Namakkal: Thousands of chickens have died at a poultry farm in Pattanam Panchayat near Rasipuram in Namakkal district over the past 10 days, triggering concerns of bird flu among locals.The deaths occurred at a poultry farm named ‘R.V. Feeds’, operating in the Periya Yeri Vayakkadu area of Ward 10 of Pattanam Town Panchayat near Rasipuram. “A private company was raising more than 1 lakh chickens there on a contract basis,” said a veterinary doctor from the animal husbandry department.For the past few days, thousands of chickens have been dying at the farm every day. The dead chickens were collected in piles and buried using a digger machine.Locals who witnessed it feared a possible spread of bird flu and reported it to officials. Residents also claimed that livestock, including sheep and dogs, in gardens near the poultry farm had died suddenly.Locals said the large number of chickens dying every day was a potential health hazard as large pits were dug with the help of earthmovers to burry what they say was infected chicken. They requested relevant department officials to immediately investigate the incident, determine the cause of the chickens’ deaths, and take appropriate action.Animal husbandry department officials said that they will visit the farm on Wednesday with poultry disease and diagnostic laboratory officials to ascertain the exact reason for the unusual mortality.
