Avian Flu at some of the hatcheries?

[barefootfarmer]

I received a voice mail today from a hatchery that I use to source my meat chickens and layers. Welp hatchery. The person leaving the message stumbled on her words quite a bit...but what I got out of it is that at least one of the breeder flocks that has been providing poultry to Welp tested positive for Avian Influenza (AI). She said that "to date" Welp doesn't have any reason to believe that any of their previously shipped poultry was affected. And that they will be able to ship Cornish Rock and Red Rangers once they have sourced a new breeder. But that their other breeder flocks are clean. I think she might have meant breeder flocks for laying hens were clean. Like I said, it was a pretty jumbled message with lots of "ums" and pauses. I'll call back in the morning to talk to a live person.

Anyway, anyone else heard anything about this? If enough breeder flocks were affected, it could make prices increase or even make it difficult to order meat birds in a timely manner.  I know that I had pre-orders at Welp for about 300 meat chicks spaced out over the summer. My next shipment was due to ship at the end of this month.

[Wendy]

I haven't heard, but that's not good.

[bearcreekfarm]

Bad news.

I was tying to get 100 straight run Buckeyes this year, but waited too long to place my order and the hatchery sold out of them. Figured I would get them next year. oops.

I might have to look around elsewhere and spend a little more $$$$ and get fewer of them, if I can still find some this year someplace else, just to make sure I have them if I need them.

Thanks for the heads' up.

[barefootfarmer]

As for my layers, I'm going to start up the incubator. Kind of glad I held onto those annoying roosters.

[Deleted]

Welp told me, on the phone, that their layer flocks were affected, but their broilers were fine.

[barefootfarmer]

May 7, 2015 2:43:07 GMT @dba said:

Welp told me, on the phone, that their layer flocks were affected, but their broilers were fine.

Huh. That is exactly the opposite of what I got in my voice mail. When did you talk to them? I'm calling in the morning because the message wasn't very articulate. I was concerned because I received a batch of broilers a week ago. And of course, I'm waiting on more to come. I wonder why they would have called me since I didn't have any layers on order?

[bergere]

That is scary. Makes you wonder how many are having issues?

Barefoot...maybe they were letting you know they are having issues? If all their birds are on the same farm.......

[jupiter]

I'm not buying any poultry this year for this reason. Drudge Report had a article earlier today say 20 million birds are affected.

[bearcreekfarm]

I'm ordering some tonight. Decided that I better get some while I can, and while they are in good supply and reasonably priced.

[barefootfarmer]

Well I ended up leaving a message. I'm sure I'll get a call back in the morning. In the meantime, I received an email about my Broad Breast White turkeys. The original breeder stopped shipping them early so they transferred my order to a different breeder. It only pushes my order out by a day or two. And these turkeys are going to my soup canning sessions. I raise Bourbon Red turkeys for customers at the holidays. I'm glad I keep a closed flock. It's always nice to have your own back up breeders for just in case.

[bergere]

I have my Ameraucana eggs coming in the next couple of weeks, but they are just over in MD. Might get some more Bantam d'Anver eggs later this summer from Georgia, depending on what goes on.

Was going to order some more pullets later this... but I think I am going to hold off, until this blows over.