Flock Status · Washington

Bird flu rules for backyard flocks in Washington

Bird-flu restriction in force · October 15, 2026

Yes. One bird-flu order applies in Washington today: WSDA's outbreak map shows one open HPAI infection zone and one open control zone. The dates and conditions are below; before moving, showing or selling birds, call the Washington State Department of Agriculture at 1-800-606-3056.

Read from 10 official sources22 passages quotedChecked on October 14, 2026

At a glance

Today

Order in force

Bird-flu orders in force

1

APHIS detections, 30 days

1 flock

Report sick birds

1-800-606-3056

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 Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), Avian Health Program 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.

  • WSDA's latest listed domestic-bird detection is a small mixed backyard flock in Kittitas County, confirmed 10/09/2026. WSDA announced on October 8, 2026 that NVSL confirmed HPAI in two Yakima County dairy farms (under quarantine).

    • “10/09/2026 Kittitas Small Backyard Mixed”

      Washington State Department of Agriculture · agr.wa.gov · 2026 table, row 1

    • “confirmed the first detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in two Yakima County dairy farms in Washington state”

      Washington State Department of Agriculture · agr.wa.gov · para 1

    • “The two farms are under quarantine and have employed strict biosecurity measures.”

      Washington State Department of Agriculture · agr.wa.gov · para 3

In force today

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

In force, no end dateControl zones and quarantine

WSDA's outbreak map shows one open HPAI infection zone and one open control zone; WSDA gives no location in text, so check an address on WSDA's map.

No end date in the source

Inside a control zone · HPAI infection zone and control zone open on WSDA's outbreak map · Birds: domestic birds

  • Map layer metadata: last edit 1791662290952 (epoch ms = October 10, 2026 19:58 UTC); fetched October 14, 2026
  • WSDA publishes no zone start or end date, county or order text; check an address on WSDA's interactive HPAI map
  • WSDA asks bird owners inside a zone to report that their birds are healthy, by survey or phone
  • Specific movement rules inside the zone are not published on the pages read (see the notes at the end of this page)
  • Disease: the zones are the 'Infection and Control Zones' layer of WSDA's 'Washington State Avian Influenza Outbreak Map'

Notice: Washington State Avian Influenza Outbreak Map: Infection and Control Zones (public view, open sites; fetched October 14, 2026) · WSDA

What the notice says (6 passages)
  • "Zone_Type":"Control Zone","Online_Live":"Yes","Closed_Site":"No"

    WSDA · services3.arcgis.com · feature FID 264

  • "Zone_Type":"Infection Zone","Online_Live":"Yes","Closed_Site":"No"

    WSDA · services3.arcgis.com · feature FID 263

  • “Are you in an active bird flu control or infection zone? Use our interactive map to find out!”

    Washington State Department of Agriculture · agr.wa.gov · HPAI quarantine areas

  • “"editingInfo":{"lastEditDate":1791662290952”

    Washington State Department of Agriculture · services3.arcgis.com · layer metadata (response saved unchanged)

  • “You are in a surveillance zone! You can help us close the outbreak by filling out this survey or calling the number below to let us know your birds are healthy”

    WSDA · services3.arcgis.com · Statement1, both open features

  • "title":"Washington State Avian Influenza Outbreak Map ","subtitle":"Washington State Department of Agriculture"

    Washington State Department of Agriculture · arcgis.com · app configuration

Standing ruleShows and fairs

Poultry going to a public exhibition must come from a U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean (or equivalent) flock or have a negative pullorum-typhoid test within 90 days

The rule sets no bird-flu test

In effect from February 4, 2008 · No end date in the source

Statewide · public exhibitions · Birds: poultry including exhibition, exotic and game birds (not waterfowl, doves or pigeons)

  • Pullorum-typhoid only; no avian influenza requirement in this rule
  • Excludes waterfowl, doves and pigeons

Rule: WAC 16-59-030 Testing requirements for poultry entering public exhibition · Washington State Department of Agriculture (WAC, Code Reviser), February 4, 2008

What the rule says (2 passages)
  • “All poultry that are going to public exhibition, including exhibition, exotic, and game birds, but excluding waterfowl, doves, and pigeons must:”

    Washington State Department of Agriculture (WAC, Code Reviser) · apps.leg.wa.gov · (1)

  • “Have had a negative pullorum-typhoid test within ninety days before going to public exhibition.”

    Washington State Department of Agriculture (WAC, Code Reviser) · apps.leg.wa.gov · (1)(b)

How to reportReporting sick birds

WSDA's Sick Bird Hotline takes reports of suspected bird flu or unexplained deaths in domestic flocks

No end date in the source

Statewide · Birds: domestic birds

  • Hotline 1-800-606-3056 or online form
  • For bird flu suspicion only; routine care questions go to a vet

Guidance: Avian Influenza · WSDA

What the guidance says (1 passage)
  • “Please use this hotline only to report suspected bird flu illness or unexplained deaths in domestic flocks .”

