LAKE HUGHES, Calif. – As the ostrich patriarch of Quail Run Ranch, Lou Royce always has his hands full dealing with some big personalities.
For more than 20 years, Royce has been raising ostriches in the small rural town of Lake Hughes, California, about 15 miles west of Lancaster.
The ranch offers tours, lets visitors feed an ostrich, and Royce will share all sorts of trivia about the fascinating flightless birds. The ranch is both Royce's home and his family’s livelihood.
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“We raise and sell ostrich products that is our business," Royce said.
Quail Run Ranch normally sells everything from the ostriches themselves, to their giant eggs, ostrich feather dusters, even egg shells fashioned into keepsakes. But for the past 16 months, Royce hasn’t been able to offer tours, sell eggs, or move a single bird off his property.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture placed his ranch under quarantine because of virulent Newcastle disease, and there is no end in sight on when he will be able to sell his products again.
“We’re basically belly up guys, this isn’t going to be a very fun Christmas," Royce said.
The quarantine started in August 2018 during a Newcastle outbreak. The highly contagious disease can affect different kinds of birds, but is deadly to chickens. In response, the state euthanized more than a million birds, including pets.
Royce feels lucky that his ranch wasn’t in the kill zone, but he says he has been breaking his neck to make ends meet ever since.
“You cost us severely. You cost us a minimum of $550 a piece, 50 birds, do the math,” Royce said. "I want to retire, I’m not trying to make a million dollars here. I just want to pay my taxes.”
Royce says his biggest issue with the state is that the quarantine lines were seemingly drawn arbitrarily. All of L.A. County is under quarantine, but only portions of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. According to Royce, many of the cases broke out close to counties that were never placed under quarantine and he wants to know why.
“It seems to be no rhyme or reason as to where their quarantine boundaries are," Royce said. “They’re just putting their foot on my throat.”
Spectrum News 1 asked CDFA officials for an interview, but they agreed only to answer questions via e-mail. CDFA says it relies on trained epidemiologists to recommend the quarantine boundaries.
The agency is searching for the origin of the outbreak, and shared that many different species of poultry have tested positive, including breeds that could be used for cockfighting rings.
The last active case of Newcastle in L.A. County was back in April 2019. Normally quarantines are re-evaluated after 120 days pass with no outbreak. But due to cases popping up as recently as December 2019 in San Bernardino County, the quarantine hasn't been lifted.
Royce says he has been waiting long enough.
“I’ve shown good faith guys, I haven’t moved a bird off this ranch. You shut down my whole project. I'm this deep in baby ostrich," Royce said, pointing to his forehead. "You show some good faith and release part of the quarantine.”
One community organization, called Save Our Birds, is even going to the lengths of suing the state over the quarantine.
Royce isn’t a part of that lawsuit. He just hopes the state will make things right.
“As a bird fan I’m a fan of stomping out this disease, but don’t kill my small business in the meantime,” said Royce.
Royce says the end of his ostrich ranch would mean not only the loss of his family’s legacy, but their hard-earned nest egg too.