Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[fowlman01]

WV has only 6 APA members, but one of them is a very accomplished breeder. Look up Don Schrider who lives in Harpers Ferry, he knows his stuff.

Walt

 

[Fred's Hens]

By contrast, No Central Florida is near enough to all kinds of great BYC members who breed some of the best birds on the planet.

 

[Fred's Hens]

WV has literally NO breeders of good, dual purpose breeds...

But how close are you to the post office?

 

[Beekissed]

Thanks, Walt...but it looks like Don is in VA right now, according to his biography on a website. That's closer than nothing, though. He looks to be about 7 hours away from me but I like the breeds he has and the one I can see looks sharp.

 

[Beekissed]

But how close are you to the post office?

Well...I'm pretty frugal, Fred. I'm tight as a hide on some things because I'm chronically poor by birth and by nature. I subsist on little and, to be honest, I've never priced chicks from a good breeder because I just assumed they were too rich for my blood. I free range and that won't change, so if you lose a $1.48 chick it ain't so bad, but if you lose an expensive chick, it's a shock to the pocket. I know that doesn't make any sense but that's probably why I'm a poor hillbilly.

The first I ever talked to a breeder was Al and when he talks about buying 3 chickens for $10K my mind goes blank and I know we live in separate universes where serfs like me cannot enter in...we just view from afar and say, "Gee, those sure are nice birds!" but mine taste the same as yours~like chicken.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Well, if you'll help with our Red line, I'd sure like to have you onboard. I'd really like to help this old line of Reds and I think you've got the eye, spirit and temperament for doing it. They are still 2 or 3 generations away, if I judge things correctly. Having a partner in this stuff has a lot of sound logic behind it. Can always swap back birds when the freshening time comes, say in 6 gens. What I sayin' is is that these birds are pretty good, but they still need some work.

 

[Beekissed]

My senses get all warm and my mouth waters every time you post that boy's pic...

I guess that probably means I'm getting old because I used to only feel that way when I saw a pic of a gorgeous young stud~of the human variety.

Of course I'll help if you show me the way, Fred. I've never tried to breed just one breed before, so I am thinking that makes things vastly different come breeding time. Would have to have extra accommodations, which are no problem, but I'll have to pay more attention when you breeding fellas talk.

 

[Pozees]

Well...I'm pretty frugal, Fred. I'm tight as a hide on some things because I'm chronically poor by birth and by nature. I subsist on little and, to be honest, I've never priced chicks from a good breeder because I just assumed they were too rich for my blood. I free range and that won't change, so if you lose a $1.48 chick it ain't so bad, but if you lose an expensive chick, it's a shock to the pocket. I know that doesn't make any sense but that's probably why I'm a poor hillbilly.

The first I ever talked to a breeder was Al and when he talks about buying 3 chickens for $10K my mind goes blank and I know we live in separate universes where serfs like me cannot enter in...we just view from afar and say, "Gee, those sure are nice birds!" but mine taste the same as yours~like chicken.

I can tell you what I priced recently. 100 chicks shipped from McMurray comes out to about $3.55/chick, 25 shipped from Duane Urch or Tony Albritton comes out to about $8/chick (~$200 for 25 chicks). The McMurray price is for all pullets, Duane Urch and Tony Albritton are straight run.I think those prices are pretty close to comparable sources. No idea whether this helps you at all, just happen to have priced them recently and thought I would share for comparison.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

Something really exciting is happening, here...

 

[Beekissed]

You ain't just whistling Dixie, girl.

It's exciting any time any of these good breeders want to let you have some of their good stock...do you know how much time and dedication goes into these lines of birds?

A commitment to an ideal that few of us are able to comprehend in today's world.