Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Windrider]

Now here's a thing. I think chickens should be difficult to aquire. Perhaps if people had to search for a few months for the breed they want they might place a higher value on it's life.

Okay, Shad, I am your living proof! I've got everything ready for them and I can't find chickens! I've been to three fairs to try to find local breeders and it was a bust. Craig's List was just a bunch of people reselling started pullets that they raised from hatchery chicks, same with the feed stores.

The only hopeful contact I made was with a Japanese gentlemen breeding Ohiki, of all breeds! Now I am with Ribh on Pheonix cockerels, and the Ohiki boys are equally eye candy, but I can't have boys and this is a rare breed. I would feel bad taking the pullets out of the gene pool.

 

[Windrider]

I wasn't expecting much I admit. I've tried a pop up, right on, sustainable, renewable, natural, environmental market before. Lots of good intentions but not a lot else going for them. I counted 35 visitors between 9.30am and 5pm. I will have missed a few because I went and did a bit of shopping with my youngest.
This is Bristol, not some small country town. The venue was in a high traffic area for independant shops. There is something very wrong with a venue that can't market itself well enough to only attract such a small number of people.
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Oh, Shad, if you had set up that table at our Santa Monica farmer's market, all the trendy hipsters would have had you sold out before the end of the day.

 

[Windrider]

People think they can buy happiness. Houses that cost 10x the average person, pleasure boats that are ocean going ships, expensive jewelry and designer clothes..... but they still aren't happy.

It is just humans being a social primate and banging on their chests to show others how magnificent they are. It is hard wired into the species, though being "sapiens" you'd think we'd grow to understand ourselves a bit more.

I grew up in a conservationist and environmental family. I remember being a teenager and seeing Mick Jagger perform and thinking he was just like one of those Birds of Paradise doing ridiculous moves to impress the females. And whenever I see a certain blo-vating demagogue speak, I am reminded of a has-been old silverback rampaging, banging on trees, and hooting to try to get his tribe to respect him again.

Is it any wonder I am not married? Showing up for a date in a Corvette just made me roll my eyes.

 

[Perris]

good to see you back here @Windrider

 

[MaryJanet]

Showing up for a date in a Corvette just made me roll my eyes.

I hear that! I rolled mine yesterday at a colleague's latest car, but I daresay he's rolled his a few times when I get into my scruffy, tiny kia rio

 

[Ribh]

Okay, Shad, I am your living proof! I've got everything ready for them and I can't find chickens! I've been to three fairs to try to find local breeders and it was a bust. Craig's List was just a bunch of people reselling started pullets that they raised from hatchery chicks, same with the feed stores.

The only hopeful contact I made was with a Japanese gentlemen breeding Ohiki, of all breeds! Now I am with Ribh on Pheonix cockerels, and the Ohiki boys are equally eye candy, but I can't have boys and this is a rare breed. I would feel bad taking the pullets out of the gene pool.

Oh, glory!!! That is some eye candy!Are you sure you can't have roosters? What breeds are you after @Windrider? You may have said somewhere on this very fast moving thread but if so I can't remember.

 

[Ribh]

Okay, Shad, I am your living proof! I've got everything ready for them and I can't find chickens! I've been to three fairs to try to find local breeders and it was a bust. Craig's List was just a bunch of people reselling started pullets that they raised from hatchery chicks, same with the feed stores.

Probably not helpful but out here there are breed clubs & if you are chasing something in particular you can contact your state club & they will point you in the right direction. Chances are you will get an ethical breeder as clubs usually breed to standard for showing. Do you not have clubs in the US? I know you have 4H clubs ~ bit vague about what they actually do but would it be worthwhile contacting your nearest as they might have contacts?

 

[Molpet]

Okay, Shad, I am your living proof! I've got everything ready for them and I can't find chickens! I've been to three fairs to try to find local breeders and it was a bust. Craig's List was just a bunch of people reselling started pullets that they raised from hatchery chicks, same with the feed stores.

The only hopeful contact I made was with a Japanese gentlemen breeding Ohiki, of all breeds! Now I am with Ribh on Pheonix cockerels, and the Ohiki boys are equally eye candy, but I can't have boys and this is a rare breed. I would feel bad taking the pullets out of the gene pool.

https://livestockconservancy.org/heritage-breeds/breeders-directory/

 

[Windrider]

Oh, glory!!! That is some eye candy!Are you sure you can't have roosters? What breeds are you after @Windrider? You may have said somewhere on this very fast moving thread but if so I can't remember.

I know, right?! For those not familiar, this is an Ohiki rooster. They are an old Japanese bantam breed with shared blood with the Japanese (Chabo) bantams and Onagadori long tails.

Can't have roosters if I want to remain legit. My neighbors on one side are deaf, though.

I am looking for a bantam that isn't a super flier (small property). You know I loved Pebbles, your bantam Australorp. I would love bantam Orps, 'Lorps, or maybe even bantam true Ameraucanas. I wasn't really looking for "rare" but the bantam silver laced barnevelders are sure nice too.

I had bantam cochins and don't want heavily feathered feet again. And that seems to be all that is available here: cochins and silkies, and OEGB which are good fliers.

Probably not helpful but out here there are breed clubs & if you are chasing something in particular you can contact your state club & they will point you in the right direction.

California is a big state. I did find breeders in northern California, but if I drove that far and was in Europe, I'd be three countries over!

I contacted a few members here and almost everyone in my area had ordered their chicks by mail from My Pet Chicken. I think I might have to go with mail ordered eggs and a small incubator. It is a much lesser of two evils.

 

[Ribh]

I am looking for a bantam that isn't a super flier (small property). You know I loved Pebbles, your bantam Australorp. I would love bantam Orps, 'Lorps, or maybe even bantam true Ameraucanas. I wasn't really looking for "rare" but the bantam silver laced barnevelders are sure nice too.

Well, I can recommend the Australorp bantams. They lay well & their egg is medium sized rather than tiny. What about Wyandotte bantams? They are super pretty, lay reasonably & aren't fliers. Their eggs do veer more on the small side though. One of the discussions that seems to crop up regularly is the difference in breeds across nations. MJ & I have commented that your Australorps don't look much like ours & Shad has mentioned French Marans so I probably shouldn't recommend breeds as there may be major differences.

TAX: Pebbles.

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