Alright, My Big Chicken Plan

[little_grey_bantam]

So, I'm needing to replenish my flock again. Of course we have some birds reaching the 2+ year mark and are finally able to possibly purchase the breeds we want.

What I have now are... (in their own pens)
Lakenvelders
Black Copper Marans
Cuckoo Marans with some Heavies hen in there (Barred Rock + Australorp and Pain-In-Rear Mutt Broody Bantam Hen Thing)
Speckled Sussex + Welsummers
And a flock of mixed Heavies (Buff Orpingtons) + Bantam Assortment (I'm not even going to start naming these boogers)
THEN I have a free-range colony of pet roosters (YES, ALL 22 of them!!)

What I really want is...
Red Jungle Fowl roaming around my yard once more like we've had them here for gosh... decades?
Grey Jungle Fowl roaming around the yard too unless we are breeding them for eggs to replenish the stock

I would love a small pen of Bantams... preferably something the size of OEGBs, Seabrights and Seramas. I'm thinking about Seramas and maybe having a free-range group of Seabrights OEGBs and other small bantam breeds like that roam around the yard (since they can fly a bit). Does anyone know of any other TEENY TINY bantam breeds I can look up? Of course, Ladybird, the OEGB bantam I named my name after is staying FOREVER.

I would also love to have a couple pens of Marans... Black Copper Marans, Birchen Marans, Wheaten Marans, Blue/Black/Splash Marans (all producing pure of each, so I can separate them if need be). I would also love the BLEU (NOT blue) Marans. Does anyone know of other Marans type? I'm not too interested in White Marans or Cuckoo Marans and Silver Marans are sketchy as well as Golden Marans.

I would also love a flock or two of White Sussex and Coronation Sussex so I can play with genetics a bit.

Some Penedescenca (does anyone know of any other color than black that they come in?).

I'd like to raise some TRUE Aracaunas and Ameraucanas (Can someone PLEASE tell me the correct spelling for these suckers?).

And of course, we can't forget the Broodies... I want every color imaginable... Silkies and Buff Orpingtons and I would really LOVE Barnvelders. I was sold on them last year when I saw a hen on top of keets!

And I can't help it, but want to raise some Delawares for meat and eggs... maybe some other heritage breeds like Buckeyes... does anyone recommend any beautiful birds good for meat, eggs and pleasing to the eye?

Last but not least, I would LOVE more Wyandottes... preferably Blue Laced Red Wyandottes... maybe some Golden and Silver... I like the Columbians, but no Whites or Blacks (I'm not racists I swear!! LOL). Does anyone know anymore colors of these???

My GOAL is to help preserve some heritage breeds, raise some neat, "rare" birds AND produce these egg colors... Pink, Blue + Green (ACTUAL colors, not bluish-green, or green-ish blue, though I wouldn't mind producing mint greens and turquoise green), Olive, DARK eggs (I know they are against the standard, but I would love to produce a breed that would produce such a dark egg, it's insane) AND Purple Eggs... I would also LOVE to produce a tiger-striped Gamebird AND produce Marans with a rosebud/smaller comb that won't free off in the winter. Hence, the breeds stated above.

Oh and cause I'm working on dark egg layers. I guess I can't forget the Welsummers...

If I am correct... I can produce Olive eggs with the Dark Egg Layers and the Amera/Aracaunas...
My Buff Orps are producing a purplish egg and I believe if I breed them to a Dark Egg Layer, I can produce a Purple Egg....

I MAY have to get into Easter Eggers... because some do produce a pink egg and breed it to the DEL (Dark Egg Layer).

Anyone have any ideas on my plans?

CURRENTLY we have 5 1/2 coops up already... and are planning on putting a few more up...
Please let me know what you're thinking!!!

And don't be overwhelmed... lol

Wait till I get started on the Swans, Ducks and Peafowl... maybe even guineas, chukars and pheasants!!

OMG, I am going INSANE!!

