The Ohio Department of Natural Resources says that bird flu may have been found in waterfowl in Auglaize and Mercer counties. They collected many dead wild birds to be tested for highly pathogenic avian flu, and they say that the virus is presumed to be found in eleven counties, including Auglaize and Mercer Counties. Canada geese, trumpeter swans, and mallards have been tested in the last few weeks.

October 2, 2024, Press Release from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s wild turkey poult index, a metric used to estimate nest success and poult survival for the bird, was slightly above the 10-year average at 2.9 poults per hen in 2024, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The Division of Wildlife relies on public reports of wild turkeys and their young, called poults, in July and August of each year to estimate nest success and poult survival. The annual poult index can serve as an indicator of wild turkey population trends and inform harvest regulations in future years. Turkey brood success is largely influenced by weather conditions, habitat, and predation.

Anyone who lives around the Central District Area in Lima was invited to grab a free Christmas turkey on Saturday on behalf of the Central District. 

As many fair goers probably know there was no poultry at the fair last year because of a bird flu scare but this year the birds are back.