FEBRUARY Hatch-A-Long 2015:Please Read First Post To Join H-A-L

[scflock]

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Out of sheer curiosity we posted an add on the local Craig's List over the weekend to see if there was any demand for farm-hatched chicks.  

Yup! 

I handed off 10 of our babies from the first hatch (Feb 27th) to a happy new owner this afternoon.  And at the end of the day we have requests for about 20 more babies.  So it looks like our incubators are going to get some use this year.  woohoo!   We have one incubator headed for lockdown on Wednesday.  We'll be keeping updates on that one in the March '2015 H.A.L. thread. 

I posted an ad on CL for my first batch this year. Haven't had to post another one, and still have people waiting. Thinking it's time for another 'bator...

 

[matt81c]

I sold prolly 60 cbicks last year on craigslist its a great place to sell and buy chicks.Here are some i hatched recently some delawares and others crossed with the delaware rooster like barred and partridge rocks and olivers eggers also have one buff orpington hen there maybe a cross there too.

Got some interesting colors.

 

[Peep_Show]

So here's the only Marans that hatched. Hatch date 2/19 (4 weeks old) and I want to double-check my gut feeling with those more in-tune with these things: Do I have a cockerel?

 

[LisaLouHoo]

So here's the only Marans that hatched. Hatch date 2/19 (4 weeks old) and I want to double-check my gut feeling with those more in-tune with these things: Do I have a cockerel?

Based on large comb, beginnings of wattles, and short tail, I would say cockerel.

 

[antyler]

Out of sheer curiosity we posted an add on the local Craig's List over the weekend to see if there was any demand for farm-hatched chicks.

Yup!

I handed off 10 of our babies from the first hatch (Feb 27th) to a happy new owner this afternoon. And at the end of the day we have requests for about 20 more babies. So it looks like our incubators are going to get some use this year. woohoo! We have one incubator headed for lockdown on Wednesday. We'll be keeping updates on that one in the March '2015 H.A.L. thread.

Just out of curiosity, what are you selling the chicks for? Are they pure breed or mixed? I have been selling eggs for hatching, but have not posted any chicks as of yet.

 

[5fowl]

I agree with Lisa LouHoo. Looks like a big comb and wattle but didn't know that you could tell anything from the tail.
Is that particular to this breed or something you see in all cockerels?

 

[scflock]

Just out of curiosity, what are you selling the chicks for? Are they pure breed or mixed? I have been selling eggs for hatching, but have not posted any chicks as of yet.

In my area I haven't gotten a single reply for hatching eggs or day old chicks, but I can sell 8 week old pullets all day long for $12-15 each. I see a lot of ads for day-old straight run from $3.50-5.00. I put my cuckoo marans up at $4, and didn't get a single reply, but I can't keep enough 8 week olds to meet demand. I don't even advertise any more, just call repeat customers and referrals

 

[LisaLouHoo]

I agree with Lisa LouHoo. Looks like a big comb and wattle but didn't know that you could tell anything from the tail.
Is that particular to this breed or something you see in all cockerels?

This is only in my experience that side by side, boy vs girl new chicks, the girls sprout their tail feathers first and then the boys. The pic shows on this 4-week-old, pretty short tail feathers compared to my 4-week-old OEs.

 

[5fowl]

Good to know! Btw does this look like an olive egger?

 

[vonrow]

I'm hatching 2 breeds: a pure Silver Laced Wyandotte (some hatcheries are calling them Black Laced Silver....same birds though) and something I'm calling a Cauna-dotte. (a cross between a mixed Americauna -Aricauna hen and my Wyandotte stock) As I understand the genetics, my 'Cauna-dottes have a fair percentage of being olive-eggers once they start laying. It's not a guarantee for every laying hen though. On CL I'm listing them as:

* hatching eggs $1.50 ea. in lots of 10 (extras are sent out in each case...sometimes several)
* 1-6 day old chicks are set as a "straight run" @ $2.50 each.
* 2+ weeks old $4/pullet $3/cockerel
* 4 weeks to Adult birds fetch a bit more. In the area of $15+

Most people are asking for between 6 to 10 birds. I'm fairly familiar with the Wyandotte and sexing them with about a 90 percent accuracy rate. (they have a sex-linked natal down pattern) It's the 'cauana that get me. They hatch out in all sorts of patterns that make me wonder...."'what ARE you??" heh.

Coming to our farm in a month are 2 more breeds: Golden Laced Wyandotte (also called Black laced Gold) and Austrolorps. We will be mixing the lorp and the largest wyandottes of our stock to build up a hefty sized meat bird. I'm probably gunna have to mix in some Rex, Red, or Cornish at some point, but the dottes & lorps should give me the initial size I'm looking for. With the GLW stock, I can also start to build my own Blue Laced Red.....but that's down the river a ways yet.

Anywhoo, we're taking our flock of 26 and expanding to 75 to meet our egg market demand in the area. By this time next year I should have several options for folks to pick and choose from.