Activists Warn: Shocking Footage of Mass Hen Dumping Linked to $38M Bird Flu Outbreak

Another avian influenza outbreak was confirmed yesterday at a commercial poultry farm in Maricopa County, Arizona, igniting state and federal efforts to contain the highly contagious virus and safeguard the public food supply.

Watchdogs estimate that taxpayers could face an eight-digit financial impact due to this outbreak. The Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) revealed that chickens at a local facility tested positive for the virus after showing clinical symptoms on May 21. Medical confirmation came from the National Veterinary Services Laboratory yesterday, according to AZDA public information officer Rachel Andrews.

In a press release, Andrews assured the public that no eggs from infected birds had entered the food supply, and no human illnesses were reported. The AZDA, along with the USDA and local health departments, has implemented a quarantine and is enforcing virus elimination protocols at the affected site.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) indicates that the risk to the general public remains low, although those in direct contact with infected birds face a higher risk. Enhanced biosecurity and sanitation measures are in place to mitigate further spread.

While the AZDA has not disclosed the specific facility under quarantine, online sources and a national animal rights organization suggest the outbreak affects Hickman’s Family Farms, the largest egg producer in the Southwest. The facility in question is said to be in Tonopah, Ariz., with another location in Maricopa reportedly unaffected.

Animal Outlook, an animal rights group, claims the outbreak has resulted in the death of approximately 2.3 million birds, although this figure has not been confirmed by Hickman’s. Following a recent increase in USDA compensation for culled birds to $16.94 each, the group estimates that Hickman’s could receive $38 million in federal taxpayer funds.

Ben Williamson, executive director of Animal Outlook, criticized the situation, stating, “This devastating outbreak at Hickman’s represents everything wrong with industrial animal agriculture. Taxpayers are essentially subsidizing this broken system through increased federal indemnity payments.”

The group condemned the use of “ventilation shutdown,” a controversial culling method likened to baking birds alive. This process involves sealing barns and turning off ventilation while adding heat to suffocate livestock, a practice the ASPCA condemned back in 2020.

Recently released video footage from Animal Outlook allegedly depicts dead birds being loaded into trucks at Hickman’s facility, raising concerns about workers not wearing full protective gear, although this claim remains unverified.

Attempts to reach Glenn Hickman, owner of Hickman’s Family Farms, for comment were unsuccessful. However, he previously described the loss of 1.1 million chickens in earlier outbreaks as “a tragedy for us,” emphasizing the strain on egg supplies: “There are simply not enough eggs to get to everybody.”

As of April, the USDA reported outbreaks in all 50 states, affecting over 58 million birds, marking the largest animal health emergency in U.S. history. Significant economic losses in the poultry sector have ensued, evidenced by rising egg prices.