MINNEAPOLIS — One of the nation’s largest egg producers says it will destroy 2 million egg-laying hens in Minnesota due to a deadly bird flu virus.

The outbreak at the Minnesota chicken farm brings the total of affected birds to 35 million in 15 states, with Minnesota and Iowa flocks hit the hardest.

The chickens at Rembrandt Enterprises farm in Renville will be killed in the next four weeks.

The company’s vice president of marketing, Jonathan Spurway, said Saturday one barn holding around 200,000 birds was infected but the entire flock will be killed as a precaution.

Rembrandt says a plant in Thompson, Iowa hasn’t been affected.