ALABAMA!!

[bamadude]

My chicks love chasing a laser pointer. I let them roam around the yard but was having trouble with a few not finding the way back in their house. They chase the laser right up the ramp

 

[DeannaA]

I am going to have to try that now. I have 4 that won't go in at night. Every night I have to hunt them down and carry them in one at a time.

 

[Tomtommom]

I have found a large percentage of the people that sell chickens know nothing about them. My first chicks were sold to me as Araucana but were EEs. I even asked, are you sure these are not Easter Eggers? Of course they all have tails. I was sold mixed chicks that were supposed to be pure breeds and when I showed the guys pictures, he said 'Nope thats not right, oh well'. Another guy sold me Serama eggs that were really game hens. I was glad I had given them away instead of selling them. I drove an hour to pick up EE eggs and they started smelling and oozing by day 2 of incubation and infected my more expensive eggs. The only other person I have bought eggs from seems much more honest but every other chick was born with curled toes and dislocated knees. She said 'Yeah that happens a lot. I just cut off their heads'. I can't do that. I have 3 gimpy chickens that I will be taking special care of for a really long time.

So, I have not found one reliable person within driving distance. It is very frustrating. That's why I came on here. You have to be very careful. My friend bought a laying trio from a lady near Mongomery. The hen just died and it looks like Mareks. Mareks infects as a chick so this hen has had it since before my friend got her. The lady made a big deal about vaccinations and medicated feed being so wrong. Now my friend has to pay the price. It is highly contagious and her property will have mareks on it for a long time. She will never be able to sell or give away her chicks to anyone.

That's exactly the kind of stuff I worry about when I see chickens/chicks/eggs offered on Ebay, Craigslist and Facebook. Sometimes folks posts pictures and I can just tell from the pictures that the birds have issues. But sometimes it's something like Marek's, which you can't tell they have until it starts throwing symptoms. Quarantine is NOT going to help with Marek's, as it can take a long time to manifest, if at all. Also genetics aren't always obvious from the get-go.

Scary stuff

The eggies I got from a fellow BYCer were wonderful. My boy is so pretty. Too bad I only managed to hatch two and they both were boys. One did have crooked toes, but it wasn't severe and I'm not sure it wasn't fault on my part, rather than genetic.

I think getting eggs from fellow BYCers and sticking with hatchery chicks from TSC is going to be my plan (since they're vaccinated). I can't travel very far, and shipping is a terrible idea.. so staying local is the way to go.

 

[angelamichelel]

Does anyone know where I could find a buff Orpington rooster please TIA

 

[biga]

a friend up in TN went by poultry hollow and picked up some new chicks. he got me 2 gold laced wyandottes, 2 production blacks, and 2 new hampshire reds. but now i have to wait until he brings them down here. ugh.

 

[Wisher1000]

I will likely have a Black Orpington cockeral available soon, if that will do! The parents are really nice, huge, breeder quality birds from Michigan. I don't know what you get if you cross buff and black orps, but the offer stands.

 

[angelamichelel]

...

a friend up in TN went by poultry hollow and picked up some new chicks.  he got me 2 gold laced wyandottes, 2 production blacks, and 2 new hampshire reds. but now i have to wait until he brings them down here.  ugh.
[/quoteThat is where I got my buffs last year it's a long drive from here

 

[angelamichelel]

I will likely have a Black Orpington cockeral available soon, if that will do!  The parents are really nice, huge, breeder quality birds from Michigan.  I don't know what you get if you cross buff and black orps, but the offer stands.

Thank you I'm gonna continue my search for a buff

 

[JDchicks]

The guy who sold me mine claimed the light colored ones were males and buff colored ones were females. He was wrong.

He stated the same to me. I posted pics on the brahma thread to verify they were pullets. I got lucky, as majority said pullets..

 

[bamadude]

He stated the same to me. I posted pics on the brahma thread to verify they were pullets. I got lucky, as majority said pullets..

I also posted on brahma thread and some1 just told me he could be right if he crossed a dark and light brahma. I will try to get some good pics when the weather is better