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

[Rachel'sFlock]

I have taken the first stab at finding a breeder to help me build a decent flock of BAs.
I have been a part of the Australorp breeding thread for as long as I have had my birds (they shame me every time I look at their beautiful birds...but the people are really nice). Their Go-To guy is Mr Chester Hupp out of AZ. His birds are gorgeous and he has been breeding the real thing for ages. His name is the only one that comes up time after time for a reputable breeder of BAs inside the States.

I have contacted them regarding obtaining some of that pure blood for my own flock. I am going to price some hatching eggs (as it closer to my budgetary constraints than driving to AZ from OR to buy chickens). I can set them beneath a proven broody and allow her to raise them for me.

I happen to buy into the idea that a few valuable birds to build on is more economical than breeding more mutts. I might as well just keep buying hatchery day-olds if I am going to do that.
Thank you for showing me the importance of starting with good stock, and keeping them healthy. I owe you lot a great debt of gratitude.

edited to include: I won't be getting any eggs or setting a clutch until Spring, when Nature intended such things. I felt I should clarify~ my enthusiasm has not short-circuited my brains. I have been paying attention.

 

[Maven]

BTW Delisha, I meant to tell you that the picture you posted of the '$300 bird' was just GORGEOUS, so is her 'intended'

I had so many pages to read to catch up, I forgot I wanted to say something to you about her!

 

[Maven]

I have taken the first stab at finding a breeder to help me build a decent flock of BAs.
I have been a part of the Australorp breeding thread for as long as I have had my birds (they shame me every time I look at their beautiful birds...but the people are really nice). Their Go-To guy is Mr Chester Hupp out of AZ. His birds are gorgeous and he has been breeding the real thing for ages. His name is the only one that comes up time after time for a reputable breeder of BAs inside the States.

I have contacted them regarding obtaining some of that pure blood for my own flock. I am going to price some hatching eggs (as it closer to my budgetary constraints than driving to AZ from OR to buy chickens). I can set them beneath a proven broody and allow her to raise them for me.

I happen to buy into the idea that a few valuable birds to build on is more economical than breeding more mutts. I might as well just keep buying hatchery day-olds if I am going to do that.
Thank you for showing me the importance of starting with good stock, and keeping them healthy. I owe you lot a great debt of gratitude.

edited to include: I won't be getting any eggs or setting a clutch until Spring, when Nature intended such things. I felt I should clarify~ my enthusiasm has not short-circuited my brains. I have been paying attention.

Oh, GOOD LUCK Rachel! So exciting to be taking the next step forward!! I hope you get exactly what you are hoping for in the spring!

Be sure to let us know when you hatch!

 

[aussie pete]

I lurk & read ,just a newbie but my thing is "it costs the same to feed a good one as a bad one so I mite as well have good one's"

thanks ot's for yr patience ,& willing ness to pass on yr experience

 

[Beekissed]

Yes what I do is force them to deal with the heat instead of relying on me to pamper them with things they don't need, if they don't have it they don't need it LOL. All I am saying is a well treated, well fed, well housed, well watered bird has everything they need already, Big shock there uh LOL.

THIS! This is what I've been preaching for years! If you truly want birds that are hardy to "your climate", you cannot then take said birds to your climate and supplement them with heat, fans, misters, Pampers, Christmas lights or any other geegaws. A chicken will be a chicken in just about any climate and those who can't cut it, get cut from the roster or die. What you will have left are the true, cold hardy or heat hardy chickens and it hasn't got much to do with comb size at that point.

