OK- so you can't import birds...

[Goose and Fig]

at least most of us can't- but what about eggs? Would they not make the trip? Even if there was a low hatch rate- wouldn't it be worth it in the long run?
I know Australia is way to far- but what about the UK/Europe? Has anyone tried it?

 

[monarc23]

Sure people have tried it most that I know have done it very illegally and I have been told that the USDA hunts these people down pretty well but I know of some who've got in from other countries and have been going strong for years with their *away* flocks. I wouldn't do it myself way too risky. I have tried looking into it doing it the legal way, well, the breeder "over there" has to have the birds tested and approved, then the eggs can be shipped out and need to go into quarrentine and then you can get them... and by then i've heard that the egg quality is really poor.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

The eggs have to sit in quarantine for 30 days. By then, fertility is all but shot.

 

[Rootball]

Ive run into people...on this site...who've done it as recently as last month. Their hatches were....Ok not great.

All of the risk would be on your end. Anyone in say Europe, it wouldn't matter to them as long as you pay for the eggs and the shipping they're in the clear.

I dont know the penalties but you would be the person held responsible for breaking the law. You might plead ignorance until the FBI subpoenaed this thread to throw the book at you.

If you google egg smuggling I think there is an instance of an Australian man who got a couple thousand dollar fine for having eggs mailed to him from the US.(not pertinant to our laws but an interesting example)

 

[Goose and Fig]

really? why do they quarantine eggs? they have to make sure they're not an invasive chicken species? lol. I never realized it was so complicated.

 

[Rootball]

They are trying to keep out disease which could rampage through domestic stock.

 

[speckledhen]

Some nasty diseases can be spread vertically, i.e., through the egg.

 

[Krys109uk]

They are trying to keep out disease which could rampage through domestic stock

I think they're considerably more interested in commercial stock.

There are a few diseases which can pass through the egg, such as MG & EDS-76, most don't.​

 

[Goose and Fig]

Oh I'm sure there could be disease spread- but do they really have to hold them for 30 days? Can't they take into consideration the viability? Isn't there some kind of clearance they can get on the other end- like NPIP- so they don't have to sit & waste away?

If they want to hold them that long- why don't they just put them in incubators? Ha- that would be nice.

 

[aveca]

You can import birds , but its a headach and they quarentine is costly. Here is the latest .We did this once (eggs only!!!) and you have to have mounds of paperwork vet visits inspections ect... parents must by h1n5 free ect... Wont do it again.Somebody said people on EBay just send them to you, dont know how true that is.I havnt had a chance to go look.

Animal and Animal Product Import
Poultry Hatching Eggs

Procedures for Importing Poultry Hatching Eggs into the United States

ADVISORY: Until further notice, there is a temporary ban on the importation of all live avian species from Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cambodia, Czech Republic (Kraj of Kralovehradecky and Pardubicky only), Djibouti, Egypt, Germany (Kreis of Görlitz and Bautzen), Ghana, Hong Kong, Hungary (Bacs-Kiskun and Csongrad Counties only) , India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire), Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestinian Autonomous Territories, People's Republic of China, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sudan, Sweden (Kalmar county only), Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom (counties of Suffolk and Norfolk in England only) and Vietnam.

The U.S. Department of Agricultrue defines poultry as chickens, doves, ducks, geese, grouse, guinea fowl, partridges, pea fowl, pheasants, pigeons, quail, swans, and turkeys (including hatching eggs of these species).

Requirements

All hatching eggs of poultry imported into the United States must be accompanied by a USDA import permit VS Form 17-129 (except through a land border port from Canada).
Current veterinary health certificate issued by a full-time salaried veterinarian of the agency responsible for animal health of the national government in the exporting country of origin.
Some hatching eggs are required to be quarantined for a minimum of 30 days upon entry into the United States.
FDA Imported food requirement
Requirements for importing poultry hatching eggs differ for eggs being imported from countries designated and free of exotic Newcastle disease (END) than those not designated as free of END.

Poultry hatching eggs imported from countries designated as free of END

The following countries are considered by the USDA to be free of exotic Newcastle disease: Australia, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Fiji, Finland, France, Greece, Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales, and the Isle of Man), Iceland, Republic of Ireland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Hatching eggs imported from these countries are not required to be quarantined. However, the hatching eggs must be accompanied by a veterinary health certificate issued by a national government veterinarian of the exporting country as well as by a USDA import permit (see exception for Canada below).
Poultry hatching eggs imported from countries not designated as free of END

In addition to the required veterinary health certificate and USDA import permit, importation of hatching eggs from countries not designated by the USDA to be free of END are restricted as follows:

Eggs must be transported from the port of entry to the hatchery in a vehicle sealed by the USDA.
Eggs must be hatched and brooded under the supervision of the Area Veterinarian in Charge (AVIC) in the State of destination. The hatchery must meet certain biosecurity standards and be inspected and approved by the AVIC prior to issuance of the import permit.
The poultry from such eggs must remain in quarantine for not less than 30 days following hatch.
During quarantine, the hatching eggs and poultry from such eggs are subject to any inspections, disinnfections, and diagnostic testing as may be required by the USDA to determine their freedom from communicable diseases of poultry.
Poultry hatching eggs imported from Canada

Poultry hatching eggs imported from Canada must be accompanied by a veterinary health certificate issued by a Canadian government veterinarian. However, no quarantine is required for hatching eggs of Canadian origin. Those hatching eggs imported through a U.S.-Canadian land border port do not require a USDA import permit, whereas eggs entering the United States from Canada via air do require a USDA import permit.

The import permit application (VS Form 17-129) can be downloaded from the Internet at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/forms.shtml or by contacting us at:
USDA, APHIS, VS
National Center for Import and Export
4700 River Road, Unit 39
Riverdale, MD 20737
(301) 734-8364 Telephone
(301) 734-6402 Fax

Flock of origin veterinary health certification statements

The health certificate must be in English or a complete English translation must be provided. The veterinary health certificate must accompany the hatching eggs while in transit and must state that:

the flock or flocks of origin were found upon inspection to be free from evidence of communicable diseases of poultry;
no exotic Newcastle disease has occurred on the premises of origin or on adjoining premises during the 90 days immediately preceding the date of movement of the eggs from such region; and
as far as it has been possible to determine, such flock or flocks were not exposed to such disease during the preceding 90 days.
The flock of origin of hatching eggs imported from all countries except Canada are required to test serologically negative for egg drop syndrome (adenovirus 127), test negative on environmental culture for Salmonella enteritidis, and test serologically negative for viral turkey rhinotracheitis (avian pneumovirus) by a government approved laboratory. The flock of origin of hatching eggs from chicken-like poultry imported from Canada must be under a surveillance program similar to that of the USDA's National Poultry Improvement Plan.

Fish and Wildlife Service Permit Information
In the United States, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulates the importation of avian species (including their hatching eggs) protected by various national and international acts and treaties such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992, the Migratory Bird Act, and the Endangered Species Act. To determine if the hatching eggs you wish to import are regulated by the USFWS, you can visit their web site at: http://permits.fws.gov/ or contact them at USFWS, Office of Management Authority, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 420, Arlington, VA 22203, (800) 358-2104 (within the United States), or (703) 358-2104.

Please visit the FWS web site at: http://permits.fws.gov/ to obtain more information and the permit application. If you have questions you can contact the FWS at (800) 358-2104. Overseas calls should be placed to (703) 358-2104.