Oh and I forgot, we want some gamebirds... BF really likes Pumpkin Husleys... I just like the way they look, but don't want to only get into American gamebirds or Orientals (I think they LOOK goofy LOL)

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
Ok, I'll help you with what I can....

I know that the Penedesencas also come in wheaten, don't know anyone that has them, just know that much.

You have Ameraucana right, but Araucana was just a little off.

Faverolles are great layers and as I have read and have been told make for EXCELLENT eating. Personally, I haven't raised enough of them yet to have gotten to eat any. And they're PURTY!! And the roos are sweet!!

Hope my little bits helped!!

 

[little_grey_bantam]

Oh those faverolles are beautiful!
I think they have feathered feet....
I think the only issue I have right now are feathered feet...
The Marans are larger, so it's alright, but my feathered footed banties look so funny - I feel bad for them with feathered feet

I gotta look again though.. just to make sure I'm not missing out on anything

I like Penedescencas, they seem to be more flighty (which is fine by me). Now to find them! I like the wheaten coloration

I think it's very pretty!

I know I have a lot of ideas and plans, but ya can dream, can't you?
Now to get me some Black Swans... LOL

 

[Katy]

More and bigger is not always better. Often it's better to do a few breeds better than try to do many breeds poorly.

I'm thinking of your thread from the other day where you were bemoaning all that you had going on in your life and not having enough time.

 

[chicken_china_mom]

Wow, those are some BIG plans you have there. I take it you have a lot of land? I wish I had a lot of land. Right now I'm dealing with quite a few different breeds, and not every breed has a match (hen AND roo), so I haven't gone about separating out the birds yet. I'm still trying to rehome some roosters too. Sweet boys, but there just aren't enough ladies for them, and I am not sure they are breeds that I want to continue in. We'll have to see later.
I LOVE Marans though.

I have a fabulous Silver Cuckoo Maran rooster that drove me nuts when he was little, but he has grown up into a beautiful, and MUCH calmer young man, and he is a complete gentleman now. I swear, when he was little he NEVER walked, he always ran. Even if it was 2 ft away, he ran it. Goofy boy. But he is so docile that my ten year old can scoop him up and hug him close, and he doesn't fuss a bit. He accepts it and waits to be set back down. He is soooooooooo good with his ladies that I have been motivated to get him some ladies of his own, and to try to get involved in other colors of Marans. My heart is set on Golden Cuckoo Marans, and more Silver Cuckoo Marans, but I have your FBCM and normal CM in my incubator right now, and I am really excited and hoping they hatch. I can't wait! I like White Marans, I just hope that they don't get quite as dirty as my White Silkies do. Man, those birds are hard to clean after a long wet winter! And it seems that no matter how hard I work to clean their feathered feet, they never get white again. Guess they aren't going to show this year or any other year.

But I think that as far as large fowl go, the breeds I'm going to be working on are EE's as I have some lovely blue and green eggs in the incubator, set to hatch tomorrow

, and provided they actually hatch, I should have some beautiful birds with which to start an EE flock. I also want to concentrate on Marans, in basically most of the colors, but I suspect that I will probably narrow it down to 3 colors, FBCM, SCM, and GCM. Also, I really would like some Salmon Faverolles. I think they are just so pretty. I'll keep my layer flock separate and most likely my Speckled Sussex (which are also eggs from you), Welsummers, and and other large layers that hatch from the eggs I got from you, they will go in with that bunch. My layers get spoiled rotten just like everyone else does, lol. Currently in my layer flock is my SCM roo, 4 SLW hens, 1 BA hen, 2 Amber Sexlink hens, and 2 Welsummer mixed hens. I'll have to see what hatches from the eggs in my incubator. I also love Wyandottes, so I'd like to get some BLRW. I love the look of the lacing in my SLW's, and I'd like to get some BLRW as well. Someone on here is selling really affordable coops, and they fit up to 10 birds each, so I am thinking of buying maybe a half dozen of them from him once I have some money. Then all I have to do is go pick them up cause they are 2 states away.

