Arbor Acres

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Country Families : One Thread

I was reading Melina's answer for weekend plans and noticed she had some Arbor Acres hens. Arbor Acres is located about 20 miles from where I live now, in my hometown of Springdale, Arkansas. Springdale is said to be the "Poultry Capital of the World" and is the headquarters for Tyson Foods. My husband works for a smaller, family owned poultry company called Georges, Inc. They are the largest egg producer in Arkansas and Oklahoma.(this is our claim to fame!) My dad worked for Tysons for 30+ years, the only job he had after college. My husband has worked for George's for 11 years and doesn't ever plan on leaving. Seems like I was born to be a Poultry Queen!! Hope you have good fortune with your Arbor Acres hens Melina!

-- Ivy in NW AR (balch84@cox-internet.com), October 21, 2001

Answers

We had a layer house for 4 years and had Arbor Acres hens the whole time. They are little egg machines! These hens I have now are "rescues" that I liberated from a house 3 years ago. The owners had gone belly-up and walked away from the operation. Then the company came in and gathered up all they could, but left about 100 to die in the August heat. No food, no water, and one of the hottest summers on record. We went over there and caught a dozen and a rooster, wishing I could have taken alot more. I guess the rest died from the heat. Anyway, they have now finished their 4th year of laying, and show no signs of being finished. And these are birds that are automaticallly sent to the soup factory after their first lay because they aren't economical to carry over through molt. I know this isn't about country families, but I sure am proud of those hens!

-- melina b. (goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com), October 21, 2001.

I don't know Melina, around here the hens all have names and are very much a part of the family!!! Anything to do with country living is welcome on here. I just love to watch my chickens, they are the funniest things. My daughter said once,"You know how people get fish tanks and watch the fish so they can relax? Well I think you an do the same thing with chickens!" She was only 8 at the time, and wise beyond her years!

-- Melissa (me@home.net), October 21, 2001.

I am so glad to hear that there are other folks who amuse themselves by watching their chickens! They are so funny! Whenever my husband steps off the porch, all 7 hens and our one rooster come running from wherever they are to gather at his feet. This all started when he began to feed them oiled Japanese Beetles. They do not understand that the beetle season is over until next year! BTW, I have often said I would never have a rooster, but with the economy getting shaky and the airlines refusing to carry chicks US mail status, we decided to get one. We mentioned to the girl at the feed store that we were looking for either a Rhode island Red or a Buff Orpington. Four hours later, a man pulled up to our gate and blew the horn. He had a year old Buff Orpington Rooster in his truck and gave him to us for free! Now that's service. I never knew exactly what "strut like a rooster" meant until this guy got out of his travel cage and spied the hens. He stretched out his neck so far I am surprised he did not faint, pranced in front of the "girls" digging up pieces of grass with every step. You could almost hear him saying, "Well ladies. Here is the finest specimen of rooster you will ever lay eyes on." I roared! All of them busied themselves this week digging a hole next to the house which is about a foot deep. They were either sitting in the dirt or ruffling their feathers in it, so we dumped a pail full of wood ashes in it for them. I watched them today in the hole..you'd think it was a spa! I am so surprised that they continue to each lay an egg everyday. That's 49 eggs a week! My neighbors will be so disappointed when Winter comes in and the free eggs stop coming.

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), October 21, 2001.

I was born in Springdale and most of my relatives live there. Matter of fact about the Chicken Buss. My father was born in a Chicken house in 1935. It was a new chicken house and they lived there for a while. My grandfather when he died Mr Tyson was a pallbear at his funeral. Chickendale Ark.

dale

-- dale (dgarr@fidnet.com), October 22, 2001.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