Alaska hatchers..How is everyone doing? Baby pics !!!!!!

[Ban seabhag]

Lavender ameraucana out,

no other pips yet (actually due tomorrow) .....so
...Good night Pa...Good night Ma ....ad infinitum....

 

[Mrs MIA]

I think I've been on Facebook too long... I keep looking for the "Like" button on BYC.

 

[Ban seabhag]

I've never been on facebook, but my SD has, alas, I am way behind the times...sigh.
On an up note...I have 2 Lav Ameraucanas out this morning!!

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Is there anyone in Alaska that raises Freedom Rangers?

 

[Ban seabhag]

What are they Paula? (That answers your question for me anyway!

)

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Quote:
A breed that free ranges well.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Been reading more on them and delawares, and now I do not want either of them.

We really want a dual purpose, but no matter what, it keeps looking like we will end up with more cornish Cross this summer.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
May I ask your reasons why you don't want them?

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

Quote:
May I ask your reasons why you don't want them?

Well, I do want them

After really digging around and askign various people questions, the dressed out weight is making me reconsider.

Its hard to figure out what to do taht will be economical.
Cornish X cost us close to $10 per bird to raise, even though we tractored them.
Weights were very good on them.
And flavor was out of this world due to the high natural diet.
Going with a dual purpose naturally means a smaller bird dressed out.

I am beginning to think that it is going to cost about the same either way.
If I can do more to control food with the Xs, and find a better layer then the Cochins, I think we will even out.

The only other option that is looking good to me, is going with standard Cockoo Marans.
We have a few older ones, and they are a super heavy bird.
And they do eat well.
The ones we have not so much, as we did not raise them from chicks, so they did not get an ideal free ranging probiotic start in life that I prefer.

Oh the choices

Its hard to figure out, when the budget is very small

 

[Mrs MIA]

I hear you.

You know, a couple of birds I was really impressed with, weight wise, were the Jersey Giants and the Turkens (Naked Neck). I know the Turkens are crazy to look at, but I had a roo that was 5lbs dressed out at 6 months. That's really the dilema... the cornish grow so fast, unlike other chickens, but to get the higher egg production you have to settle for a smaller bird.

(I had a JGxNN roo that was HUGE! The cross was kind of cool looking, too. LBxNN was cool, too. Pretty tasty, too...

)