Arkansas folks speak up.........

[Puddin Fluff]

For some reason my phones not letting me embed imagies but i got some buff silkie chicks from tsc started with 8 lost one the first night but the other 7 are going strong maybe they will all make it ones had pastey butt i took care of that and now they are happy healthy and enjoying the brooder

Yeah for chickies!

 

[DarthRooster]

Anybody got any Americuana Roosters in NWA?

 

[rayray983]

Glad i own my home my formal dinning room is now a brooder room 9 4 week old cinnimon queen pullets 5 4 week old ducks 3 are pekings 2 are who knows what lol no feathers yet but the are huge and have started quacking 7 silkie chicks 1 week old and as of today my brother decided to buy me 12 ducklings as a bday present from tsc since they were on sale for a dollar each i have a pretty good start to having my farm back just need to sorce some turken and polish eggs and ill be set

 

[tkc815]

Selling my Eglu Omlet Go coop and run. I am located in Fayetteville AR. It is purple, and been in use for a few months. Selling because I want to build myself a bigger coop. I reinforced the wire run panels with metal j-clips to make them stronger and hold together better. PM for pictures/ details etc thanks

 

[nayeli]

I sold my chickens and tractors about a week ago after my dog got into one and killed a baby chick. I'll see ya'll after we move and get a better set up!

 

[caj1985]

Is anyone in the Western AR (Fort Smith) area in the market for some birds? My employer has informed me that due to the threat of AI, I have to have all of my birds removed from my place before Sunday.

I have guineas, Ancona ducks, and chickens. My biggest concern is my flock of Arkansas Blues as there is such a small gene pool of them. I have a brooder full of various purebred Marans, BCM, black tailed buff, whites, etc. that just hatched Saturday a week ago. I think I have 19 or so chicks.

I have 2 pair of Roger Tice line Red Dorkings, 6 Rhodebar, HRIR, Buttercups, Barred Rocks, two American Game Bantam roosters as well as other assorted including one black bantam orpington pullet if anyone is interested.

 

[nayeli]

Is anyone in the Western AR (Fort Smith) area in the market for some birds? My employer has informed me that due to the threat of AI, I have to have all of my birds removed from my place before Sunday.

I have guineas, Ancona ducks, and chickens. My biggest concern is my flock of Arkansas Blues as there is such a small gene pool of them. I have a brooder full of various purebred Marans, BCM, black tailed buff, whites, etc. that just hatched Saturday a week ago. I think I have 19 or so chicks.

I have 2 pair of Roger Tice line Red Dorkings, 6 Rhodebar, HRIR, Buttercups, Barred Rocks, two American Game Bantam roosters as well as other assorted including one black bantam orpington pullet if anyone is interested.

Where do you work that your employer has any right to tell you what you can do/have in your off time? I would think that would be illegal.

 

[caj1985]

I work for a commercial poultry company. I completely understand their position with the risk of AI right now. My issue is the time frame and the fact that I will be out of the chicken market until I retire now. This is going to be a permanent requirement for the corporate employees. It has always been a requirement of the people hired in live production.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It would be interesting to hear the story if you wish to tell it.

Many different occupations can affect what you do at home and in your off time. Many big-time poultry employers are so biosecure that they do not allow their employers to have poultry at home if they wok around poultry at work. It’s part of the conditions of employment. They don’t want them bringing in diseases to their flocks. Some employers require certain licenses where the person holding the license has to take a minimum level of continuing education hours to keep the license. Fire fighters have to maintain a certain fitness level. There is usually a good reason behind those conditions but some employers can be pretty weird.

I had to have 20 continuing education hours over a two year period to maintain my professional engineering license, one of those hours had to be in ethics. My employer gave me some opportunities at work to get some of those, including the ethics ones, but I went to seminars, engineering society meetings, and some lectures on my own time to get the others. Any fees could be put on my expense account but the time and transportation was on me.

Employers can put conditions on your employment. There is nothing illegal about that. If you don’t like it, don’t take the job or quit.

 

[caj1985]

This is the explanation that I received. The main reason for the concern with backyard flocks and AI is that the disease is being brought in by migratory birds. If it is found in a backyard flock, all birds/people/etc. are put into quarantine for a 6 mile radius of the farm that has the infection. No one including people are allowed in or out including going to work, etc. until the quarantine period is over. Anything found to have it is killed. This could cost a poultry company millions not to mention the losses to everyone else from not being able to go to work. Normally the cross contamination concern would be more of the employee taking something home to his birds. In this case the backyard flocks are much more likely to come into contact with the source of infection (migratory birds) than a commercial flock.

This is a hazard that could potentially devastate the poultry business in AR. All of the poultry companies are instituting high level of biosecurity measure right now.

As I said, I understand the reasons for the decision. I don't like it, but I do fully understand it. I just am under an extreme time crunch to try to find homes for all of my birds. If anyone is interested in birds or chicks, let me know.