Infected chickens dying at Noo Noo farm

HUNDREDS of the 18,000 diseased egg-laying hens at the Noo Noo farm in Cunupia died yesterday, hours before they were supposed to be “suffocated to death” by the Ministry of Agriculture. Owner of the farm Harry Noo Noo said that he was told by the Ministry of Agriculture that the chickens, afflicted with Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT), were supposed to be destroyed early yesterday, but up until late yesterday he was still awaiting word.

A frustrated Noo Noo told Newsday that since one of the five laying farms was placed under quarantine on Friday, he reduced the amount of feed to the chickens in the affected pen. Yesterday, he discovered that hundreds of the chickens in that pen had died. Noo Noo said that he was told that the person responsible for arranging the killing of the affected chickens was in a meeting. By 1 pm yesterday, Noo Noo was still awaiting word. He is anxious to get rid of the chickens and put proper measures in place to rear another batch of layers. He feels that could take place within the next two months. One month ago, chickens at one of the pens started dying, and the Ministry of Agriculture was called in. Preliminary serum tests were done on layers in all of the pens.

The ILT virus showed up in pen number three and on Friday police officers were placed on guard at the farm to ensure that none of the chickens were removed from the pen. A vet at the Ministry has promised Noo Noo compensation, but the poultry farmer said nothing has been provided in writing. The chickens may be destroyed using carbon dioxide gas to suffocate them and the Ministry of Agriculture may either bury or incinerate the birds. ILT is caused by a virus that spreads from bird to bird through direct contact or through contamination of common equipment. It can also be spread by people, animals and equipment that have been in contact with infected chickens. Signs of the disease are nasal and eye discharge, moist sounding breathing, coughing and gasping.