23°
Suffolk County resident Dave Schellinger, age 80, of Sag Harbor, who owns Spring Farm, on Clay Pit Road, just off the Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike, said he plans to close the 82-year-old farm now that his birds are gone.
"It's sad," he said. "But at least the flu is of no danger to the public."
Schellinger believes his birds were infected by ducks -- which are carriers -- and other fowl who land in the duck pond on the farm.
The flock consisted of pheasants and waterfowl and had approximately 6,000 birds, said Hanna Birkhead, spokeswoman for the state Department of Agriculture and Markets.
The birds are euthanized to prevent "the spread of this highly contagious disease to additional flocks and to safely dispose of all depopulated birds," Birkhead said.
Pheasant and waterfowl hunting was offered at the Spring Farm property for decades, according to the farm's website.
The highly contagious bird flu has forced farmers across the country to destroy millions of commercially raised chickens and turkeys over the past several months.
"Poultry owners should keep their birds away from wild ducks and geese and their droppings," Birkhead said. "Outdoor access for poultry should be limited at this time."
Officials with the state Department of Agriculture and Markets also said a small, non-commercial backyard flock in Suffolk County has tested positive for influenza known as HPAI.
The flock had a total of eight birds in it, the department said.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these recent HPAI detections in birds do not present an immediate public health concern. No human cases of these avian influenza viruses have been detected in the United States, the department said in a statement.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Mt. Kisco and receive free news updates.
