16,000 chickens culled at Streefkerk farm as bird flu spreads across the country
Avian influenza has been confirmed at an organic laying hen farm in Streefkerk, leading authorities to cull roughly 16,000 birds to prevent further spread, the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) warned Friday.
The outbreak comes amid a nationwide wave of avian flu. Farms in Terschuur, in the Gelderse Vallei, and Opende, in western Groningen, recently reported infections, resulting in the culling of 62,000 and 56,000 birds, respectively. More than 700,000 birds have been culled nationwide in recent weeks.
Dead swans infected with the virus were also found in a nature reserve near The Hague.
A transport ban is in effect within a 10-kilometer radius around the Streefkerk farm. The restriction prohibits the movement of poultry, eggs, and manure. Two other poultry farms are located within this zone.
The farm is located in the municipality of Molenlanden. No other poultry farms exist within one or three kilometers of the site.
The NVWA is tracing all poultry and product movements from the farm and may impose further measures if needed.
Since October 16, 2025, a nationwide housing and shielding order has been in place. Commercial poultry must be kept indoors, while non-commercial birds must be shielded to prevent contamination from droppings of wild birds.