But from there, I can get fencing and just section off each breed with it's own run. My banties are all running together for now. I haven't yet separated them out, and I'm not sure how to do it yet. I have bantam Cochins, BO's, Silkies, and a few mismatched birds that have no mates, like 1 Mille Fleur d'Uccle hen, and 1 Dark Brahma roo, not to mention a Black Silkie mix that I'm fairly certain is mixed with OEGB. She takes NO crap from the boys, lol. I also have my ducks, and right now my Mallards are running with the bantams, but I might take them out and give them their own coop and run. I haven't decided yet. They get along quite well with the chickens. I also have 4 Blue Swedish ducklings that are nearly 3 weeks old now, and are little punks. I love them though. They are still in the brooder. I don't know if I want to give them their own space and leave the Mallards in with the chickens, or combine all the ducks. I don't really want Mallard/Swedish crossed ducks. I also have geese eggs coming. It's probably going to be my last purchase of the year though cause I am broke now. If some of the previous eggs had hatched, I could have sold them and made back some money, but noooo, not a single egg out of like 5 or 6 batches has hatched. That's frustrating! If I can get a place with more land, then I'll go all out. I'll install a pond if there isn't already one, and I'll fill it with ducks and geese, and I'd get some guineas and turkeys too. Right now, cause I am in a small town, I don't want guineas because they can fly up so high into trees and onto roofs. They'd have to be penned all the time, and my neighbor across the street raises guineas and hers are so loud all the time it's annoying. I was told by several people that if they have space to free range, they are quieter and will only sound the alarm when there is a predator, but if they are penned up, they tend to be loud all the time. They've tried several times to sell me some birds, but I politely decline every time. I'm just not ready for those yet! As for bantam breeds, I think that I will probably stick with my Cochins, and maybe one other breed, and that will probably be Silkies. If I get any other breeds, they will be put together for space, and just as pets.
The only color project I'm working on right now is with my SCM roo and SLW hens. I want to see what the chicks will look like, and how big they will get. I'm also interested in what my BA and SCM roo will produce. Perhaps the look of the BA with some barring? Should be interesting. If I could get an egg to HATCH that is.
If you want EE's next year, let me know. If these hatch, I'll have eggs for next year. The eggs I have in the bator now are mostly blue or green, but I do have a couple brown, and one olive egg. I can ship you some eggs! And at our Chickenstock in August I will have to see what is for sale. I got some really nice birds last year, and it will be interesting to see what people bring this year. Suppose I'll be bringing some Wellies, Sussex, and extra EE's, and whatever roos I might have that I don't need at the time. I got bantam Cochins and an EE hen last year, but my EE hen was attacked by a predator and killed. I loved her colors too, she was so beautiful, and I loved her personality. I can't wait to have more. You'll have to post pics as you expand, show us your plans as you go along.
I know My Pet Chicken has Wheaten Pendesencas. I was looking through their birds yesterday. I personally don't want gamefowl, or even little bantam OEGB's. I'm just not interested. Nor am I interested in ornamental birds such as the Phoenix. They are pretty, but I'd never be able to get them to grow that tail. I would like a small pen of Seramas though. They are so pretty.
Good luck with your plans though. I think everyone has plans for their coops and has their own specific breeding plans. Mine are not quite on such a grand scale as yours, but then again, I don't have as much land. Plus, it does get confusing when there are so many different breeds around to have to manage. I don't multi-task quite that well, lol. And that's A LOT of feed! I could only do it if I knew I could sell the chicks, eggs, and extra birds to try and recoup some expenses. But that's just me. If I ever hit a big lottery though, you can bet I'll have every breed that I have ever desired! Lol! And then some!

