Bhubaneswar, April 18: More than 1,000 chickens have died in a farm at Manitri in Mayurbhanj district over the past three days, sparking fears of bird flu, reports our correspondent.

Preliminary investigation by a team of experts, however, suggests it could be a case of Ranikhet disease.

?The team found that about 1,250 birds had succumbed to the disease,? confirmed Mayurbhanj collector V.K. Pandiyan. ?The chief district veterinary officer, in his preliminary report, has indicated that the disease could be Ranikhet.?

The team also found that while birds of about 7-8 weeks had died in the hatchery, some others in a nearby farm were not affected.