Chattooga County’s poultry industry is a major piece of local agriculture, with 29 farms reporting poultry in the most recent USDA Census of Agriculture county data, including farms with broilers and layers. With Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) confirmed at a commercial poultry operation in neighboring Walker County, agriculture officials say the situation is a reminder for both commercial growers and backyard flock owners across Northwest Georgia to double down on everyday biosecurity to keep the virus from spreading.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture says HPAI has been confirmed in Walker County in coordination with USDA-APHIS, triggering the standard response steps that include disease control measures around the affected site. While the confirmed cases are not in Chattooga County, poultry health experts stress that the greatest risk often comes from accidental “carry-in” on boots, tires, tools, crates, clothing, or shared equipment—especially when people move between farms, feed stores, live bird environments, or areas where wild birds gather.
UGA Extension notes that biosecurity is the key to preventing the spread of avian influenza and that all bird owners—from large commercial farms to small backyard flocks—should take steps to reduce exposure. That includes limiting visitors around poultry, keeping birds separated from wild waterfowl, preventing wild birds from accessing feed and water, and cleaning and disinfecting anything that enters a coop or poultry house. Officials also recommend changing shoes and clothing before and after caring for birds, using dedicated footwear for poultry areas, and avoiding contact between backyard flocks and birds from other properties.
For backyard poultry growers in Chattooga County, the message is simple: treat your coop like a biosecure zone. Even if you only keep a few hens, the same precautions matter because the virus can move through casual contact, shared gear, and visits between friends’ flocks.
UGA Extension also reminds Georgians that HPAI is a reportable disease, and concerns about sick birds should be reported promptly so experts can respond quickly.
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