons, quails, and ratites.

If a flock is suffering from any unexplained clinical signs or increased mortality, bird owners should contact a professional for help and sampling. Do not take sick birds off the property.