Flock Status · Massachusetts

Bird flu rules for backyard flocks in Massachusetts

Being re-checked · October 15, 2026

Massachusetts: a bird-flu show and fair rule is being re-checked. The agency's own pages disagree or couldn't be read, so call the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources at 617-626-1795 before moving, showing or selling birds. What we have confirmed is below.

Read from 7 official sources17 passages quotedChecked on October 14, 2026

At a glance

Today

Being re-checked

Bird-flu orders in force

None found

APHIS detections, 30 days

None listed

Report sick birds

617-626-1795

Not veterinary advice: follow your state veterinarian. This is a sourced reading of official notices, dated when we read them. Orders can change overnight, so confirm with Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), Division of Animal Health (State Veterinarian Dr. Lorraine O'Connor) before you move, show or sell birds.

Current situation

What the agency's own pages and tables showed when we checked, with the line each comes from.

  • APHIS lists 10 Massachusetts detections; the two 2026 rows, Dukes 02 (January 2, 2026) and Dukes 03 (backyard, February 27, 2026), show control area released: NA

    • Feb 27, 2026Dukes CountyBackyard (Non-Poultry)30 birdsno control area listed

      USDA APHIS · publicdashboards.dl.usda.gov · last Massachusetts row

  • MDAR's avian influenza page (read October 14, 2026) reports one 2026 case: a non-commercial backyard flock in Dukes County, depopulated in January 2026. It announces no order beyond the waterfowl ban listed on MDAR's fair-rules page

    • “In January of 2026, the MA Department of Agricultural Resources and its partner agencies have depopulated and disposed of one non-commercial, backyard flock (WOAH non-poultry), in Dukes County, due to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.”

      Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources · mass.gov · page top

Being re-checked

Being re-checked

These rest on a notice that may be out of date, or that we couldn't read with our tools. We don't show them as current rules until they're confirmed; if they matter to you, ask the agency directly.

  • A rule or order

    MDAR Order 1041-AHO-25 (December 1, 2025) cancels or postpones all waterfowl competitions, exhibitions, shows and swaps in Massachusetts 'until further notice' and says it 'will be rescinded on May 1, 2026, unless circumstances demand an extension'; no extension or rescission notice was found, so whether it still applies is unconfirmed

    Why: The order's own text ends it on May 1, 2026 only 'unless circumstances demand an extension', so it can't show today's status. MDAR's fair-rules page still lists this order (landing page updated January 6, 2026), and no extension or rescission notice was found on the MDAR pages read

    Waiting on: MDAR (Division of Animal Health, 617-626-1795) confirms whether Order 1041-AHO-25 was rescinded on May 1, 2026 or extended

    The text in question
    • “the Director of Animal Health hereby orders the cancelation or postponement of all competitions, exhibitions, shows, swaps or other in-person events encouraging the gathering or commingling of waterfowl in Massachusetts until further notice.”

      MDAR Division of Animal Health (Director Michael Cahill) · mass.gov · ORDER

    • “This Order will be rescinded on May 1, 2026, unless circumstances demand an extension at that time.”

      MDAR Division of Animal Health (Director Michael Cahill) · mass.gov · ORDER, closing

    • “The above notice does not prohibit the movement of domestic fowl or poultry into slaughter channels, including licensed live bird market sales facilities.”

      MDAR Division of Animal Health (Director Michael Cahill) · mass.gov · ORDER

    • “Waterfowl may not be exhibited, shown, or otherwise gathered or co-mingled at in-person events in Massachusetts until April 30, 2026, unless extended by the Director of Animal Health,”

      Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources · mass.gov · Poultry Specific Information

    • “Based on recent positive HPAI findings in domestic birds in New Hampshire and Connecticut, we also extended the waterfowl exhibition ban until April 30, 2026.”

      Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources · mass.gov · HPAI paragraph

In force today

Worked out from each notice's dates for October 15, 2026. Bird-flu orders come first, then the standing rules.

Standing ruleShows and fairs

Advisory (not an order): the six New England state veterinarians, Massachusetts included, strongly discourage waterfowl exhibitions and may recommend delaying or cancelling poultry shows

In effect from May 5, 2026 · No end date in the source

Statewide · fairs, competitions, exhibitions, shows, swaps and other bird gatherings (all six New England states) · Birds: domestic and wild waterfowl; domestic fowl and poultry

  • Latest version read: May 5, 2026 update (Connecticut copy)

Guidance: Memorandum: 2026 New England Fairs and Shows (May 5, 2026 update) · New England State Veterinarians, May 5, 2026

What the guidance says (1 passage)
  • “The New England State Veterinarians strongly discourage the exhibition of domestic and wild waterfowl species and may recommend delaying or canceling domestic fowl or poultry shows. If events are held, best practices for biosecurity should be implemented.”

