November 2016 Hatch-a-long!!

[Faraday40]

Are you going to drive to get the next batch of eggs or did you order chicks? Sounds like a good excuse for a road trip to me!

That's how I got my lav orps. I found a breeder who was a 3 hr drive - but she conveniently lived near my niece. I was able to plan a day trip to visit family & we just happened to pick up some fancy orp eggs on the way home. Although we had to spend 6 hrs in the car that day, I did get 100% hatch rate! (The quality, size, & temperament of those orps blow all the others away. People always ask, "Is that a turkey?" when they see my 13lb English orp roo.)

 

[dcba flock]

That's how I got my lav orps.  I found a breeder who was a 3 hr drive - but she conveniently lived near my niece.  I was able to plan a day trip to visit family & we just happened to pick up some fancy orp eggs on the way home.  Although we had to spend 6 hrs in the car that day, I did get 100% hatch rate!  (The quality, size, & temperament of those orps blow all the others away.  People always ask, "Is that a turkey?" when they see my 13lb English orp roo.)
 

That's awesome I had the lemon cuckoos and buffs in my old flock the buffs would ride around on my shoulder the whole time I did my barn chores the sweetest birds and fluffy beyond fluffy!!!

 

[FridayYet]

Just figured I would get chicks a little more expensive but less of the headache I have dealt w/ trying to hatch at least w/ the orps I really want. Don't get me wrong I love hatching but I had a baby catch it's belly button cord on its foot ripping stuff out last hatch and had to be culled and another idk overheat or something had a seizure and died in my hand so I'm hatching what's left and going to take a break....
And it would be a nice excuse for an overnight in Boston

That's how I got my lav orps. I found a breeder who was a 3 hr drive - but she conveniently lived near my niece. I was able to plan a day trip to visit family & we just happened to pick up some fancy orp eggs on the way home. Although we had to spend 6 hrs in the car that day, I did get 100% hatch rate! (The quality, size, & temperament of those orps blow all the others away. People always ask, "Is that a turkey?" when they see my 13lb English orp roo.)

I drove 7 hours each way to get my first Russian Orloffs.

LOL

So to me, anything closer than that is definitely drive-able. We took a few days to get there though, and spent the night in Silver City and Bisbee - towns we hadn't been to before. It was fun.

 

[Cynthia12]

My next batch due thanksgiving too just hoping for the few left out of the 25 set will hatch... Chocolate orps pleeeeasssse!!!!

Ooo....chocolates!!

 

[Faraday40]

I drove 7 hours each way to get my first Russian Orloffs.

LOL

So to me, anything closer than that is definitely drive-able. We took a few days to get there though, and spent the night in Silver City and Bisbee - towns we hadn't been to before. It was fun.

Don't feel too bad. Before going on a driving vacation, I actually looked online to see if there were any local breeders in the area. No luck, but some friends happened to be passing through MO & picked up some Appenzeller Spitzhauben eggs for me. They remembered that I had tried to hatch them twice (unsuccessfully from shipped eggs). Now we finally have our Spitzie. (Actually hatched 6/6, but only wanted to keep one.)

When trying to get rare or expensive breeds, it's usually worth the trip to guarantee live birds.

Here's Spitzie.

 

[FridayYet]

Don't feel too bad. Before going on a driving vacation, I actually looked online to see if there were any local breeders in the area. No luck, but some friends happened to be passing through MO & picked up some Appenzeller Spitzhauben eggs for me. They remembered that I had tried to hatch them twice (unsuccessfully from shipped eggs). Now we finally have our Spitzie. (Actually hatched 6/6, but only wanted to keep one.)

When trying to get rare or expensive breeds, it's usually worth the trip to guarantee live birds.

Here's Spitzie.

Love that face!

 

[aliciaplus3]

 You are probably right.  If, by chance, that is mixed with an EE or a Pure Ameracauna...you will get blue eggs.  See any hint of green in the legs feet?  I have one out there that had mama as a leghorn, and dad an EE.  Usually, they have a lot of black spots.  Mine just had the on spot on the head.  Well, I figured that others would show up later, like they have n other leghorn mixes I've had.  Nope, that chick has a buff head and neck.  She is soo cool looking, and yes, she has green legs and feet..so..will lay the blue/green eggs.  If the leghorn is mixed with a pure Amerecauna, they are callled...SBEL's.   Super Blue Egg Layers.  They lay the really pretty blue eggs..and they get big!  

Honestly I got the rooster as a rescue so not 100%sure of his breed and he is getting older at around 4-5 no green on the legs but I did breed him to two ee's so we will see what we get still no green legged babies lol

 

[NysiaAnera]

Interesting about the leg and egg colors. Our three 3.5 month olds are from a White Crested Black Polish x Easter Egger. One is a pullet, all black with black legs, two are cockerels, one grey with grey legs, and one grey with blue legs. Very cool looking. Then out of our nine 4 week olds, the largest is black and white with very green legs and feet, and there are two others, black with green legs and feet. We have been trying to figure out which of the three are ours, and which are from my sister's. My sister gave us eggs from her Dominique, and the possible fathers are an Easter Egger, and a (I think) Splash Polish. So... with the green legs, would that mean that the father is an Easter Egger roo?

 

[Cynthia12]

Honestly I got the rooster as a rescue so not 100%sure of his breed and he is getting older at around 4-5 no green on the legs but I did breed him to two ee's so we will see what we get still no green legged babies lol

I just had something happen a few weeks ago that I couldn't believe. I had been waiting and waiting for my EE..a very pretty girl, to start laying. She was checking nest boxes, so when I got this beautiful Olive Egg..I was shocked. I thought, she isn't an EE..she's an OE! I love olive colored eggs, so I wasn't complaining. Well, time went by, and I knew this other girl was ready to start laying anytime too. I had never seen the EE in the nest box sitting..just looking. One day, I see this other girl sitting pretty in a nest box. I go back out later to get the egg, I knew it would be a brown, or dark cream color...it was OLIVE! What? LOL The joke was on me. My EE hadn't started laying yet. I knew it was this other girls egg..and since, I have given the EE to a friend, and yes, I am still getting that Olive egg from this girl..who's dad was a roo I kept for a very short time..and EE. Mom..believe it or not..was a RSL! I had no marans. This sex link sure lays dark eggs though. Meet Molly. She has ...no...green in her feet or legs. In fact..they are more pink than anything, not even yellow!

Here is the egg..and the hen. I only have 6 birds out there..Only three laying right now..yes..it's her.



She does have a pea comb,and some blue in her tail.

 

[Faraday40]

Congrats on the new olive egger. I like those surprise mixes. I'm sure she'll continue to be a good, healthy layer. I too have been surprised by those olive eggs. I had a giant Easter-Orp. She had the solid body of an orp (all black with black legs) with the cheeks of an EE. We gave her to a friend where she's rather spoiled. The hen ended up getting even fluffier by 1 year old, but did not take 8mo to lay that 1st egg - like most of my orps.