    WSDA · agr.wa.gov · Who to call

Bringing birds or hatching eggs into Washington

WAC 16-54-145: all poultry (not doves or pigeons) need a CVI, an NPIP VS 9-3 or a VS 17-6; CVIs and 17-6s carry the NPIP number or negative test results; poultry and hatching eggs must come from flocks or areas not under state or federal restriction; non-NPIP poultry test negative within 30 days for listed diseases including avian influenza (all poultry types); birds from NPIP or pullorum-clean flocks must meet the subsection (8) classifications, which include avian influenza for every poultry type; non-NPIP hatching eggs need the parent flock tested within 30 days; each ratite needs official individual ID listed on the CVI. The rule's exemption (9) lists doves, pigeons, waterfowl, game birds and poultry for immediate slaughter; WSDA's undated summary page still asks waterfowl for an AI test (see the notes at the end of this page). New World screwworm: Washington's temporary rule covers dogs, cats and ferrets only, so it sets no poultry condition.

What the entry rules say
  • “All chickens, ratites, game birds, guinea fowl, and their hatching eggs not coming from an NPIP certified flock require a certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI) that includes negative test results, within 30 days, for avian influenza and pullorum typhoid.”

    Washington State Department of Agriculture · agr.wa.gov · Poultry, para 1

  • “All waterfowl not coming from an NPIP certified flock require a CVI that includes a negative avian influenza test result, within 30 days.”

    Washington State Department of Agriculture · agr.wa.gov · Poultry, para 4

  • “Poultry or hatching eggs must originate from flocks or areas not under state or federal restriction.”

    Washington State Department of Agriculture · apps.leg.wa.gov · (3)

  • “If poultry do not originate from an NPIP participant flock, they must test negative for the diseases listed in subsection (8) of this section thirty days before entry into the state of Washington.”

    Washington State Department of Agriculture · apps.leg.wa.gov · (6)

  • “Doves, pigeons, waterfowl, game birds, and poultry destined for immediate slaughter are exempt from the certificate of veterinary inspection and testing requirements.”

    Washington State Department of Agriculture · apps.leg.wa.gov · (9)

  • “Washington State has adopted a temporary rule for dogs, cats, and ferrets to help stop the spread of New World Screwworm (NWS), a harmful parasite that can infect animals and people through open wounds.”

    Washington State Department of Agriculture · agr.wa.gov · Emergency Rule Notice

  • “Poultry, poults, and eggs, excluding doves and pigeons, that originate from flocks or hatcheries that have a pullorum-typhoid clean rating given by the state animal health official or are from an NPIP participant flock must meet the classification requirements stated in subsection (8) of this section.”

    Washington State Department of Agriculture · apps.leg.wa.gov · (5)

  • “Each ratite entering Washington state must be permanently identified with official individual identification.”

    Washington State Department of Agriculture · apps.leg.wa.gov · (4)

  • “If hatching eggs are from non-NPIP participant flocks, then the parent breeder flock must be tested for the diseases in subsection (8) of this section within thirty days before the hatching eggs enter the state of Washington.”

    Washington State Department of Agriculture · apps.leg.wa.gov · (7)

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

Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), Avian Health Program

1-800-606-3056

Report online

  • “1-800-606-3056 or report sick domestic birds online.”

    WSDA · agr.wa.gov · Who to call: WSDA Avian Health Program

Recent detections in Washington

USDA APHIS confirmed bird flu in 1 flock in Washington in the 30 days to October 14, 2026: 1 backyard and 0 commercial, in Kittitas County. Latest detection in the APHIS data: October 9, 2026. The national picture

