Bird flu has been detected in Delaware, state agriculture officials said. 

Preliminary testing for a commercial broiler flock in Kent County has come back presumptive positive for avian influenza, also known as bird flu, an announcement from the Delaware Department of Agriculture on Saturday said. 

The affected property has been placed under quarantine, and the birds are being killed to stop the virus from spreading, the announcement says.

Officials stressed that birds from the affected flock will not enter the food supply. 

Bird flu, a highly contagious airborne respiratory virus, affects poultry — including chickens, ducks and turkeys — and some wild bird species, including geese and shorebirds, the department said. 

This is the first avian influenza case in Delaware in the 2025-26 waterfowl migratory season, officials say. 

The Department of Agriculture and University of Delaware lab system regularly test flocks for bird flu, the announcement says.

To prevent their flocks from contracting bird flu, officials suggest poultry owners keep their animals away from wild and migratory birds, isolate animals with signs of illness, disinfect equipment and other items, and limit the flock's contact with people.