PORT ANGELES — As inspectors continued testing domestic birds for avian flu Thursday in the Agnew area, Kelly Johnston monitored his chickens.
He and his wife, Christie, owners of Johnston Farms, have 25 chickens, about 15 of which were tested Wednesday, Kelly Johnston said Thursday.
“They’re all very healthy,” she said. “So far, so good.”
None has exhibited the runny beak, swollen-eyes, sluggish symptoms of the H5N2 virus.
On Sunday, at least five birds owned by Sherry and Gary Smith at 92 Cosmos Lane died of the infection, prompting the destruction Sunday of 118 geese, ducks and chickens.
No cases have been reported in Jefferson County.
Two U.S. Department of Agriculture teams, each with two people, continued going door to door Thursday within a 1.9-mile radius, or 3 kilometers, that lies within a 6.2-mile, or 10-kilometer, quarantine area around the Cosmos Lane property.
The teams will be talking with residents and asking permission to test their birds through Saturday. After that, they will visit residences within the larger quarantine area through Tuesday, according to Dr. Alan Huddleston of the USDA.
The teams visited 481 properties Monday through Wednesday, of which 34 had poultry, mostly chickens, Huddleston said Thursday.
The inspectors had collected samples from 20 properties with birds as of Wednesday.
Statistical samplings of flocks are obtained when more than 15 birds are present, Huddleston said.
Thursday’s totals were not available late that afternoon.
Occupants of 14 properties have declined the testing, although some delayed it because it was inconvenient when inspectors arrived.
The operation is being conducted jointly by state and federal agriculture officials.
The state Department of Agriculture set the quarantine on the movement of eggs, domestic poultry and poultry products within the 10-kilometer area around the Smiths’ residence Tuesday.
The quarantine could last up to 240 days.
After it ends, owners of infected birds will be allowed to buy new ones, Huddleston said.
Sherry Smith has referred all queries to state and federal officials.
The family does not plan to restart the flock, Huddleston said.
H5N2 and H5N8 avian flu are pathogenic strains that are contagious and deadly to wild and domestic poultry and fowl, and are spread by wild waterfowl.
Humans are not susceptible to disease from eating eggs or meat from infected birds or being in their proximity.
H5N2 has been found in Clallam County and H5N8 in a falcon in Whatcom County.
Turkeys and chickens are tested by examining swab samples from inside their beaks, while ducks are tested by examining their feces.
The head-to-toe suits that were worn by inspectors who tested the Johnstons’ chickens were discarded after use as all the suits are after avian testing at a site, Huddleston said.
Christie Johnston was out of town earlier this week when she called her husband about the Cosmos Lane outbreak after learning about it from a friend, she said Thursday.
“It was concerning, definitely,” she said Thursday. “We are keeping a watch on our birds.”
Inspectors showed up at the Johnstons’ door at about 9 a.m. Wednesday, Kelly Johnston said.
“I figured that was coming, so it was no problem.
“They asked if I had chickens and gave me literature to look at on the symptoms, and told me to give them a ring if any showed up.”
The testing took about 45 minutes. Johnston went about his business while the inspectors swabbed the chickens’ beaks for samples.
Colby Govan, a manager at Agnew Grocery and Feed, which is in the quarantine area and located near the Johnstons’ farm, said Thursday the store’s 12 chickens were tested Tuesday.
“It was kind of weird,” Govan said.
“It looked uncomfortable for the birds, but it’s worth it to make sure they don’t have the flu.”
Huddleston said owners of tested birds will be notified in three to seven days if the examinations turn out positive and won’t be if the tests are negative.
Govan was told no news is good news, he said.
To prevent the spread of the virus, owners of backyard and commercial flocks should prevent their birds from coming in contact with wild waterfowl and should not share poultry equipment with other poultry farmers.
The avian flu virus has not been detected in any commercial poultry operations in the nation, including Washington state, state officials have said.
The H5N2 virus was first discovered in British Columbia, leading to the destruction of 250,000 chickens and turkeys, then was discovered in backyard poultry in Benton County and the Tri-Cities area.
“I was surprised it was local here, although it always is surprising when it happens in your backyard,” Kelly Johnston said.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