 

[little_grey_bantam]

Quote:
Yeah I was bemoaning, but someday, in my lifetime, I would LOVE to do this.
Mind you, 600+ acres and still in school, I am not going to try anything now, but would LOVE to do something in the future. (You know, since I'm young and all?)
With college, student loans (and hopes of coming out of school with no loans at all), family and money issues, it's hard. BUT I'm not going to let that get me down.
I'm going through some issues right now, BUT I'm more than capable of taking care of everything and if I cannot, I will either find homes for it/rid of it (if not alive such as objects) or figure a way around it to make it right/work. I believe most of my time IS spent on a farm (and I was thinking about trying a new breed every 5-10 years maybe, 2-3 at most for genetic purposes, because I LOVE genetics, but don't understand as much as I would like). My entire life, all I've had are people tell me "No, you can't do that. You're dreaming. Your dream is too big. It can never be done." Well, that's how/what I FEEL you are telling me.

Now, it's great, you provide 'wonderful' + informative/knowledgeable information, advice, and opinions, but could you PLEASE be a little more understanding?
Yes, being strict (cannot think of an American/English word for the term I am thinking of so this will have to do) and straightforward does have its good points, but showing a little emotion, sincerity and kindness as well as sympathy/empathy would really be nice and make people feel warm and welcomed.
At times I feel like you're WATCHING over my shoulders, but every response I have read from you is often short and tends to make me not want to come on here and mingle with anyone (whether it be to me or someone else). I am like that as well, but I can smile from time to time and joke around and ya know, "have a little fun." Your tone on most things is, although very helpful at times, is short and just does not make me (and I would think other people) feel welcomed. Doesn't that defeat the purpose of BYC?

Also, I quite rarely complain, but when I do, there is often good reason; I'm sure being able to type it up makes it seem like I'm complaining more but that's how it works when you type 100+ words per minute. I just find it silly that you can point out less than positive things and sort of put a dampen feeling on things at times. Everyone else is very friendly and bright and they tend to tell you "off" in a friendlier way (though sometimes heated) - which I appreciate and will easily resolve (I know I need my wrists slapped from time, I am sure, whether it is my fault or since I did not knowingly know).

Though I have no issue with giving someone the quick answers "bam-bam-bam!" EVERYONE has their off days.
So please, if you would like to bring things or state them in a way to dampen the mood or point things out against my dreams (I'd love to cure some major diseases too, but I don't think it's always possible, not now and maybe not ever) could you be a little warmer? And if it's in the rambling section, just avoid my posts at all and let others read through and check it out.

"Welcome to the grown up world. Time to grow up since you're no longer a baby, nor in the nest. Maybe you are trying to do too much for where you are in your life."
As for your quote on that, HERE is my story: when I was not even a teen, my parents tried to marry me off (they were looking around - plus, I cared for my siblings like a second mother) and at 17, nearly 18, my parents had already chosen a 40-something year old man to marry me. When I refused, I was kicked out of home at 18 (I've been out of the nest for 3 years now), still in high school. Instead of letting it suck me in (I could have done drugs, I could have stayed homeless, etc. etc. etc.), I had hopes, dreams, and whatever else that helped me stay in school and graduate (though with a low 3.4 GPA), then sold all my things (rehomed ALL the animals I loved), moved 1500 miles and transplanted myself into college in Kansas. Got myself a place to live, food to eat and a good farm to live and work on to earn my stay and keep and am in my second year of college, wanting to major in something I believe is worthwhile. So yes, I GREW up a little too soon and for now, I'm trying to focus on dreams and just being a child instead of being a "grown up" all the time. I've ALWAYS had to grow up - it is Asian culture more than likely to be an obedient, silent and loyal as well as many other thing, type child. I saw something better for myself. Period.

So thankyouverymuch.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
Yeah I was bemoaning, but someday, in my lifetime, I would LOVE to do this.


Mind you, 600+ acres and still in school, I am not going to try anything now, but would LOVE to do something in the future. (You know, since I'm young and all?)

forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't the ground your BF's...or at least his family's? I believe that's what you've said in the past anyway. I've got many more acres than that, but no plans to fill it up with chickens. If you don't own it I wouldn't count on being able to use it anyway you want to.

