2018 Newbie Chat!

[No More Empty Nest]

Hi, I hope you don't mind me asking but do you order your birds and have them sent to you or something? I'm just curious - just noticed a lot of people on here saying they've ordered and/or that they have some coming - Where I live, although sellers advertise their livestock for sale, if we want to buy we have to go to them and as far as I know they don't take orders - i.e we go there, choose from their stock which and what we want, pay for it and take it there and then.

I ordered mine from Mypetchicken online. They are the only hatchery that sexes bantams and ships small numbers of chicks. Mine were shipped on Monday and arrived on Tuesday. I have to tell the funny story about picking up BBZZZZTT's chicks. It was before the post office opened but they had said we could pick them up early. I went inside and there was a guy cleaning who gruffly said, "We're closed." I said I was there for the chicks and he brightened up with a big smile on his face and said, "Oh! The chicks! They're peeping like crazy back there! I'll go get someone for you!" Immediate mood transformation, lol. Chicks will do that to a person, haha.

 

[PNW_Peepers]

Here’s a photo of my progress on landscaping. I ran out of mulch and plants. I’ll be picking more up this weekend to help fill it out!

On another note:
Guess who’s broody again? DH and I have decided to not break her this time and instead we’re going to let her hatch a few babies. We need to change out the door on our hospital wing and add a brood box then she’ll be all set.

 

[CannedMonster]

Here’s a photo of my progress on landscaping. I ran out of mulch and plants. I’ll be picking more up this weekend to help fill it out!
View attachment 1513455
On another note:
Guess who’s broody again? DH and I have decided to not break her this time and instead we’re going to let her hatch a few babies. We need to change out the door on our hospital wing and add a brood box then she’ll be all set. View attachment 1513451

Wally is your roo right? He’s black?
If he fertilized her eggs the chicks will be blues!
How fun!
The yard looks great. Hopefully they won’t dig everything up free ranging.
How many eggs are you going to let her set?
Are you going to include eggs from any other girls?

 

[CannedMonster]

That would still be way easier for me as I live only a short walk from my main P.O. - We are way behind your country in a lot of ways, I generally find we catch up with you eventually but by the time we do you guys have raced ahead on something else lol

There are various breed but I won't know what breeds are available until I get there and look (depends who's bought what) I have a friend who is a breeder/seller He will have the biggest range of breeds out of the places I go his list usually consist of :-
Coloured Hybrids,
Skylines Pastel egg layers,
Lohmann Brown
Black Maran
Araucana
Legbar/Leghorn
White Leghorn
Cream Legbars
Brahma
Buff Orpington
Pekins - Mixed colours

He recently told me of Light Sussex which I am hoping to get one of but as I say I won't know whats available till I get there.
The other place I'm going to is the place we got our RIR's (and ducks) from, they only sell RIR's which if I have to I'll get but would be nice to have a different breed to go with our RIR's.

If no joy at these places, there are a couple of other places I can go but these two places have the best reputation for their live stock (health and well being etc) - both these places allow us to return birds and will refund if things don't work out, other places once they're bought that's it no returning them.

I hope to get them soon, as I want to get them settled in before winter comes.

Ooh Anna if you can get Light Sussex go for it! They’re lovely and I’d love to have some. They’re harder to find here than the Speckled.
I forget what breeds you already have.
Orpingtons are always nice. I’m a big fan of Pekins (Cochins) and a black Maran would definitely be a good addition.
Can’t wait to hear what you see and end up choosing.

 

[PNW_Peepers]

Wally is your roo right? He’s black?
If he fertilized her eggs the chicks will be blues!
How fun!
The yard looks great. Hopefully they won’t dig everything up free ranging.
How many eggs are you going to let her set?
Are you going to include eggs from any other girls?

Our broody is an EE who just happens to look identical to our Ameraucana. I’m going to give her 4-5 eggs all from my Ameraucana pullets. My Roo is an all black Ameraucana so I’m going to give my broody mostly splash and blue Ameraucana eggs.

