AudriAnna's Americauna's

[combatfuzzball]

Very Happy today. FINALLY one of my Black Australorps started laying yesterday. Then last night my EE Eggs I put in my brooder started hatching. So far we have 4 brand new and healthy chicks with at least 4 more working on hatching out now.
So far I have 1 from Uhura definitely, and one from Honor. the other 2 hatched are from the mostly blue egg. Still haven't figured out if that is Esmay or Leia. I'm betting on Leia since Esmay and Uhura look a lot alike and Leia's entirely different from the other 3.
Especially happy since many people had told me eggs from pullets less than a year old would die in the shell.
I am pretty sure that either Heinlien or Jules are the fathers as they were the most dominate of the roosters at the time. Doubtful I will keep any of the Roosters out of this hatch which means I'll have some for more food this winter.
Learned a valuable lesson when it comes to slaughtering chickens. It's best to place them in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days so they will be more tender. First one we had was tasty but mostly inedible as it was tough as truck tires. I froze them as soon as I got back from the slaughter house. Hoping I can salvage them by letting any I cook from now on thaw out and or brine and maybe cook in my slow cooker.
Audrianna now has Actual Ameracauna chicks along with Easter Egger's and Black Australorps.
Plan is to sell eggs if possible either for eating or hatching once I get my NPIP certification. Will also be able to sell live chicks then as well. Now we're up to 18 chicks and hoping the remaining 7 eggs hatch. Wish Us luck.

 

[featherhead007]

Best of luck!!!!

 

[combatfuzzball]

We're up to 7 out of the original 12 eggs hatched and chicks doing fine. Honor the hen had 4 eggs in the dozen one of which went bad. The other 3 hatched. Uhura's monster of a first egg also hatched as well as I believe 2 of Leia's and one of Esmay's or vice versa. I have a feeling Honor's babies are going to look like their momma while Uhura's is going to look like Jules I'm thinking. Crossing my finger's on the other 4 eggs but I'm fairly happy with a bit over 50% motility especially on such young hens. I am going to have my entire flock NPIP certified First of next month.
I have also sold some eggs as well as given some away. I will also be advertising on a friends start-up website for small farms.

 

[featherhead007]

Wow, your hens are doing fantastic! I've been following your progress from the start... your flock is almost the same age as mine. Isn't this FUN!!!
And yes I also give a lot of eggs away to friends from church, even the blue ones from my ameraucanas.
Flock consists of 2 rirs, 2 barred rocks, 2 brown leghorns, 2 ameraucanas and 2 black white headed polish maniacs. FTI

 

[combatfuzzball]

Down to 6 chicks, 3 of which will be traded to lower my bill to get the chicks NPIP certified as well as to join a small farm portal in order to advertise eggs for sale. Possibly chicks. I'm debating selling chicks very much. Transport shock is a real worry. On the other hand if I can actually start selling hatching eggs reliably I can start a fund for AudriAnna for her college.
It seems there is always one chick that dies within the first 3 days after hatch. The rest should feather out before it get's too cold and be able to add them to the flock. Someone from work is supposedly going to give me a couple of Ducklings around the same age. Not sure how well the 2 groups will get along but I guess I'll find out.
The baby loves her time visiting the coop and the chickens are really interested in her as well.
I need to get into one of the Ameracauna groups as well. Will be looking into that probably this winter.

 

[combatfuzzball]

Well the 3 chicks I have left are VERY lively. Much more than their parents were when they were in my brooder. Also they seem to be even more cold tolerant. THey're not spending a lot of time under the brooder like the ot hers. Of course it is a little bit warmer but not a lot over what the originals were in the spring of the year.
OF the Three I kept one is one of the two Honor's babies I kept. It had a shorter tail from the beginning but has caught up with the rest. Will see if I have 2 hens and a rooster like I kind of hoped. (Actually) 3 hens would be awesome.
Looking like my Ameraucana's have a bit too much red bleeding in. Also in attempt to correct it the lady I bought them from introduced black to her flock. BAsically meaning my "Silver Ameraucana's" are glorified Easter Eggers. Not sure if I can use these in a breeding flock other than in the most limited way. Her eggs she had were a glorious shade of blue so that is something....
Probably going to have to search to find someone reputable to buy the damn Ameraucanas from. Hatcheries flocks aren't pure enough for my plan to have a great flock for showing and selling.
I have my NPIP certification so I can actually sell my eggs and any chicks out of state. I also have my membership in Maine Association of Livestock Exhibitors. Along with a membership in Green Bean Saves Small farm portal to market my products.
The MALE membership is so I can show without buying $300 worth of liability insurance for each and every fair I want to show my chicks at.
Selling eggs fairly well for between $2 and $3 dollars a dozen. These are just for eating. Will have to price easter egger eggs to see what I can sell those for.
One of my Blakc Australorps started out laying double yolk eggs. She's still doing it about every 3 or 4 days. Other two Australorps are laying just not every day. Neither are any of my Easter Eggers other than Honor.
Honor is about the coolest of hens. She rules the coop for some reason. Even though she is the smallest of the chickens except the teenage Ameraucanas. It's almost like the other chickens just mind her cause she's cute. The fact she's only missed 8 days in about 9 weeks is completely amazing. I hope her offspring have that trait. Although not a fan of her light brown egg color. Even though she's so small her egg is actually of medium size. Not large or extra large. Course small as she is she must think they are Jumbo sized when she lays them.

