Why the US Continues to Kill Millions of Hens, 4 Years Into Bird Flu Outbreak

The USDA’s effort to stamp out the virus has led to the loss of at least 166 million birds since the latest outbreak began in February 2022.

A hen prepares to lay an egg in the coop at an egg farm in Williamston, Mich., on Feb. 8, 2023. Matthew Hatcher/AFP via Getty Images

The United States is entering its fourth year of a near continuous outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza.

Despite leadership changes at the country’s top agricultural and public health agencies, the government is continuing the strategy of culling millions of birds to limit the spread of the disease.