Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[cluckcluckluke]

So I just took a few photos, they are all in their sheds today because Mr or Mrs fox was on my driveway last night!
This is Huxley one of my young French Wheaten Marans roos being dwarfed by Onyx and Opal my Croad Langshans.... with Princess the girl responsible for laying the dark green egg in the left back corner



Some of the young French Wheaten Marans pullets

And Lilly (a clean faced lavender Araucana)
Is that a worm on your shoe?
This is Olivia from another strain of green egg layer I am getting fairly consistent feathering with...
Some French Wheaten Marans eggs from last season...
& My Apricot, Blue fawn and Silver Call ducks


.

Great photo's, do you cross your FWM roo with your langshans, what do they come out like?
I keep saying it, but wow those eggs are great!!!
Your call ducks are great as well!! Do you breed them as well?

Quote: WHAT!!?!?!
Where are these, I need to have a look??

 

[TheChookPatch]

I just ordered a bcm pol and a trio of Chicks from Tasmania! Finalizing the order now if anybody wants to jump in on the order but be quick! She sells eggs for $10 each

Those eggs look good for Black Copper Marans in Aus... I have Black Copper Marans here too but their eggs are nothing compared to the real Black Copper Marans that just came in from the UK... If you want to know anything about breeding them a guy from the Marans club of Aust explained a few things to me.

 

[TheChookPatch]

Great photo's, do you cross your FWM roo with your langshans, what do they come out like?
I keep saying it, but wow those eggs are great!!!
Your call ducks are great as well!! Do you breed them as well?
WHAT!!?!?!
Where are these, I need to have a look??

I will be for a bit until I get a good Croad Rooster. They used Croads to develop the Black Copper Marans here in Australia, so eventually if I keep putting a FWM roo over the chicks they will become Blue Wheaten and Black Copper Marans. I got my Croads from a very very reputable breeder who guarantees they are pure and unadulterated for three human generations, so I am planning on getting the best roo possible to keep the line pure. I'm going to the Langshan show in July to hopefully hunt down a good breeder.
I flukishly came across my call duck breeder for a kinder incubation program I did... This will be their first season so I will see how they go... I have 7 all up so I don't think I need anymore,.. they are soooo messy, but they are also so cute and full of personality! Maybe a few more Apricots!!

Google photos of the Sumatras, there are no photos released yet of the parent stock or the actual birds that have been imported here.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

So if we now have new blood in Aus from the UK and US, does this mean our standard will change?
And also will Marans be laying darker eggs as breeders will sell their offspring of and eventually it will filter down to backyarders and small breeders, or by then will the egg colour have lightened?
I'm just wondering if I can wait?

 

[TheChookPatch]

So if we now have new blood in Aus from the UK and US, does this me an our standard will change?
And also will Marans be laying darker eggs as breeders will sell their offspring of and eventually it will filter down to backyarders and small breeders, or by then will the egg colour have lightened?
I'm just wondering if I can wait?

They are working on a standards supplement for the new breeds that have arrived here.The imported birds have much darker eggs than what is available in Australia at the moment. I think it will depend on the individual breeders who have bought the chicks as to how long it will be before their progeny filter into auction rooms and peoples backyards. If they are bred well there is no reason why the egg colour can not be retained in future generations. For now I am just going to continue with the strains I have and hope I get lucky in the near distant future.

 

[Teila]

Would be interesting to see how they compare...

And I couldnt help adding this - I figure its photoshoped but it was too adorable

OMG! I Want One! Where Can I Get One? lol
(Gotta love Photoshop!)

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Quote: Oh, I didn't know that.
I have Aussie Langhans but I prefer the Croads, would really like to get some but can't seem to track any down.
Sounds like you got some nice hens there then.
7 ducks, I couldn't imagine that. I only have 1 and that is messy.lol.
Apricots? are they a colour of call duck?
You have got it all going on at your house.
Do you sell hatching eggs? I would love to get some Olive eggers and some of your Marans.

Quote: O.K, thanks Chook, I am happy to wait but just don't want to miss out.
I hope they don't just concentrate on just size and feathering and put effort into egg colour

!!!!

 

[TheChookPatch]

Oh, I didn't know that..I have Aussie Langhans but I prefer the Croads, would really like to get some but can't seem to track any down.
Sounds like you got some nice hens there then.
7 ducks, I couldn't imagine that. I only have 1 and that is messy.lol.
Apricots? are they a colour of call duck?
You have got it all going on at your house.
Do you sell hatching eggs? I would love to get some Olive eggers and some of your Marans.
O.K, thanks Chook, I am happy to wait but just don't want to miss out.
I hope they don't just concentrate on just size and feathering and put effort into egg colour

!!!!

I love my Croads, they are so big and gentle.
Yes Apricot is a colour in Call ducks. I have one called Peaches who I was willing to be a female but ended up being a very handsome drake. He has the best personality though.
Yep I probably do have a bit much on my plate for a single mum but I couldn't live any other way... Farm life for me!
I do sell eggs, I will do a few runs in the incubator first to check the fertility and how the chicks feather out then I start to sell eggs in between incubating. I have quite a few different colours of green going now so when they all start laying I will post some more egg pics.
There is a possibility of a second importation so they should become easier to acquire in a few years...

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Quote:
Yeah, I have heard Croads are real nice. You are so lucky, I wish I had even half of your flock.lol.
Farm life sounds good to me. Do you only have poultry?
I would love to get some eggs off of you, maybe next Spring when I will have my incubator.

Have you seen this ---> http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-23/rare-chooks-importation/4707926 Is this where you have heard of the importations.
Or this --------> http://www.tasrarepoultry.com/news/import/

 

[TheChookPatch]

Yeah, I have heard Croads are real nice. You are so lucky, I wish I had even half of your flock.lol.
Farm life sounds good to me. Do you only have poultry?
I would love to get some eggs off of you, maybe next Spring when I will have my incubator.

Have you seen this ---> http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-23/rare-chooks-importation/4707926 Is this where you have heard of the importations.
Or this --------> http://www.tasrarepoultry.com/news/import/

Sure thing let me know when you are ready

I live here with my Kelpie, my cat (Battle Cat to ward off the unwanted rodents) Milly the goat to mow my lawn, the chickens, the ducks and now my one lonely golden phesant.
Yes I have seen those...One of my breeders told me about it some time back & I've been keeping a close eye on them since.