 

[combatfuzzball]

Pretty retched couple of weeks. We had a bad storm come through and it caused the house roof to start leaking. I filed on my insurance and got a measly $100 for the roof part of the repairs. Most of the rest was my deductible. Also gave myself a double hernia at work and now I am recovering from the surgery.
Audrianna is being a pistol and all over the place.crawling and working on learning to walk. She's a handful for sure.
Finally have some pure blood Ameraucana's for her flock. 2 silver hens and 2 blacks and one silver rooster and one that has red taintint it. Really two bad about that one as he's a really pretty rooster otherwise.
Hoping to be able to trade him and my other EE/olive egger roo Orson. Way too many roosters with 5 out of 18 chickens being roosters.
Wife has 2 Khaki Campbell ducklings and they are growing very well. She's having to take care of all the work around here plus her job until I am back in working order.
Hoping I can get a loan for the roof. Otherwise we are well and truly screwed.

 

[combatfuzzball]

Well the chickens are starting to slow down but still getting between 2 and 3 eggs a day as winter approaches. Decided to not ad additional lighting during winter to allow the hens to rest up.
I have way too many roosters. Need to find a home for Orson and at least the sub-standard Ameraucana rooster. I have 2 Ameraucana roosters one of which is good enough to start my Silver Ameraucana breeding flock with. I also have 2 silver pullets and one black ameraucana pullet. Once those three start laying I will have some awesomely colored blue eggs to add to my egg cartons.
The three chicks we have from our hatch are doing good. Sadly the little chick my wife helped out has somehow broken two of her toes. They're bent at about 90 degrees to the side. I did try splinting but she pulled the splint off. As of now she's back and is actually the most active of the little second generation EE's I have.
Of these three I am amazed at how much more energetic they are than their parents at the same age. I also think it's hilarious I can pick out who the parents are just by looking. I think most people would be at a loss but Heinlein and Jules live on in these 3 little girls. 2 are Jules and one is Heinlein. I guess Heinlein was more interested in crowing and not in making babies.
I am thinking that Orson and the three new girls will be free ranging the yard since the ticks are back again. I free ranged the chickens before they started laying but really don't want to risk the Hens I have already since they are good layers and honestly I'm really fond of at least Leia, Uhura, Esmay and Honor. The Australorp hens I'm not as attached to but they do lay well also. THe new chicks might fair better with Orson out in the yard at least during seasonable weather and control the bug population.
The 2 ducklings have grown and are sooo messy, but the wife likes them so I guess it's a small price to pay for me to have chickens. Next year we get to have the fun of building a small pond for them. WIfe doesn't realize how much they will muck it up but it's all part of wanting to have a small farm.
Started a farm page on Facebook. Usdi Tskwa Farm. IT's pronounced oos Dee Cheesqua. It means little bird and I think it's appropriate since I've already sold a few Easter egger chicks and will be hatching and selling Hatching eggs of Easter Eggers and Australorps and possibly a mix of the two next year. I won't be selling Ameraucana chicks until I can get the flock built up more there.

 

[combatfuzzball]

Wow, your hens are doing fantastic! I've been following your progress from the start... your flock is almost the same age as mine. Isn't this FUN!!!
And yes I also give a lot of eggs away to friends from church, even the blue ones from my ameraucanas.
Flock consists of 2 rirs, 2 barred rocks, 2 brown leghorns, 2 ameraucanas and 2 black white headed polish maniacs. FTI

Thanks for the positive comments. glad your flock is doing well.

 

[featherhead007]

Well the chickens are starting to slow down but still getting between 2 and 3 eggs a day as winter approaches. Decided to not ad additional lighting during winter to allow the hens to rest up.
I have way too many roosters. Need to find a home for Orson and at least the sub-standard Ameraucana rooster. I have 2 Ameraucana roosters one of which is good enough to start my Silver Ameraucana breeding flock with. I also have 2 silver pullets and one black ameraucana pullet. Once those three start laying I will have some awesomely colored blue eggs to add to my egg cartons.
The three chicks we have from our hatch are doing good. Sadly the little chick my wife helped out has somehow broken two of her toes. They're bent at about 90 degrees to the side. I did try splinting but she pulled the splint off. As of now she's back and is actually the most active of the little second generation EE's I have.
Of these three I am amazed at how much more energetic they are than their parents at the same age. I also think it's hilarious I can pick out who the parents are just by looking. I think most people would be at a loss but Heinlein and Jules live on in these 3 little girls. 2 are Jules and one is Heinlein. I guess Heinlein was more interested in crowing and not in making babies.
I am thinking that Orson and the three new girls will be free ranging the yard since the ticks are back again. I free ranged the chickens before they started laying but really don't want to risk the Hens I have already since they are good layers and honestly I'm really fond of at least Leia, Uhura, Esmay and Honor. The Australorp hens I'm not as attached to but they do lay well also. THe new chicks might fair better with Orson out in the yard at least during seasonable weather and control the bug population.
The 2 ducklings have grown and are sooo messy, but the wife likes them so I guess it's a small price to pay for me to have chickens. Next year we get to have the fun of building a small pond for them. WIfe doesn't realize how much they will muck it up but it's all part of wanting to have a small farm.
Started a farm page on Facebook. Usdi Tskwa Farm. IT's pronounced oos Dee Cheesqua. It means little bird and I think it's appropriate since I've already sold a few Easter egger chicks and will be hatching and selling Hatching eggs of Easter Eggers and Australorps and possibly a mix of the two next year. I won't be selling Ameraucana chicks until I can get the flock built up more there.

I have 7 new ameraucana baby chicks, and they are all over on me at the moment... mom hen is just sitting there laughing at me,, chicks are 5 days old today. had to lock down daddy rooster due to excessive aggression.