I do, they are. I have gold and chamois that were purchased as chicks (the one silver one in the box didn't make it) and I have a few sets of eggs that I've hatched. I'd have to look at my records, but I think one of the most recent hatches had a silver or two in it. (Meaning I can't speak to their silver quality, but there are already good silver breeders around the US. Check into P. Allen Smith or Carla Allen if you want silvers.)
Oh, don't tempt me! My neighbors are in Texas right now, they could bring me one.
Yes, I like their crests a lot. My birds have grown out to look just like the photos on Greenfire's site and auctions. My golds are a little more compact than the chamois, but the gold offspring are looking to be slightly larger than their parents. I had one cockerel that I couldn't tell apart from the adult hens for the longest time.
He's a little taller than either of his potential fathers now. (In my opinion, more to the British Standard than either of the fathers are, their backs seem a little short to me.) One of the chamois roos has turned into a manfighter. I switched him out with the other roo for breeding and I'm trying to break him of it, but he's going to have to go to freezer camp if he doesn't straighten up.
Thanks for the great answer!Yes, I like their crests a lot. My birds have grown out to look just like the photos on Greenfire's site and auctions. My golds are a little more compact than the chamois, but the gold offspring are looking to be slightly larger than their parents. I had one cockerel that I couldn't tell apart from the adult hens for the longest time.
Oh yeah, send them my way and I'll pack their car full of chicks. I think I've got about 100 out on the yard right now (Spitz, EEs, and Ameraucanas). Since I'm working toward recreating lost colors, I do have a lot of nice standard colors that I just don't need.
Shipping is great, but depends on the postal service as always. I've gotten eggs priority mail faster than I did the chicks, but the west Texas sorting centers were having a manpower shortage at the time, so my chicks were delayed by a day. I went to the local distribution center and got them myself, or else it would've been another day before my post office 15 miles away got them. They taped the GroGel to the corners so it wouldn't get everywhere. The NPIP form is with the shipping email, and they're great about responding to questions quickly. Greenfire's about as big as an operation can get while still maintaining breed integrity and personalized customer service, but that also may be the reason for their prices, so they can focus on their product and not profit. I have great respect for them.
As an aside, my Greenfire Spitzes (chicks or eggs) have been the most healthy, other than the native Texan silver spitzes I had. The other two strains I hatched were not hardy against fowlpox at all. The GF ones also have the most survivors from the cat attacks (did I mention the mountain lion yet? and three more bobcats...) The chamois hen I took out of the bobcat's mouth in November is one of my breeders. I didn't have much luck with non-Texan Ameraucanas either, so whether chicks or eggs, I definitely recommend sourcing them from areas where the climate and pests/disease are similar so they have at least some genetic tolerance built up.
I would say so, but if you live close to an airmail hub, you might be okay (I'm a two hour car drive from the closest one, more like four in a transport truck). I'd call or email them to see what they think, and how late their season will go this year. I know some hatcheries will pull breeds at the end of the season to replenish their own breeding stock.
Very cute!
I think I've missed twice = (