    New England State Veterinarians · portal.ct.gov · Avian Influenza (HPAI) Notices, Avian species

Standing ruleShows and fairs

2026 Massachusetts fair rules: every bird is inspected before admission and needs proof of a pullorum-negative breeding flock within a year

Birds over 16 weeks old as of January 1, 2026 need a state leg band; birds from quarantined states are refused

No end date in the source

Statewide · Massachusetts fairs and shows, 2026 season · Birds: poultry at Massachusetts fairs and shows (out-of-state exhibitors included)

  • Each bird individually inspected before admission to the fairground
  • Free of visible infectious bronchitis, coryza, pullorum-typhoid, fowl pox, external parasites and laryngotracheitis
  • Written proof (ID card or test report) that the breeding flock tested negative for pullorum-typhoid within one year before entry
  • Birds from quarantined states not permitted
  • Birds over 16 weeks old as of January 1, 2026: individual state leg band, out-of-state exhibitors included
  • No bird vaccinated for laryngotracheitis within 30 days of the fair
  • General rules: animals with signs of contagious disease or missing documents are rejected; the inspector's decision is final
  • Waterfowl: see below (held)

Notice: 2026 Animal Health Rules for Fairs and Shows · Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, 2026

What the notice says (5 passages)
  • “No poultry will be admitted to a fairground until it has been individually inspected.”

    Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources · mass.gov · Poultry Specific Information 1

  • “Each bird must be accompanied by written proof (ID card or test report) that the breeding flock was blood-tested negative for pullorum-typhoid within one year prior to entry date.”

    Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources · mass.gov · Poultry 3

  • “Birds from quarantined states will not be permitted entry.”

    Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources · mass.gov · Poultry 4

  • “All birds over 16 weeks of age as of January 1, 2026, shall be individually leg banded with a state leg band. This includes out-of-state exhibitors.”

    Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources · mass.gov · Poultry 5

  • “No bird vaccinated for laryngotracheitis within thirty (30) days of the fair will be admitted.”

    Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources · mass.gov · Poultry 6

How to reportReporting sick birds

MDAR asks keepers to report sick or dead domestic poultry, and any unexpected deaths, immediately to its Division of Animal Health (617-626-1795) or through its online report form

No end date in the source

Statewide · Birds: domestic poultry (chickens, turkeys, gamebirds, domestic ducks)

  • Wild birds (5 or more dead at one location): MassWildlife online form at mass.gov/reportbirds
  • USDA compensation covers birds depopulated for disease control, not birds that die of the disease

Guidance: Avian Influenza (MDAR page) · Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources

What the guidance says (2 passages)
  • “Sick or dead domestic poultry (chickens, turkeys, gamebirds, domestic ducks, etc.) should be reported to Department of Agricultural Resources Division of Animal Health at 617-626-1795 or through the Report Sick or Dead Domestic Poultry link”

    Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources · mass.gov · REPORT sick or dead birds!

  • “Any unexpected deaths or other signs of sick birds should be reported immediately to the Division of Animal Health at 617-626-1795 or through this online reporting form.”

    Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources · mass.gov · HPAI Response Information

Bringing birds or hatching eggs into Massachusetts

We couldn't read Massachusetts's entry rules: check with Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), Division of Animal Health (State Veterinarian Dr. Lorraine O'Connor) (617-626-1795 (MDAR Division of Animal Health)) before you bring birds or hatching eggs in. We couldn't read them with our tools; that doesn't mean there are no rules.

Standing ruleBringing birds in

Standing law: hatching eggs, chicks and live poultry may be bought, sold, moved or imported only from flocks meeting 'pullorum passed' or 'pullorum clean' standards (or equivalent)

No end date in the source

Statewide · buying, selling, transporting within, or importing into Massachusetts · Birds: hatching eggs, baby chicks and live poultry

  • Exceptions: poultry for immediate slaughter, or for exhibition under an MDAR permit
  • This is the pullorum rule only; Massachusetts' avian influenza entry requirements weren't found, so confirm with MDAR (617-626-1795)

Rule: M.G.L. c. 129, § 26B · Massachusetts General Court

What the rule says (1 passage)
  • “No person shall buy, sell or transport within or import into the commonwealth hatching eggs, baby chicks or live poultry, except poultry intended for immediate slaughter or for exhibition subject to permit granted by the state department of agriculture,”

    Massachusetts General Court · malegislature.gov · § 26B, sentence 1 (first part)

Federal rules apply on top for any move across a state line: official ID and a health certificate or NPIP paperwork.

Sick or dead birds? Who to call

Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), Division of Animal Health (State Veterinarian Dr. Lorraine O'Connor)

617-626-1795 (MDAR Division of Animal Health)

The agency's bird flu page

  • “Sick or dead domestic poultry (chickens, turkeys, gamebirds, domestic ducks, etc.) should be reported to Department of Agricultural Resources Division of Animal Health at 617-626-1795 or through the Report Sick or Dead Domestic Poultry link”

    Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources · mass.gov · REPORT sick or dead birds!