Common questions

Is there a bird flu order in Washington right now?
Yes. One bird-flu order applies in Washington today: WSDA's outbreak map shows one open HPAI infection zone and one open control zone. The dates and conditions are below; before moving, showing or selling birds, call the Washington State Department of Agriculture at 1-800-606-3056.
Can I take my chickens to a poultry show or swap in Washington?
We found no bird-flu ban on shows or sales in force on October 15, 2026. Standing rules apply: Poultry going to a public exhibition must come from a U.S.
What do I need to bring chickens or hatching eggs into Washington?
WAC 16-54-145: all poultry (not doves or pigeons) need a CVI, an NPIP VS 9-3 or a VS 17-6; CVIs and 17-6s carry the NPIP number or negative test results; poultry and hatching eggs must come from flocks or areas not under state or federal restriction; non-NPIP poultry test negative within 30 days for listed diseases including avian influenza (all poultry types); birds from NPIP or pullorum-clean flocks must meet the subsection (8) classifications, which include avian influenza for every poultry type; non-NPIP hatching eggs need the parent flock tested within 30 days; each ratite needs official individual ID listed on the CVI. The rule's exemption (9) lists doves, pigeons, waterfowl, game birds and poultry for immediate slaughter; WSDA's undated summary page still asks waterfowl for an AI test (see the notes at the end of this page). New World screwworm: Washington's temporary rule covers dogs, cats and ferrets only, so it sets no poultry condition.
Who do I call about sick or dead birds in Washington?
Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), Avian Health Program at 1-800-606-3056. 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 Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), Avian Health Program'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. Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), Avian Health Program: bird flu page. Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), Avian Health Program.
  2. Washington State Avian Influenza Outbreak Map: Infection and Control Zones (public view, open sites; fetched 2026-10-14). WSDA.
  3. WAC 16-59-030 Testing requirements for poultry entering public exhibition. Washington State Department of Agriculture (WAC, Code Reviser). February 4, 2008.
  4. HPAI quarantine areas. Washington State Department of Agriculture.
  5. layer metadata (response saved unchanged). Washington State Department of Agriculture.
  6. app configuration. Washington State Department of Agriculture.
  7. Poultry. Washington State Department of Agriculture.
  8. Page on apps.leg.wa.gov. Washington State Department of Agriculture.
  9. Emergency Rule Notice. Washington State Department of Agriculture.
  10. news-releases. Washington State Department of Agriculture.

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
  • APHIS lists Kittitas 02 (October 9, 2026, WOAH Poultry, 40 birds) with Control Area Released 'NA'.
  • The WSDA poultry import page has no date; the rule is WAC 16-54-145 (read October 14, 2026; last amended effective 1/30/15).
  • WSDA publishes no order text, start or end date for the open zones; no in-zone rules for backyard keepers on the pages read; WSDA offers movement-permit forms for commercial farms in a control zone. Recheck https://agr.wa.gov/birdflu.
  • Vendor host (flag for reviewer): the zones come from an ArcGIS Online feature layer (services3.arcgis.com/ikVUj9YUYY9keza1) in WSDA's 'Washington State Avian Influenza Outbreak Map' app (subtitle 'Washington State Department of Agriculture'), which WSDA's Bird Flu page embeds and links (wa-wsda-bird-flu-links.txt, wa-wsda-arcgis-webmap.txt).
  • INFERENCE, not a fact (re-check needed): the open zones' extent (about 120.40-120.66 W, 46.93-47.11 N; wa-wsda-zones-open-extent.txt) lies around Ellensburg in Kittitas County. WSDA's two latest detections are the Kittitas backyard flock (10/09/2026) and two Yakima County dairy farms (10/8/2026); Yakima County lies south of that extent, so the zones are probably the Kittitas flock's, but WSDA does not say which detection they belong to. The layer carries no county or case field. Confirm with WSDA (1-800-606-3056) before naming a county.
  • Conflicting WSDA statements: the Bird Flu page (captured October 14, 2026) still says there are no confirmed or suspected cases in Washington dairy farms, while the October 8, 2026 release confirms HPAI in two Yakima County dairies.
  • History: WSDA's September 30, 2026 update said Washington was free of HPAI in domestic flocks with no active surveillance areas; superseded by the 10/09/2026 Kittitas detection and the open zones.
  • WAC 16-54-145(9) lists waterfowl and game birds among those exempt from CVI and testing (the sentence can also be read as limited to birds destined for slaughter); WSDA's undated summary page asks non-NPIP waterfowl for a CVI with an AI test, and non-NPIP game birds for a CVI with AI and pullorum tests. Shown as written; WSDA decides.
  • No current WSDA show or fair order found; WAC 16-59-030 (pullorum-typhoid) is the standing exhibition rule.
  • Vendor host (flag): the sick-bird report form is an ArcGIS Survey123 short link (arcg.is) published on WSDA's Avian Influenza page.
  • APHIS rows for Washington: wa-aphis-hpai-exporttocsv-wa-rows.txt.
  • Conflict on the open zones: APHIS lists Kittitas 02 (October 9, 2026, WOAH Poultry) with Control Area Released 'NA', and CDFA's October 13, 2026 sheet lists no Washington control area, while WSDA's live layer shows two open zones whose only text is a surveillance-zone survey request. appliesToday stays 'yes' on WSDA's own layer and its 'HPAI quarantine areas' heading. OWNER CHECKLIST: ask WSDA (1-800-606-3056) what the open zones require of backyard keepers and which detection they belong to.

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