Race to sell chickens after New York City live poultry markets ordered shut due to avian flu [Video]

By Jake Offenhartz The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Live poultry markets in New York City raced to sell off all their chickens and other fowl Friday after seven cases of avian flu were detected and state officials ordered markets in the metropolitan area to close for a week.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said there was no immediate threat to public health and that the temporary closure of bird markets in the city and its Westchester County and Long Island suburbs came out of an abundance of caution. Avian flu has hit farms nationwide, led to the slaughter of millions of birds and driven up egg …