Agriculture officials say the presence of highly pathogenic avian flu in a flock of chickens has resulted in the death of nearly 48,000 birds at a north Alabama farm.

After confirming the presence of highly pathogenic avian flu in a flock of chickens, nearly 48,000 birds were killed at a north Alabama farm, state agriculture officials said.

A Marshall County commercial pullet farm — one that raises chicks from hatching until they are ready to produce eggs when they are moved to a laying barn — was placed under quarantine after samples were confirmed positive for HPAI, the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries announced Friday.

HPAI is highly contagious to birds but considered low risk to humans and the virus is not considered a threat to food safety, the department said.

  • Agent641@lemmy.world
    211·
    1 year ago

    They fill the barn with suffocating foam, if the chickens are lucky.

    If the chickens arent lucky, they just turn off the ventillation and close all the hatches. In full sun, the barn heats up to beyond lethal levels and the chickens die slowly of heatstroke.

    Many chicken barns have massive euthenasia systems built in, with huge tanks of nitrogen or CO2, and a foam generating sprinkler.

    In any case of disease they seal up the barn for days or weeks untill the corpses start to decay and then can be disinfected and sent to landfill.