With college, student loans (and hopes of coming out of school with no loans at all), family and money issues, it's hard. BUT I'm not going to let that get me down.
I'm going through some issues right now, BUT I'm more than capable of taking care of everything and if I cannot, I will either find homes for it/rid of it (if not alive such as objects) or figure a way around it to make it right/work. I believe most of my time IS spent on a farm (and I was thinking about trying a new breed every 5-10 years maybe, 2-3 at most for genetic purposes, because I LOVE genetics, but don't understand as much as I would like). My entire life, all I've had are people tell me "No, you can't do that. You're dreaming. Your dream is too big. It can never be done." Well, that's how/what I FEEL you are telling me.

It's fine to dream, but dream realistically.


Now, it's great, you provide 'wonderful' + informative/knowledgeable information, advice, and opinions, but could you PLEASE be a little more understanding?
Yes, being strict (cannot think of an American/English word for the term I am thinking of so this will have to do) and straightforward does have its good points, but showing a little emotion, sincerity and kindness as well as sympathy/empathy would really be nice and make people feel warm and welcomed.
At times I feel like you're WATCHING over my shoulders, but every response I have read from you is often short and tends to make me not want to come on here and mingle with anyone (whether it be to me or someone else). I am like that as well, but I can smile from time to time and joke around and ya know, "have a little fun." Your tone on most things is, although very helpful at times, is short and just does not make me (and I would think other people) feel welcomed. Doesn't that defeat the purpose of BYC?

I am not a coddler who is going to say "poor baby". I also don't think I have to write a novel for an answer.

Also, I quite rarely complain, but when I do, there is often good reason; I'm sure being able to type it up makes it seem like I'm complaining more but that's how it works when you type 100+ words per minute. I just find it silly that you can point out less than positive things and sort of put a dampen feeling on things at times. Everyone else is very friendly and bright and they tend to tell you "off" in a friendlier way (though sometimes heated) - which I appreciate and will easily resolve (I know I need my wrists slapped from time, I am sure, whether it is my fault or since I did not knowingly know).

Though I have no issue with giving someone the quick answers "bam-bam-bam!" EVERYONE has their off days.
So please, if you would like to bring things or state them in a way to dampen the mood or point things out against my dreams (I'd love to cure some major diseases too, but I don't think it's always possible, not now and maybe not ever) could you be a little warmer? And if it's in the rambling section, just avoid my posts at all and let others read through and check it out.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people get upset when you post on a public forum and then get upset because someone says what you don't want to hear

"Welcome to the grown up world. Time to grow up since you're no longer a baby, nor in the nest. Maybe you are trying to do too much for where you are in your life."
As for your quote on that, HERE is my story: when I was not even a teen, my parents tried to marry me off (they were looking around - plus, I cared for my siblings like a second mother) and at 17, nearly 18, my parents had already chosen a 40-something year old man to marry me. When I refused, I was kicked out of home at 18 (I've been out of the nest for 3 years now), still in high school. Instead of letting it suck me in (I could have done drugs, I could have stayed homeless, etc. etc. etc.), I had hopes, dreams, and whatever else that helped me stay in school and graduate (though with a low 3.4 GPA), then sold all my things (rehomed ALL the animals I loved), moved 1500 miles and transplanted myself into college in Kansas. Got myself a place to live, food to eat and a good farm to live and work on to earn my stay and keep and am in my second year of college, wanting to major in something I believe is worthwhile. So yes, I GREW up a little too soon and for now, I'm trying to focus on dreams and just being a child instead of being a "grown up" all the time. I've ALWAYS had to grow up - it is Asian culture more than likely to be an obedient, silent and loyal as well as many other thing, type child. I saw something better for myself. Period.

Sorry you haven't had an ideal life....very few of us have. You say you want to concentrate on being a child, but yet you are living with your boyfriend....sorry but those two things do not go together.

I'm happy for you that you are determined to do well with your life.

So I thought you lived in Wichita before you moved out to Russell County a year or so ago. Your time line for when you've moved isn't making any sense to me.

So thankyouverymuch.