Marietta DJ: Bird flu outbreak in Gordon Co, land of many new very large chicken houses

[neillh...@earthlink.net]

Featured

GDA confirms avian influenza case at Gordon County poultry operation; third Georgia outbreak in 2025

• By Blake Silvers BSil...@CalhounTimes.com

 

• Oct 24, 2025 Updated 15 hrs ago

A highly pathogenic avian influenza case has been discovered at a Gordon County commercial poultry flock, according to state officials. 

Friday, Oct. 24, Georgia Department of Agriculture, together with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reported having confirmed a case of HPAI — commonly referred to as "bird flu" — at a local poultry operation. 

 

Officials say this is the third such case in a commercial operation and the fifth overall case detected in Georgia in 2025. As part of a nationwide outbreak beginning in 2022, more than 182 million birds have been affected across the country, including 340,000 birds in Georgia. 

 

“For the third time this year, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has been confirmed in a commercial poultry operation here in Georgia,” Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper said. “This poses a serious threat to Georgia’s No. 1 industry and to the thousands of Georgians whose livelihoods depend on poultry production. Our team is working around the clock to contain the spread and protect our flocks.”

According to a report, Wednesday, Oct. 22, a local producer noticed clinical signs of avian Influenza in their flock, leading to a call to the Georgia Poultry Laboratory Network the next day. Samples were then collected and taken to GPLN to be tested. A positive HPAI detection was confirmed Thursday evening, and also confirmed by the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory, Friday. 

"Gordon County Officials became aware that the State of Georgia has a team onsite at a poultry operation in Gordon County in response to a suspected case of avian influenza," Gordon County Administrator Jim Ledbetter said Friday, adding that county officials are willing to assist state officials any way they may be needed.

 

Ledbetter's statement spurred a response from the state's agricultural department's Emergency Management and State Agricultural Response Teams to the facility to conduct depopulation, disposal, cleaning and disinfection. Officials say these operations are expected to continue into the weekend at the facility where around 140,000 broilers had been housed. 

All commercial poultry operations within a 6.2-mile radius have been placed under quarantine and are undergoing surveillance testing that will last at least two weeks, officials said. 

"Gordon County wants to emphasize that there is no threat to the public," Ledbetter said.