Her birds look like this (color excluded):
I really don’t care for the rumpless look, nor do blue eggs excite me. It’s a nice thought, since I know she cares for her birds and breeds good ones, but I already thought that one through ;).
I actually had heritage RIR from a fellow BYCer, and they were absolutely stunning! However, they were also quite broody, and as the roosters got older they wouldn’t stop fighting (I think they were about 30 weeks). None were aggressive to me, so points there, but I’d love to have 2-3 roosters...
She breeds tufted, rumpless Araucona. She wins a lot in shows, so she knows her stuff, and her birds are beautiful; they just aren’t quite what I’m wanting.
I love the clean look of a rooster or hen without tufts, so Americanas are out too (I’ve read it’s really hard to get the true breed...
Thank you! I was favoring Buff Plymouth over Sussex, so that helps me to narrow it down there. You’re right about Naked Necks giving me the ick; I get the ick easily, heh. My neighbor raises champion Araucanas, but I love the tail feathers on chickens; the roosters’ are so decorative, and the...
I mean like with RIR you can mess up their deep red color if you don’t breed them right for color, which is why hatchery RIR don’t have the beautiful deep, deep red of the heritage ones. I researched RIR breeding ages ago, so I don’t remember the details, but I do remember that much.
A red...
You all have given me a lot to think about. It’s good to know that not all sexlinks are prone to egg related deaths. Walking into the coop to see one of your favorite hens dead in the nesting box isn’t fun. I do sometimes miss the eggs from those girls, but I honestly don’t know what I’d do...
No reason in particular. I just haven’t been particularly happy with the breeds I keep picking. I really liked my Black Javas, but I’m bored of black, and they took a long time to mature. The RIR I had were constantly broody, and the roosters were aggressive to each other (I’d like to...
Hmmm. Well, maybe in the future I’ll want a flightier bird, but so far I haven’t had predator issues even with less flighty birds. I just really don’t like my chickens being constantly scared of me; my Orpingtons were, and I ended up hating them (for more reasons than that, but always being...
I have to disagree with this one. I know it’s possible to have a calmer bird that isn’t stupid and is good at free ranging because I’ve had them. My heritage Black Javas and heritage RIR were raised in the same yard as my sexlinks, but when I saw a hawk, they hid so well I didn’t know where the...
Thank you everyone for both the reality checks and breed suggestions! I was interested in the Sussex and Rocks, but read they’re very broody. Since they aren’t in your experiences, I’ll give them a second look.
I know personality traits depend on the individual bird, but starting where the...
Hey everyone! I’ve been thinking a lot about what breed of chicken I want to try next, but I keep hitting snags. I want birds that have been bred to meet the breed standard, rather than from a big name hatchery (Sandhill is an exception if they have a breed I otherwise cannot get, or if they...
That’s awesome! I had a lot of problems with soft and non-existent shells with my first chickens, which has made me a little paranoid about calcium. I’ve heard good things about using a higher protein food, but I’ve also heard that it can cause organ failure (I think in the kidneys?). At what...
That looks like some nice stuff! I could get something a little like that here for cheap, but my chickens wasted so much of it, I got a huge mouse problem. I need pellets or they make a mess, even with a feeder that’s supposed to prevent it. I love them anyway, haha.
I’ve never had an issue with TSC being out of stock, even in 2020. It’s also the only place I can get Flock Raiser and nonmedicated chick feed. If I raised pigs, it’d be the only place to get that feed nonmedicated too. I’ve never understood people’s dislike of TSC, though the price...
I feed starter (18-20% protein) until laying. All the grower I find is meant for meat chicks, with very high protein and $10+ more per 50lb bag. My chicks have always developed well.
Edit to add: I would not feed layer food until you get your first few eggs. Just make sure they have access...
We have a ton of concrete bricks lying around that I’ll probably use instead of the patio bricks. They’re free and the right height. I never liked it being directly on the litter anyway, but I had no choice, really, because I injured my shoulder right after I hurriedly put it in place for what...
I don’t have rat problems thanks to my huntress cat, only mouse, so I’m not worried about rats.
My feeder doesn’t wobble, and the bedding hasn’t gotten into it. I didn’t attach it to the wall because I use the deep litter method, so the bedding level rises over the year. That said, I was...
It’s the My Favorite Chicken 40 pound feeder; I ordered it from Tractor Supply. I just set it on the coop floor against a wall (I really don’t want to post a pic of my dirty coop, sorry).
I have not reached out to the manufacturer. I’m hoping to get a suggestion here that I can try (no idea...