Hatchery reports Avian Flu

[Starlady]

If you have a chick order not in yet from McMurray, you might be getting an email from them instead.   One of their contracted farms that specializes in rare breeds has reported infection.   There's a video from the owners but basically it appears that some of these breeds don't exist anywhere else in the US and some of the other rare lines have been run for 100 consecutive years.   Apparently they'll be able to save most of the lines because hatching eggs were shipped in prior weeks and those are not infected.  But to save the breed or line, they won't sell the chicks - rather they'll keep and grow them out for next year.   Other farms and their own facilities have not been affected, nor has any other breed (including all the waterfowl) been infected.

[Abigayle]

This is really sad.  I had always had very good luck with Murray.  We used them for many years.  I hope they can keep the rare breeds going.  Is there mention of which breeds are at risk?  We had two geese fly up from the lake and let the dog out at once.  They did not fly over the coop or go near it.  Weird thing is that we had not had any geese before these two.  There is a crane and white egret, but they have a different flight pattern and stay on the other side of the lake.  I have not hear much from Ga. on this matter. As we know, Iowa had to put down a huge number of chickens and turkeys.  If Murray's breeding farm , with the rare breed, is in the same area as Murray that might explain it.  Murray ships out of a small airport in Minnesota, just over the line from Iowa.  Some airlines stopped shipping birds over a year ago. hope this thing goes away fast for many reasons, of course.