ShanandGem
Songster
- Feb 16, 2016
- 721
- 194
- 141
My daughter and I are raising two batches of lavender Orpington chicks to breed, and for egg and meat consumption. We got a little impatient waiting for our first egg and decided to hit the local poultry sale and swap to buy some laying hens. It was our first time, and from what we heard we were going to have to be the first on scene if we wanted POL pullets of a certain breed. stalked the Facebook ad for sale for days, messaging anyone who claimed to have lavender hens, even offering to pay beforehand and pick them up at the sale. No responses to seven messages. It was time to go Delta Force.
So sale morning came and cash in hand we stormed that sale. I may or may not have yelled "I need lavender laying hens" while waving a stack of twenty dollar bills as we stepped out of the truck. Five minutes after opening bell SOLD signs were literally being hung on cages as we charged by checking out the goods. After our first sweep I made the snap decision that laying hens of any breed would do, since we have multiple coops. This event had also become, in my mind, some sort of life or death struggle to acquire laying hens and I would. not. fail.. Despite my determination and near levels of panic as I watched birds leaving the parking lot in boxes and crates I may have laughed in the face of the woman who tried to sell me Easter Egger hens for FIFTY DOLLARS EACH. Seriously, I am going to crack that egg open and eat it, why would I care what color the dang shell is?
At the end of the line was a truck with a bunch of dog crates full of a crazy assortment. Guinea fowl, turkey poults and a bunch of barn yard mix chickens. They said yes, they had four hens left, and please would I consider taking the rooster as the lady was moving and had to get rid of all her birds. Something about $10 was mentioned so I pulled two twenties out of my wallet.
"That'll be $12." The seller said.
"But they're ten each, aren't they?"
"No, they are three for $!0, and you can have the rooster for free."
I gave her $15 because at this point I was completely verklempt, and we shoveled them into boxes and brought them home. First though we had to enlist everyone at the sale to chase the buff pullet through the parking lot TWICE as she is a wild, free chicken in her heart and would sooner tear your arm off than get put in a box. She seems a little more settled today but has been christened the Blonde Bomber.
They are a pretty little flock, some sort of silkie/bantam mix. The rooster looks like every other bantam cross rooster in the world, multi colored with an iridescent green tail. There are two black pullets, a speckled grey, and the blond rocket. They are in the coop part of their tractor and it's too dark for a picture so I will try to get a group shot later.
Still not quite sure why I took the roo but he is well mannered and has a nice crow. I have ordered some parts for my incubator so maybe we will practice hatching a few eggs while we wait for the highly engineered beautiful birds to be ready to breed. Didn't see an egg this morning, but I imagine it will be a few days before they settle in and get to work.
So sale morning came and cash in hand we stormed that sale. I may or may not have yelled "I need lavender laying hens" while waving a stack of twenty dollar bills as we stepped out of the truck. Five minutes after opening bell SOLD signs were literally being hung on cages as we charged by checking out the goods. After our first sweep I made the snap decision that laying hens of any breed would do, since we have multiple coops. This event had also become, in my mind, some sort of life or death struggle to acquire laying hens and I would. not. fail.. Despite my determination and near levels of panic as I watched birds leaving the parking lot in boxes and crates I may have laughed in the face of the woman who tried to sell me Easter Egger hens for FIFTY DOLLARS EACH. Seriously, I am going to crack that egg open and eat it, why would I care what color the dang shell is?
At the end of the line was a truck with a bunch of dog crates full of a crazy assortment. Guinea fowl, turkey poults and a bunch of barn yard mix chickens. They said yes, they had four hens left, and please would I consider taking the rooster as the lady was moving and had to get rid of all her birds. Something about $10 was mentioned so I pulled two twenties out of my wallet.
"That'll be $12." The seller said.
"But they're ten each, aren't they?"
"No, they are three for $!0, and you can have the rooster for free."
I gave her $15 because at this point I was completely verklempt, and we shoveled them into boxes and brought them home. First though we had to enlist everyone at the sale to chase the buff pullet through the parking lot TWICE as she is a wild, free chicken in her heart and would sooner tear your arm off than get put in a box. She seems a little more settled today but has been christened the Blonde Bomber.
They are a pretty little flock, some sort of silkie/bantam mix. The rooster looks like every other bantam cross rooster in the world, multi colored with an iridescent green tail. There are two black pullets, a speckled grey, and the blond rocket. They are in the coop part of their tractor and it's too dark for a picture so I will try to get a group shot later.
Still not quite sure why I took the roo but he is well mannered and has a nice crow. I have ordered some parts for my incubator so maybe we will practice hatching a few eggs while we wait for the highly engineered beautiful birds to be ready to breed. Didn't see an egg this morning, but I imagine it will be a few days before they settle in and get to work.
