Bird Flu Confirmed at Gooding County Game Farm
Avian influenza prompted the euthanizing of about 10,000 birds at a Gooding County, Idaho, poultry operation.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Bird Watching
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Bird flu was confirmed November 5 at a Gooding County, Idaho, game bird farm, where about 10,000 birds were affected. All affected birds were euthanized on the premises and buried at a landfill.
Why it matters
The case shows how avian influenza can reach poultry operations in Idaho, where dairy cases have also been reported. Officials are tracking possible routes of transmission to protect other flocks statewide.
The farm is a game bird operation with an outdoor, dirt-surfaced facility under overhead nets, and the affected birds carried dairy strain B3.13 rather than the waterfowl-associated D strain. The source of infection has not been confirmed, though a nearby dairy is considered a plausible origin.
The players
Idaho State Department of Agriculture
The state agency responsible for animal health oversight, including disease testing and response on Idaho farms.
The details
The affected operation self-reported through an online questionnaire, and a sample submitted the same day tested positive. Idaho's state veterinarian did not identify the business, and the department ruled out employees who also worked at dairies as a source of the virus.
Timeline
Nov. 5: Bird flu confirmed at the Gooding County game bird farm.
Nov. 6: Most recent Idaho dairy milking cow bird flu diagnosis.
The outdoor facility must remain fallow for 120 days under federal regulation.
Season Trajectory
Avian influenza detections in Idaho poultry follow the federal outbreak-response framework that requires a 120-day fallow period before outdoor facilities can be repopulated. This case extends that pattern to a game bird operation in Gooding County.
Bird owners and hobbyists in Idaho should monitor for signs of illness in their flocks and report unusual deaths to state officials. Visitors to outdoor bird-watching sites near poultry or dairy operations should follow any biosecurity guidance issued by the state.
The takeaway
Monitoring wild and domestic birds for signs of avian influenza helps protect both poultry operations and local bird populations. Anyone who keeps birds should keep their flocks separated from wild birds and report suspected illness promptly.
Further reading
For more on the birds affected by outbreaks like this one, explore Bird Watching resources.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Capital Press.
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