Biosecurity for poultry producers

Report sick or dead wildlife online

Keep your poultry safe from disease

Biosecurity is a vital part of any successful poultry production system.

Biosecurity refers to those measures taken to prevent or control the introduction and spread of infectious agents to a flock. Such infectious agents, whether they cause obvious signs of disease or more subtle signs, can significantly reduce the productivity, profitability and long-term financial viability of a poultry operation, as well as impact animal welfare.

Biosecurity is the best protection for emergency animal diseases like avian influenza, including the H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza (H5 bird flu) variant, which has caused substantial mortality in poultry overseas and can also cause deaths of large numbers of wild birds and some mammals. Australia’s animal health authorities are continuing to monitor H5 bird flu detections in wild birds.

Biosecurity is a shared responsibility. Government and industry must work together to protect poultry health and support safe food production.

All poultry producers have a role to play in preparedness, including having a property biosecurity plan and remaining vigilant for signs of H5 bird flu.

These resources  help poultry producers develop biosecurity plans:

If you’re a contract poultry grower, you must follow your company’s biosecurity protocols. Work closely with the company veterinarian and service person to apply these protocols on your farm.

Biosecurity is all about risk management and every farm must have a risk assessment. This helps identify where disease risks may occur during daily operations.

Use a farm-specific biosecurity plan

A biosecurity plan is the best way to protect your flock. It helps reduce the chance of diseases like avian influenza, Newcastle disease and Salmonella Enteritidis entering your farm.

How diseases can spread between poultry flocks

Diseases can spread through many ways, including:

  • Contaminated equipment and vehicles that move between farms
  • Contaminated clothing and footwear worn by workers or visitors
  • Infected animals, including wild birds, insects, rodents and pets
  • Contaminated air, such as dust particles from nearby farms or markets
  • Gardens that use untreated poultry manure as fertiliser
  • Contaminated water from dams or creeks used for drinking or cooling

Biosecurity practices that can protect your flock

Biosecurity helps stop diseases from entering and spreading through your poultry flock. Every producer must follow good biosecurity procedures to keep birds  healthy and reduce the risk of disease.

1. Limit visitors to your farm

People can carry disease-causing microorganisms on their clothes, shoes, skin and hair. To reduce the chance of this occurring, you should:

  • fence bird areas and put up signs on gates to restrict entry
  • allow only essential visitors
  • provide boots, coveralls and headgear for essential visitors
  • ask visitors to wash or sanitise hands before and after entry
  • use footbaths with fresh disinfectant at each poultry house
  • direct traffic from younger to older birds, and from healthy to sick birds
  • educate staff and your local community about biosecurity
  • keep a logbook of all visitors to your farm.

2. Avoid visiting other poultry farms, including backyard flocks

To reduce the chance of spreading disease between farms or backyard flocks:

  • Avoid visiting other poultry areas unless necessary.
  • Shower and wear clean protective clothing, including before entering and leaving.
  • Wash and sanitise vehicles and equipment before entering.
  • After visiting a poultry area, clean and disinfect all clothing, shower and change into clean clothes.
  • Wash and sanitise vehicles and equipment again before re-entry.

3. Keep pets out of poultry houses

Pets such as dogs, cats and other animals can be carriers of poultry disease-causing organisms. Do not allow pets inside  poultry houses.

4. Control rodents and insects

Rats, mice and insects like flies and beetles can spread disease. Use traps and approved chemicals to reduce pests.

Ask your company or a licensed pest controller for advice.

5. Avoid contact with other birds, including pet and wild birds

Other birds, including pet and wild birds, can carry diseases that threaten your flock. You must take steps to reduce contact and keep your birds safe.

To reduce risk:

  • Avoid contact with all other bird types.
  • Do not allow farm employees to keep poultry or pet birds at home.
  • Inform neighbours with pet birds or backyard flocks to report sick birds to a vet.
  • Secure poultry houses and ranges to stop wild birds accessing feeders and drinkers and to stop them having contact with your own birds.
  • Ensure water is adequately sanitised, especially if sourcing water from nearby dams or creeks that waterfowl use.
  • Regularly clean in and around poultry houses to prevent wild bird droppings from being carried inside.

