Arkansas Blue egg layers

[SimplyLogan]

Wow, talk about complicating things even more! I have been following this thread wanting AB's badly. However, I have only had chickens 3 years and I'm just getting into hatching and breeding. Not even close to what your flock needs. I have been hoping to get hatching eggs some day. This is really unfortunate. I would assume one would have to drive them out of Arkansas (quietly)?

 

[draye]

So caj1985 does that mean no more auction eggs for me? I still have two packages that are suppose to be her tomorrow or Friday. So I guess I'm out on shipping or receiving eggs
Thriugh the mail.

 

[caj1985]

That's like a never ending nightmare you are in

I'll still take them and pay for shipping if you can get them out - I hope you don't have to euthanize them!!!! My state doesn't have restrictions on coming in - so if you can still ship them out - that can work. Or maybe you are close to the border and can ship them from a border post office ?

Anyway - no pressure - I'm not going to post anymore on this issue as I have a feeling you want to eliminate me as a possible home - and that is totally fine! I know there was misunderstanding with that Hall Family guy last year and some AB people thought I was too pushy about getting my money back from him. I don't want to be like a stalker poster

or make a difficult time more difficult.

I hope something opens up for you in the next day or so and you find a solution that works out perfectly for you.

GOOD LUCK !!!

I don't want to eliminate you at all. I'm just not sure how I can get shipping boxes, etc. and get them out in time. This is becoming more and more of a nightmare.

 

[caj1985]

So caj1985 does that mean no more auction eggs for me? I still have two packages that are suppose to be her tomorrow or Friday. So I guess I'm out on shipping or receiving eggs
Thriugh the mail.

I would guess it depends upon how thorough the USPS is on enforcing the quarantine. I know that Dr. Bramwell at the U of A has stopped all egg donations as of today in order to avoid any possibility of contamination.

 

[Metella]

Ok - sorry - I am trying to tread lightly on this - as I know how heartbroken I would be if I had to rehome my girls ....

So I jumped to a conclusion.

I also don't know about the shipping on your end - as I have not shipped birds - and only once shipped eggs with the help of my friend ....

So I guess - just let me know what I can do to help - if anything .... I'd love to have them - but distance and the ridiculous time given to you are the issues ....Again - I'll be glad to pay for boxes, shipping and all that jazz, plus honor any fertile egg commitments you made earlier. I've wanted to start an AB flock for over 2 years now .... and just have a sister & brother pair - not great for diversified genetics !!!!

I certainly hope someone closer who can give them a good home pops up for you ....

Take care and thanks for the clarification.

 

[1muttsfan]

I don't believe it will be possible for anyone in AR to ship hatching eggs or birds for at least a while, until the outbreak is investigated and follow up testing of other nearby flocks is completed. It is not the PO that regulates that. However, breaking quarantines can have significant consequences if you are caught, so I doubt you will find many people willing to risk the penalties for the sake of a few birds.

 

[caj1985]

I don't believe it will be possible for anyone in AR to ship hatching eggs or birds for at least a while, until the outbreak is investigated and follow up testing of other nearby flocks is completed. It is not the PO that regulates that. However, breaking quarantines can have significant consequences if you are caught, so I doubt you will find many people willing to risk the penalties for the sake of a few birds.

My feelings exactly. It will have to be someone local since we are not in the specific quarantine area.

 

[draye]

Suspected bird flu in Arkansas poultry threatens exports
By Tom Polansek and P.J. Huffstutter
CHICAGO | Tue Mar 10, 2015 7:31pm EDT
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By Tom Polansek and P.J. Huffstutter

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A suspected case of avian influenza has been identified in poultry in Arkansas, the third-largest U.S. turkey producer and home to Tyson Foods Inc, the nation's biggest chicken company, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Tuesday.

The infection, if confirmed, threatens to widen trading bans from countries such as Taiwan, Singapore and Nicaragua that have already restricted U.S. poultry exports due to bird flu outbreaks in states ranging from Minnesota and Missouri to California.

"There is a suspect case in Arkansas, but testing is ongoing," USDA spokeswoman Lyndsay Cole said.

Arkansas producers have been on alert for the virus since Minnesota and Missouri confirmed cases of highly pathogenic H5N2 bird flu during the past week. The Minnesota case was the first in the Mississippi flyway, a migratory route along the Mississippi River that also includes Missouri and Arkansas.

Bird flu is contagious and can spread rapidly through a flock, killing birds in as little as 48 hours. The virus has not been identified in humans and is not expected to pose a public health risk, according to USDA.

"It's in the wild bird flyway coming from Canada," Texas state veterinarian Dee Ellis said of the virus. "That's obviously how it went from Minnesota to Missouri to Arkansas."

Ellis could not confirm the Arkansas case and Tyson was not immediately available to comment.

On Wednesday, Texas will announce strengthened testing requirements for poultry coming in from states with bird flu outbreaks in a bid to keep out the virus, he said.

The suspected case in Arkansas was found in a turkey flock, said Mike Cockrell, chief financial officer for Sanderson Farms Inc, the nation's third-largest poultry producer. He cited information from the Texas Poultry Federation.

To prevent bird flu from spreading to its facilities, Sanderson is starting to bar outsiders from entering barns and to require increased cleaning of trucks hauling feed and chickens between farms, Cockrell said. In the past, employees have changed their clothes on airplanes after visiting infected locations, he added.

Transmission "can happen, whether it comes in on feces on your boot or a piece of a feather that got on a shirt when you’re out doing environmental inspections on a farm," Cockrell said.

H5N2 was also found in turkey flocks in Minnesota and Missouri. The facilities were immediately quarantined, flocks were culled and authorities said the birds would not enter the food system.

(Reporting by Tom Polansek; Editing by Jo Winterbottom and Lisa Shumaker)




Found this. On the net.

 

[Sierra987]

Hello - I'm new here obviously! I came across the thread regarding the Arkansas Blues when I was trying to learn a little bit about the Whiting Farms hens I have. I have a couple of blue egg lays (one is a blue hen) and a couple of his green egg layers. It looks like the ABs are clean faced? My blue egg layers have beards. The blue hen has slate legs and the brown/black hen (I don't know the official color name if there is one) has green legs. My green egg layers are evidently a bit unique in having single combs and yellow legs. I've only had them since last summer and the blue egg layers have been good layers but the green egg layers are excellent. I was just looking at more Whiting chicks yesterday at Murdochs and talked myself out of them for now but oh I wanted to pick up a couple blue or splash chicks.
Not sure if this will work but this should be a pic of my Whiting blue egg layer. Just thought you might find this interesting since there's been mention of the Whiting chickens.

 

[ronott1]

Hello - I'm new here obviously! I came across the thread regarding the Arkansas Blues when I was trying to learn a little bit about the Whiting Farms hens I have. I have a couple of blue egg lays (one is a blue hen) and a couple of his green egg layers. It looks like the ABs are clean faced? My blue egg layers have beards. The blue hen has slate legs and the brown/black hen (I don't know the official color name if there is one) has green legs. My green egg layers are evidently a bit unique in having single combs and yellow legs. I've only had them since last summer and the blue egg layers have been good layers but the green egg layers are excellent. I was just looking at more Whiting chicks yesterday at Murdochs and talked myself out of them for now but oh I wanted to pick up a couple blue or splash chicks.
Not sure if this will work but this should be a pic of my Whiting blue egg layer. Just thought you might find this interesting since there's been mention of the Whiting chickens.

They are very nice! It is great to see where the blue egg genes came from

There was some crossing and selective breeding in the project done by the UofA.