Originally Posted by IvyMaeWilliams



Ain't it the truth, sister, ain't it the truth. BUT I have been lucky enough in my life to somehow stumble upon people who really know their stuff in the growing and building world. I too started from a place of knowing ZERO, but then I'd get books and magazines and read, and work it all around in my brain... and in the case of growing plants I was lucky enough to work with some of the greatest growers and propagators around, who by the way had also grown up on farms and did things "the farmer way" (as a kid my parents never made me do anything or really taught me anything about life... I didn't know one thing about doing any kind of work, let alone sun-up to sundown physical work, til I started working for these guys. They were patient and glad to teach me anything I wanted to know. As for building, I asked TONS of people many questions, tried lots of things, and finally learned who knew their stuff and who was faking it. I am so lucky to have a hardware store nearby that employs ONLY people with experience in their various fields, whether it's plumbing or fencing or heating/cooling or general building. The men and women there have been absolute treasure-troves of info.

And now I have stumbled on the "keepers of the chicken knowledge" right here on BYC and discovered that they are kind enough to let me and many others pick their brains. Thanks everyone, I'll try not to drive ya TOO crazy.

I see a pattern and I don't call that luck...I call it someone who is seeking knowledge instead of banging their head against the wall or waiting for it to fall out of the sky. The people who seek are more likely to "get lucky" in finding it, IME. I call that success.

I get a little peeved when people say that it's risky to free range because they opened the coop door one day to let their babies out to "play" and a hawk or fox got them. That was the extent of their efforts to free range but they will write post after post about how impossible it is to do it without losses, how irresponsible people are who do it, how much more they love their chickens than people who risk their chickens on free range.

If I tell them that I have been free ranging flocks off and on for 36 years and only lost one bird~not while free ranging~while roosting at night in the barn loft, their response? "You have just been lucky."

Sure, if getting breeds that are known for flighty wariness, putting them out with older birds on free range at 2 wks of age, culling for those who do not flock well or respond well to danger calls, having one to two dogs out in the range 24/7, having perimeter fencing, killing strays before they become a problem, providing hawk shelter in several places in the range and never feeding or watering the flocks outside could be called getting lucky.

Calling someone who trains for the Olympics for 4 years ~and wins~ "lucky", is an insult. I've been training my flocks for years upon years...yeah, calling me lucky is an insult. I call it success.

 

[al6517]

Quote:

I like your thinkin.

 

[mrsamplias]

I met my DH in 1st grade. We went to St. Sebastians together. We had our first date in 9th grade. He pulled my wig off in the middle of the dance floor. I did not talk to him for years after.

ME TOO!! I met my DH in 1st Grade at St. John's Lutheran School. Our first date was not until we were 31 years old, and we were engaged 6 months later!!

 

[mrsamplias]

I have taken the first stab at finding a breeder to help me build a decent flock of BAs.
I have been a part of the Australorp breeding thread for as long as I have had my birds (they shame me every time I look at their beautiful birds...but the people are really nice). Their Go-To guy is Mr Chester Hupp out of AZ. His birds are gorgeous and he has been breeding the real thing for ages. His name is the only one that comes up time after time for a reputable breeder of BAs inside the States.

I have contacted them regarding obtaining some of that pure blood for my own flock. I am going to price some hatching eggs (as it closer to my budgetary constraints than driving to AZ from OR to buy chickens). I can set them beneath a proven broody and allow her to raise them for me.

I happen to buy into the idea that a few valuable birds to build on is more economical than breeding more mutts. I might as well just keep buying hatchery day-olds if I am going to do that.
Thank you for showing me the importance of starting with good stock, and keeping them healthy. I owe you lot a great debt of gratitude.

edited to include: I won't be getting any eggs or setting a clutch until Spring, when Nature intended such things. I felt I should clarify~ my enthusiasm has not short-circuited my brains. I have been paying attention.

what is the link to the Australorp breeding thread?

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

Oh, GOOD LUCK Rachel! So exciting to be taking the next step forward!! I hope you get exactly what you are hoping for in the spring!

Be sure to let us know when you hatch!

Just a baby newbie step, but one I feel is in the right direction.
Thanks so much for the encouragement.
I sure will let you know when/if we hatch!
verrry exciting stuff!

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

what is the link to the Australorp breeding thread?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/316084/australorps-breed-thread