 

[CannedMonster]

Our broody is an EE who just happens to look identical to our Ameraucana. I’m going to give her 4-5 eggs all from my Ameraucana pullets. My Roo is an all black Ameraucana so I’m going to give my broody mostly splash and blue Ameraucana eggs.

Yay! Can’t wait to see them.
I hope she’s a good mommy!

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Anna
To add to yesterday’s ordering in, the hatchery I’ve used is so confident in there chicks and the PO they have a live chick guarantee. Of the 36 we ordered (order with friends to save shipping) 2 where not hatched. 2 died from the first batch. I called and I had a credit and 6 months to use it or, a full refund. Mind you, those two dide here!

All this happened in the first 20 the second batch was happy and healthy. Off heat in 3 days and outside with no heat in less then a week!

The sexting is so good as well of the 32 only one was wrong. Although we have our doubts on one of the 11 week old buff Brahmas.

This service is amazing - I really wish we had it here - I've just been trawling the add sites online for the last three and a half hours and I am still no further forward - I have to email or voice mail sellers then wait for them to get back to me, there is no delivery service other than commercial (usually farms) - apart from Auto Sexing chickens it is rare anyone knows the sex because sexing experts are so rare here, they are in demand and highly sought after, incredibly expensive too. I will be visiting two sellers on saturday but I won't know what is available to buy until I get there. You guys are so lucky to have such a great service.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Ooh Anna if you can get Light Sussex go for it! They’re lovely and I’d love to have some. They’re harder to find here than the Speckled.
I forget what breeds you already have.
Orpingtons are always nice. I’m a big fan of Pekins (Cochins) and a black Maran would definitely be a good addition.
Can’t wait to hear what you see and end up choosing.

I'd really love at least one Light Sussex, I have messaged the seller and have left a voice mail asking if he still has any available to buy but I haven't heard from him yet, I'm hoping he will get back to me very soon, as I'm going to ask if he will reserve them for me (if he still has any), my daughter wants a coloured hybrid so we figured if available we'll have one of each - I have spoke to a couple of sellers today but none can guarantee the sex - There are a few sexed chickens available but are a 4hr drive away from where I am - When I get the new hens, I'll get my daughter to take a short video and post on here - I'm really excited about getting some new girls but I have been trying for three weeks now and am still no further forward

 

[PNW_Peepers]

Yay! Can’t wait to see them.
I hope she’s a good mommy!

We plan on moving her at night as she’s pretty set on one of the nests. I’ve tried moving her to a seperate nest, didn’t work out well. I may have another broody today too, I have one suspiciously aggressive and puffed up. Hoarding one of the boxes, and biting anyone who comes near.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I’ve been letting the babies out into the yard about an hour before sunset lately.

They get so excited! They just explore everything.
They had an interesting encounter with Cricket, my red bantam Cochin pullet.
Cricket is very interested in the chicks.
She comes right over when she sees that they’re out.
My big Australorp cockerel tried to challenge her. She set him straight right away!
Nothing mean at all. She would just peck a chick lightly here or there if it came too close or something.
She’s a good teacher.
My two cuckoo bantams and my Booted bantam were somewhat aggressive but nothing terrible.
The large chickens also just pecked here or there.
Except a Wyandotte pecked Skye from behind for no reason.
The babies seemed to stay fairly close to me. I’m glad because wrangling chickens is not my favorite activity.

I’m so proud of Angus!! He didn’t peck any babies at all.
He just ignored them and they seemed to have an instinctive caution about him.
He went up to the feeder when the babies were eating from it and they kind of got in his face.
He turned and looked at them (I was ready with my stick just in case he needed to be scared off) and the babies moved away just from his look.

He has not rushed DH or been remotely aggressive in any way.
Very pleased with his progress as an alpha cockerel so far.

Ohh I'm so glad Angus is doing so well, sounds strange but I have a soft spot for him, hes a beauty and I too am so proud of him - proud of you too, you keep your flock so well, you too are a good teacher and a good chicken mumma