Mia Prensky spent years turning her backyard into a safe haven for hundreds of at-risk birds that had been abused or could no longer breed.

But when the Cranberry Township woman discovered signs of sickness among several of her feathered rescues earlier this month, she didn’t hesitate to phone the state Department of Agriculture.

“When I saw that we had four hens die, I called the state,” Prensky said. “I did not wait because I knew something was wrong.”

Officials from the Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services arrived at Seggond Chance Farm in the township later that same evening to conduct testing.

Those results were then sent to a national laboratory in Indiana, and three days later, more than 600 birds of various species that either lived at or frequently visited Prensky’s property were confirmed to carry highly pathogenic avian influenza.

It marked the first time bird flu was recorded in Butler County since the U.S. Department of Agriculture began tracking the outbreak in early February 2022.

All of the infected birds, including chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese, were culled in an effort to curtail the disease.

One of those animals was a rescued hen named Imogen who underwent multiple surgeries for reproductive disease after improper inbreeding. Prensky said the hen died in her arms shortly after the outbreak started.

“I self-reported this knowing full well what was going to happen,” Prensky said. “I really care about public health and the well-being of my animals, and I wasn’t going to let them all suffer and die when I saw something was happening.”

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, various strains of the avian influenza can cause disease that affects multiple internal organs with a mortality rate of up to 90% to 100%  in chickens, often within 48 hours.

Prensky was told that once one bird contracts the disease, the rest of the flock either already has it or will soon be infected.

However, she said the symptoms her birds experienced were unlike anything she could have anticipated.

“There were zero respiratory or visible signs of infection,” she said. “No swollen faces, no discoloration of legs, combs or waddles, just very rapid sudden death.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture notes that infected birds can suffer from a variety of symptoms, including:

Wild aquatic birds, especially dabbling ducks, are considered prime hosts for avian influenza A viruses.

Prensky noted that ducks, which can be infected without appearing sick, regularly fly over her property and land in her backyard pond.

Officials notified her that sick waterfowl and their droppings “most likely” caused the outbreak.

She also noted that state officials tested her and several employees for the disease. All of those results came back negative.

“They were all really worried I was going to be sick, and I didn’t get sick,” she said.

While all of the sick birds have been removed from the 16 different housing units on the premises, cleaning up any traces of bird flu remains an ongoing process.

That work includes disposing of all bedding, food and water that were touched by the birds.

Once that’s completed, Prensky said her sanctuary will be under quarantine for 120 days, which is standard protocol for any area that’s been affected.

It wasn’t a total loss of life. Three emus, including a rescued male named Umarra, and two South American ostriches tested negative and were saved.

“I am so, so grateful to the Department of Agriculture for sparing him,” said Prensky of Umarra, who has been featured in several YouTube videos. “The team working with me fought so hard with Harrisburg and made it happen. I miss the birds so much, so saving those animals is such a gift.”

Despite an unfortunate situation that has taken a toll on her mental health, Prensky said she hopes to bounce back and eventually take in birds again when her backyard is deemed safe.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she said. “We’re only going to make things better and take this time to heal the property and make it better when the right time comes to welcome new friends that need homes.”