The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is urging local poultry farmers to take extra precautions to protect their flocks against avian influenza after the disease was detected in a commercial turkey operation in neighboring Sampson County.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), colloquially known as bird flu, is a highly contagious viral disease that primarily affects birds, but has also occasionally infected mammals and humans. According to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), the Sampson County outbreak this week is the second detection of bird flu in a commercial poultry operation in North Carolina so far this year.
The nationwide HPAI epidemic started in 2022 and has infected more than 141 million birds since then. The crisis has worsened in 2025, with nearly 18 million birds affected in the last 30 days, according to USDA data. It has contributed to a recent spike in egg prices as retailers grapple with shortages from outbreaks across the country.
Two positive samples were confirmed on farms in Sampson County this week, on Monday and Tuesday respectively, affecting a total of 26,297 turkeys, the NCDA&CS dashboard shows. Heather Overton, spokesperson for the NCDA&CS, told CityView the outbreak was “presumed to be associated with wild waterfowl.”
Although Cumberland County borders Sampson County to the east, Overton said Cumberland County’s risk level is comparable to other counties in the state. She said no farms in the county are in the surveillance zone for the farms that tested positive in Sampson County.
“All poultry farms in the state are at risk since we have positive wild birds in our flyway (that covers the entire state),” Overton said in an email. “But Cumberland County is at no greater risk than any other county.”
The warnings apply to all poultry farmers, including commercial farms, small farms and backyard owners. Richard Goforth, N.C. Cooperative Extension agent specializing in poultry, said making sure flocks do not come into contact with wild birds, or their droppings, is essential to protecting against the highly contagious virus.
“Certainly anything they can do to keep their birds away from any wild birds is key,” Goforth told CityView.
This can include things like keeping the poultry inside a coop or enclosed pen, or outfitting runs and open pens with coverings, such as plywood or roofing material, to prevent wild birds from getting in or their droppings from contaminating food and water sources. Goforth also strongly advised flock owners to prevent their birds from accessing ponds, streams, lakes or other areas where migrating waterfowl might land.
Goforth stressed that biosecurity extends beyond your own property. When visiting others with poultry, avoid direct contact with their birds and their living spaces. Maintain a dedicated pair of shoes for poultry care and avoid wearing them elsewhere. Always wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling your flock.
Other precautions flock owners should take according to NCDA&CS:
- Keep chickens, turkeys, quail, guineas and other poultry separately from ducks. Ducks are known reservoirs for HPAI virus and can carry the virus without signs of illness.
- The HPAI virus lives for a long time in cool, moist conditions, so eliminate standing water (which might attract wild birds and waterfowl) in your flock’s pen.
- Wear shoe covers or clean boots each time you enter your birds’ pen. This will prevent tracking HPAI virus into the birds’ pen if it is present on your grounds.
- Do not share equipment with other flocks. If you must share equipment, be certain it is cleaned and disinfected before moving from one premises to another.
- Keep feeders and waterers clean and sanitize often. Wild birds infected with HPAI virus that drink or eat from your flock’s equipment can spread the virus to your flock.
- If you purchase new birds, buy only from a reputable dealer. Keep the newly purchased birds separate from your existing flock for at least 3 weeks to rule out any infection that might be present, even if there were no signs of illness when the birds were initially purchased.
Goforth emphasized that while the threat of avian influenza is real, poultry owners can take proactive steps to protect their flocks. It’s especially important to be aware of sudden mortality in birds as this is a telltale sign of bird flu.
“There’s a threat out there,” Goforth said. “The virus is obviously in the migratory bird population moving around, so it could be spread. But good biosecurity principles and doing what they can to reduce the amount of risk is about all they can do. And certainly don’t [let go of] poultry because you’re worried about this. But just be cautious and practice those good biosecurity principles and be alert as far as recognizing the disease.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, symptoms of HPAI include:
- Sudden death without any prior symptoms of illness
- Lack of energy and appetite
- A drop in egg production or soft-shelled, misshapen eggs
- Swelling of the eyelids, comb, wattles and shanks
- Purple discoloration of the wattles, comb and legs
- Gasping for air (difficulty breathing)
- Nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing
- Twisting of the head and neck (torticollis)
- Stumbling or falling down
- Diarrhea
If flock owners suspect their birds have contracted avian influenza or are showing any symptoms, they should immediately contact their local veterinarian, the NCDA&CS Veterinary Division (919-707-3250) or the N.C. Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System (919-733-3986).
Contact Evey Weisblat at eweisblat@cityviewnc.com or 216-527-3608. This story was made possible by donations from readers like you to CityView News Fund, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to an informed democracy in Fayetteville and Cumberland County.