Recent detections in Massachusetts

USDA APHIS lists no confirmed bird-flu detections in Massachusetts flocks in the 30 days to October 14, 2026. Latest detection in the APHIS data: October 9, 2026. The national picture

Common questions

Is there a bird flu order in Massachusetts right now?
Massachusetts: a bird-flu show and fair rule is being re-checked. The agency's own pages disagree or couldn't be read, so call the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources at 617-626-1795 before moving, showing or selling birds. What we have confirmed is below.
Can I take my chickens to a poultry show or swap in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts's show and sale rules are being re-checked: MDAR Order 1041-AHO-25. Until that's settled, call the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources at 617-626-1795 before an event.
What do I need to bring chickens or hatching eggs into Massachusetts?
MDAR's poultry import, testing and permit rules, including any avian influenza test, weren't found: its avian influenza page (read October 14, 2026) says only that it is developing import protocols, and its rules documents are PDF downloads that couldn't be read. Unknown, not permitted: confirm with MDAR (617-626-1795). The state's pullorum statute (M.G.L. c. 129 § 26B) is recorded separately.
Who do I call about sick or dead birds in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), Division of Animal Health (State Veterinarian Dr. Lorraine O'Connor) at 617-626-1795 (MDAR Division of Animal Health). Report sick or dying birds there or to USDA at 1-866-536-7593. This page is not veterinary advice; follow your state veterinarian.
How current is this page?
We read Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), Division of Animal Health (State Veterinarian Dr. Lorraine O'Connor)'s notices on October 14, 2026. Whether each order is in force is worked out from its dates every time the page is rebuilt, at least once an hour, so an order never shows as in force after it ends.
Sources
  1. Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), Division of Animal Health (State Veterinarian Dr. Lorraine O'Connor): bird flu page. Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), Division of Animal Health (State Veterinarian Dr. Lorraine O'Connor).
  2. Animal Health Order 1041-AHO-25 (waterfowl exhibition ban). MDAR Division of Animal Health (Director Michael Cahill). December 1, 2025.
  3. Memorandum: 2026 New England Fairs and Shows (May 5, 2026 update). New England State Veterinarians. May 5, 2026.
  4. M.G.L. c. 129, § 26B. Massachusetts General Court.
  5. 2026 Animal Health Rules for Fairs and Shows. Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. 2026.
  6. HPAI paragraph. Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.
  7. last Massachusetts row. USDA APHIS.

We read each document ourselves and last checked this page against them on October 14, 2026. Where they disagree, we show you the disagreement instead of picking a winner quietly.

What we couldn't confirm
  • mass.gov refuses plain requests (403) but opened normally in the built-in browser on October 14, 2026 (BRIEF §20). MDAR's avian influenza page, fair-rules page, the waterfowl ban's landing page and the 12/19/2025 Commissioner's column were captured as visible text. Order 1041-AHO-25 and the 2026 fair rules were then saved as owner-approved downloads (BRIEF §21, ma-downloads.json) and read from their text layers. 330 CMR remains unread.
  • Search leads (not official text, not saved): a town website reposts a 2022 order 958-AHO-22 (poultry exhibition ban); it was not read on mass.gov and is not recorded as a measure. Order 1041-AHO-25, first found this way, is now read from MDAR's PDF; it recites the earlier Order 1017-AHO-25 (April 1, 2025).
  • Order 1041-AHO-25 says it 'will be rescinded on May 1, 2026, unless circumstances demand an extension at that time'; MDAR's 2026 fair rules give April 30, 2026 'unless extended', and the 12/19/2025 Commissioner's column says the ban was extended until April 30, 2026. No extension or rescission notice was found, so the row is held with endsOn null.
  • Report line: MDAR's phone and online form couldn't be read, so authority.reportPhone and reportUrl are null. M.G.L. c. 129 § 28 requires immediate written notice of contagious disease among 'domestic animals'. It isn't recorded as a poultry rule because 'domestic animals' wasn't checked against the c. 129 definitions (lesson 3).
  • A Massachusetts fair's own poultry rules (Topsfield Fair, 2026) appeared in search. They aren't an official source and weren't used.
  • New World screwworm: no Massachusetts NWS entry order could be checked because mass.gov is blocked (403). Its neighbours (CT, NH, ME, RI, NJ) all issued 2026 NWS entry rules covering birds, so one is likely, but this is unconfirmed (ma.blocked.json, browser check).
  • ma-2025-waterfowl-exhibition-ban-1: The memo's May 5, 2026 update (Connecticut copy) no longer mentions the Massachusetts ban. That is not evidence that it ended
  • ma-2025-waterfowl-exhibition-ban-1: status is in_force under a hold (appliesToday 'unknown'), not expired. The order's own end ('rescinded on May 1, 2026, unless circumstances demand an extension at that time') can't show whether it lapsed or was extended. The build should render the hold ('being re-checked'), never as current law and never as expired history.
  • The 2026 fair rules cite the waterfowl ban as 'MDAR Order 1-17-AHO-25' (apparently 1017-AHO-25) with an April 30, 2026 end, while Order 1041-AHO-25 itself says it will be rescinded on May 1, 2026. Both allow an extension. Neither date is confirmed as the actual end.

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