VIDEO: Chicken owners speak about recent poultry ban

The Department of Agriculture (DOA) has announced a poultry ban after chickens in Sequoyah tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

The sale swap and exhibition of chickens is banned in the state of Oklahoma until July 30.

Chief of Communications at the DOA, Morgan Vance, said this is actually the second case detected in Oklahoma.

“Our first case was in March in a wild duck in Payne County.”

Vance said the effected flock has been depopulated and was not processed, so the chicken at your grocery store is safe to eat.

The ban also does not affect chicken processing, so there shouldn’t be any chicken shortages.

“It will not be affecting the food chain. And fact any animals who have been infected with HPAI will not enter the food chain, not the chicken or the eggs, so there’s no rest to human health or any potential that this will affect the supply chain.”

But the ban will affect those who raise their own chickens. The fact that you can’t sell, swap or show chickens is hard for someone like Pam Welsh, who owns lake life family farm in Wagner.

“We love the chicken swaps. We end doing not only the animals but meeting the different people,” said Welsh.

Welsh said she’s been taking her own safety precautions to keep any disease out of her coops.

“We’ve already addressed that situation ahead of time. We’ve built individual pens for each breed of chicken. We bleach things and their pens or deep clean once a week.”

>>>MORE: OSDH offers tips for raising backyard poultry

Photo of chicken provided by Harmony McDaniel

The ban is set to last through July 30th, but people like Harmony McDaniel, who has her kids show chickens, is worried it could be extended into the fair season.

”I was looking forward to this year because my youngest is old enough to finally start doing it. And now we might have to hold off for a little while,’ McDaniel said.

She is taking her own precautions as well.

“My little flock, I’m not going to take them anywhere. Just to be on the safe side for them.”

Though she’s upset about missing shows, she’s fully behind the Department of Agriculture’s choice.

”I know this is the best thing for all the chickens in Oklahoma and all the birds, period.”

The DOA is urging all chicken owners to keep their birds away from wild birds and vamp up bio security methods.

To find tips on bio security methods go to ag.ok.gov.

If you have sick or dead birds call the state immediately at 405-522-6141.

>>>MORE: Avian influenza confirmed in domestic poultry in Sequoyah County

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