Minnesota!

[duluthralphie]

I have black Australorps I plan to hatch but mine are production birds and not show. I kept my best BA rooster because I like them so much last fall at freezer camp time just for babies this spring.

I am also interested in some crested cream bars, depending on price, again I do not need show quality as they are only for my enjoyment.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I'm a big fan of Black Australorps as well. Excellent foragers. She's my thriftiest bird. And soooo nice on the roost compared to the other biddies.

 

[AmericanKraut]

I kept hearing australorps were sweethearts from some people. One lady said hers waits by the door for her and wants to be in her lap.

Does anyone breed olive eggers or silver grey dorkings?

 

[AmericanKraut]

Are pine shavings the best thing to use in the brooding box and where's the most affordable place to get them?

 

[duluthralphie]

I kept hearing australorps were sweethearts from some people. One lady said hers waits by the door for her and wants to be in her lap.

Does anyone breed olive eggers or silver grey dorkings?

I have EE that lay olive eggs, but until I get to Hermantown to get an EE rooster, if it is still there when I finally get up there, I have no EE rooster.

Mine died in a terrible hunting accident.

 

[Dandelioness]

Are pine shavings the best thing to use in the brooding box and where's the most affordable place to get them?

I pick up bagged leaves every fall from the county compost site on the nicest Saturday before Thanksgiving. You have to wait around and be "that lady" but people are happy when I unload their vehicle and load the bags into mine. Normally, if you bring bagged leaves you need to empty them into a certain pile & dispose of the bags yourself.

I use the leaves for bedding & nest box filler. But I never get enough to make it through the winter, so I'll get pine shavings at Peterson's in North Branch or any feed mill. They're like $6 for a big cube.

I'm also attempting to hatch olive eggers this spring. I could set aside some fertile eggs or hatch a few more chicks if you want. It'll be a while yet, though. Early spring would be the soonest.

 

[AmericanKraut]

I have EE that lay olive eggs, but until I get to  Hermantown to get an EE rooster, if it is still there when I finally get up there, I have no EE rooster.

Mine died in a terrible hunting accident.

I'm so sorry to hear that. How sad. I hope you find a new EE rooster soon.

 

[AmericanKraut]

Dandelioness, that'd be super! My chicks are arriving late April anyway so waiting awhile is ok with me. (Btw, I got Harvey Ussery's Small-Scale Poultry Flock in the mail today, I couldn't resist.)

Leaves are a great idea. We have 3 Chevy Suburban loads full of them in the fall so you're welcome to ours, too! I'll call Peterson's about the pine shavings. Some online shop wanted $20 for a big cube and no way!

Thank you everyone, as always you're so helpful.

 

[duluthralphie]

I'm so sorry to hear that. How sad. I hope you find a new EE rooster soon.

LOL NO apology or sympathy needed. The "hunting accident" was my fault I kept the wrong rooster, he was mean, aggressive and beautiful but just a sphincter muscle on the south end of a north bound horse. I was processing birds and had no EE roosters left, I kept him because he looked so good. Anyways to make a long story short, he was raping pullets, picking on chicks and just being a pest , he jumped at my grand daughter. So I used him for target practice. I tried to catch him in a landing net first he was too smart for that he stood 10 ft away and never let me closer. A .22 out ran him.



BTW I get my wood shavings at TSC, They have them on sale now and then for 5 bucks a bag.

 

[cmom]

I have EE that lay olive eggs, but until I get to Hermantown to get an EE rooster, if it is still there when I finally get up there, I have no EE rooster.

Mine died in a terrible hunting accident.

How long ago did he die? Could the eggs still be fertile. I had that happen once and I collected the eggs for a few days after mine died and still had a good hatch. He was one of my heritage RIR's and father to a champion. I wanted to hatch some of his offspring while the girls were probably still fertile. I did get more champions from him. The gals can be fertile for a good three weeks after the rooster dies. Just curious.