Rush to sell chickens as NYC live poultry markets ordered to close due to avian flu
Shreedhar Rathi | Feb 10, 2025, 20:55 IST
( Image credit : AP )
New York City live poultry markets scramble to sell off remaining fowl after state orders a one-week closure due to avian flu detection. No immediate human health threat is reported, but affected markets must dispose of poultry and undergo inspection before reopening.
Live poultry markets across New York City scrambled to sell off their remaining chickens and other fowl on Friday after state officials ordered a one-week closure following the detection of seven avian flu cases.
Gov. Kathy Hochul assured the public that there was no immediate threat to human health, emphasizing that the temporary shutdown of live bird markets in the city, along with Westchester County and Long Island, was a precautionary measure. Avian flu has impacted farms nationwide, leading to the culling of millions of birds and soaring egg prices. However, officials confirmed that no human infections have been reported in New York.
The state mandate followed routine inspections that uncovered infected birds at live markets in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. These affected markets must dispose of all poultry in a sanitary manner, as outlined in the state order.
Other live poultry markets without detected cases were given three days to sell off remaining birds, after which they must undergo cleaning and disinfection. These markets will then remain closed for at least five additional days before state inspectors determine if they can reopen.
At La Granja, a halal-certified poultry market in Manhattan’s Harlem neighborhood, employees rushed to sell their remaining stock—approximately 200 chickens, along with turkeys, quail, ducks, roosters, pigeons, and rabbits. Owner Jose Fernandez explained that any unsold animals would be slaughtered and given to employees and loyal customers.
“We’re going to lose money, for now,” Fernandez admitted. “But the law is the law. They know what they’re doing.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that the risk to the general public remains low. The agency has confirmed 67 human cases of bird flu in the U.S., with mild illnesses primarily among farmworkers exposed to infected poultry or dairy cows.
Despite concerns over avian flu, business remained steady at many poultry markets on Friday. At Brooklyn’s Wallabout Poultry market, customers lined up, took numbers, and selected their chickens, which workers weighed before taking them to the back for slaughter.
“I’m not worried about any bird flu,” said Stan Tara, a 42-year-old Brooklyn resident purchasing a large chicken for $22.50. “It’s the same as what you buy from the supermarket—just a little more expensive, but at least it’s fresh.”
Last month, the U.S. reported its first bird flu-related death in Louisiana. The individual, over 65 years old with underlying health conditions, had been in contact with sick and dead birds in a backyard flock.
The H5N1 strain of bird flu continues to spread among wild birds, poultry, cows, and other animals. Health officials advise individuals handling sick or dead birds to use respiratory and eye protection, as well as gloves.
The outbreak has affected over 156 million birds nationwide, particularly at large-scale farms forced to cull entire flocks.
Meanwhile, some animal rights organizations criticized the state’s approach, arguing that allowing markets to sell off birds before closure posed health risks.
“The public is walking into markets where no one can confirm whether birds are infected, purchasing them, and taking them home. It’s ludicrous,” said Edita Birnkrant, executive director of NYCLASS, a group advocating for better conditions in New York’s approximately 70 live animal markets.
The ongoing avian flu crisis is expected to keep U.S. egg prices high well into 2025, according to CoBank, a Denver-based agricultural lender. In addition to the virus, surging consumer demand for eggs and the expansion of breakfast and brunch chains, such as First Watch, are contributing to supply shortages and rising prices.
The highly contagious virus has impacted nearly 100 million egg-laying hens in the U.S. since 2022, further straining the industry.
Gov. Kathy Hochul assured the public that there was no immediate threat to human health, emphasizing that the temporary shutdown of live bird markets in the city, along with Westchester County and Long Island, was a precautionary measure. Avian flu has impacted farms nationwide, leading to the culling of millions of birds and soaring egg prices. However, officials confirmed that no human infections have been reported in New York.
The state mandate followed routine inspections that uncovered infected birds at live markets in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. These affected markets must dispose of all poultry in a sanitary manner, as outlined in the state order.
Other live poultry markets without detected cases were given three days to sell off remaining birds, after which they must undergo cleaning and disinfection. These markets will then remain closed for at least five additional days before state inspectors determine if they can reopen.
At La Granja, a halal-certified poultry market in Manhattan’s Harlem neighborhood, employees rushed to sell their remaining stock—approximately 200 chickens, along with turkeys, quail, ducks, roosters, pigeons, and rabbits. Owner Jose Fernandez explained that any unsold animals would be slaughtered and given to employees and loyal customers.
“We’re going to lose money, for now,” Fernandez admitted. “But the law is the law. They know what they’re doing.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that the risk to the general public remains low. The agency has confirmed 67 human cases of bird flu in the U.S., with mild illnesses primarily among farmworkers exposed to infected poultry or dairy cows.
Despite concerns over avian flu, business remained steady at many poultry markets on Friday. At Brooklyn’s Wallabout Poultry market, customers lined up, took numbers, and selected their chickens, which workers weighed before taking them to the back for slaughter.
“I’m not worried about any bird flu,” said Stan Tara, a 42-year-old Brooklyn resident purchasing a large chicken for $22.50. “It’s the same as what you buy from the supermarket—just a little more expensive, but at least it’s fresh.”
Last month, the U.S. reported its first bird flu-related death in Louisiana. The individual, over 65 years old with underlying health conditions, had been in contact with sick and dead birds in a backyard flock.
The H5N1 strain of bird flu continues to spread among wild birds, poultry, cows, and other animals. Health officials advise individuals handling sick or dead birds to use respiratory and eye protection, as well as gloves.
The outbreak has affected over 156 million birds nationwide, particularly at large-scale farms forced to cull entire flocks.
Meanwhile, some animal rights organizations criticized the state’s approach, arguing that allowing markets to sell off birds before closure posed health risks.
“The public is walking into markets where no one can confirm whether birds are infected, purchasing them, and taking them home. It’s ludicrous,” said Edita Birnkrant, executive director of NYCLASS, a group advocating for better conditions in New York’s approximately 70 live animal markets.
The ongoing avian flu crisis is expected to keep U.S. egg prices high well into 2025, according to CoBank, a Denver-based agricultural lender. In addition to the virus, surging consumer demand for eggs and the expansion of breakfast and brunch chains, such as First Watch, are contributing to supply shortages and rising prices.
The highly contagious virus has impacted nearly 100 million egg-laying hens in the U.S. since 2022, further straining the industry.