6. Deterring wild birds on your property

You can make your property or premises less attractive to wild birds by using:

  • Bird deterrents such as scarecrows
  • Spike strips to stop perching
  • Foils or streamers around sheds and buildings (narrow strips of material used for decoration)

Keep your bird housing and other sheds well maintained to prevent wild birds nesting or roosting by:

  • repairing any holes or gaps to stop wild birds getting in
  • fixing leaks to stop contaminated water getting in
  • fixing blocked drains or downpipes to stop contaminated water getting in
  • removing moss from the roof – it attracts wild birds.

If bedding (such as straw and shavings) is stored outside, it must be covered. Unwrap the bedding before you take it inside the bird house – only take clean bedding inside.

Regularly change the times you feed your birds. Wild birds can learn when poultry and other captive birds are fed and gather in the area. Keep feed and water inside the poultry house and avoid feeding poultry outside.

It is illegal to destroy or disturb native wildlife including wild birds, without a permit.

If you see wildlife crime, report it to Crime Stoppers Victoria:

7. Keep areas in and around poultry houses and feed bins clean

Clean areas around poultry sheds help reduce pests and disease. Rats, mice, insects and wild birds are attracted to clutter and spilled feed.

To reduce risk:

  • Cut grass and weeds around poultry houses.
  • Remove old equipment and rubbish that provide shelter for pests.
  • Clean up spilled feed around bins to avoid attracting wild birds, rodents and insects.
  • Regularly clean and disinfect poultry houses, feeders, drinkers and equipment.

8. Collect and dispose of dead birds promptly

Dead birds must be removed every day and disposed of using approved methods. Leaving carcasses inside sheds increases the risk of disease spreading through rodents, insects or direct contact.

To reduce risk:

  • Collect dead birds at least daily.
  • Dispose of carcasses promptly using approved method.
  • Never stockpile mortality inside poultry houses.
  • Report unusual deaths or health issues immediately.

If you suspect avian influenza or any other emergency animal disease in poultry, please call the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

9. Temporary voluntary housing changes for poultry where practical

Australia’s animal health authorities are monitoring H5 bird flu in wild birds and have considered practical precautionary measures that producers can take, given the H5 bird flu detections in wildlife in other states.

This includes recommending non-mandatory measures such as commercial poultry producers temporarily housing free-range birds where practical while maintaining animal welfare.

As the relevant state authority, the Victorian Chief Veterinary Officer supports the voluntary housing recommendations as a temporary measure, given the current H5 situation.

Producers are encouraged to consider temporary housing changes and other measures they can take to reduce contact between poultry and wild birds. This may include:

  • Temporarily housing birds indoors
  • Using covered containment
  • Reducing range access
  • Limiting access to higher-risk areas such as dams, ponds and waterways
  • Strengthening wild bird exclusion measures

This advice supports existing industry biosecurity systems. It does not replace company, integrator or quality assurance requirements.

Producers should continue to follow:

  • Enterprise biosecurity plans
  • Grower contract requirements
  • Directions from company veterinarians, service managers or integrated producers

The national Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases will continue to review the housing recommendation regularly.

Report suspected avian influenza

Commercial producers should report suspected avian influenza immediately.

Call the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

10. Use industry biosecurity resources

Producers should review and apply the biosecurity guidance that is relevant to their production system.

This includes any company, integrator or quality assurance requirements that apply under grower contracts or enterprise biosecurity plans.

These resources can help with farm-specific biosecurity planning.

They include guidance on:

  • Documentation and training
  • Facility standards
  • Staff and visitor procedures
  • Farm operations
  • Water risk
  • Species-specific needs
  • Extra steps used by companies or integrated producers

Industry and other resources

What to do if you see dead wild birds

Cases of H5 bird flu have been confirmed in Western Australia, South Australia and New South Wales.

While there are currently no detections in Victoria, we ask the community to be extra careful if they see sick or dead wild birds.

To help detect H5 bird flu early:

  • AVOID contact with sick or dead wild birds, wildlife and their environment.
  • RECORD what you see, including location, number and species, if known.
  • REPORT it to DEECA online or call the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888

Report clusters of 5 or more sick or dead wild birds of any species, anywhere in Victoria

Report even one sick or dead:

  • wild seabird
  • waterbird
  • shorebird
  • bird of prey
  • marine mammal (for example, seals or dolphins)

DEECA will assess the need for testing and further investigation. We understand this may be distressing and thank the community for its support.

For updates and more information visit Avian influenza (bird flu).

Other sources of information

Page last updated: 15 Jul 2026