Diary & Notes ~ Air Cell Detatched SHIPPED Chicken Eggs for incubation and hatching

[cochins1088]

so game planning for egg marketing should be tops on my list right now. Most of what I have are rare breeds I am wondering how the RBAuction does with selling eggs, I think I seen them on there. Then there is ebay, and about three FB sites I can use to my advantage. I would be happy if I could at least cover these feed costs over winter. I am going through feed like mad already. Another really cold spell its 15 this morning and now some of the coops have heat lamps on. I am sure the thermostat outlets will help with cutting costs, I already noticed that the heat lamp in the serama has been off quite a bit, so that is a plus and I can highly suggest them for anyone that has large combs and needs that heat for that like I do in the WFS and CCL coops. Brahma has a heat lamp in it, but ONLY because I have several smaller birds in with the mix now and their heat lamp is only a plug in as needed if it gets below 15. I noticed that the littler birds are heading under the bigger ones, and I am happy the older ones are not minding at all! works well I wish all breeds would be like that!

Brian how did you pick up so many local customers? do you go to auctions or just know alot of other farmers and such? I am wondering if at some point I can advertise somewhere else to find local buyers. I know that some get a Lancaster Farming Newspaper thing, I dont get it but I may have to research it. Again more costs at a time I just dont have the cash. What also stinks is that I dont have the opportunity to just go look for clients either. BYC and selling eggs is a bust lol. swapping sure is fun but all that gets you is in dept and disease in your flock. And I have no desire for many other breeds, I have one or two in mind to add for breeding projects to keep it fun, but other than that I am cool with my final decisions here!

15 degrees is a cold spell? We've been dealing with -40 degree wind chills for the past week. I refuse to give them a heat lamp. They seem to be doing ok and I don't want to risk a fire in that old barn.

My bantam's combs don't seem to get frostbitten, neither does my LF brahma's pea comb. The only ones I worry about are my LF cochin roosters, but they seem to be doing ok so far.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: 15 is still cold for my coops, I didnt mean that that NUMBER was extremely extremely low, I have no clue what the wind chill is either lol its about what is possible this year to come. Its a precaution I take with my expensive birds and I have alot riding on them, plus I am getting old and wise and that makes you prevent ANYTHING you can possible prevent. If I just had chickens for eggs and had some expendable it may be different, but I wouldnt lock anything up and expect them to be ok on their own. You have to keep in mind my coops are very tiny, no insulation alot different than having a barn and area to go to. They get what they get. Plus they are lifted off the ground so their is no extra insulation ANYwhere. We had frostbitten combs last year when it got in the single digits I DONT want to go through it this year, worrying about loosing wattles and feet. Chad actually lost chickens because their feet froze and fell off. NOT something I EVER want. We are very careful with our heat lamps, they cannot fall, they cannot swing and hit anything or get hung up on anything. They are wiped off frequently as well and on thermostat outlets on at 32 off at 42.

 

[cochins1088]

15 is still cold for my coops, I didnt mean that that NUMBER was extremely extremely low, I have no clue what the wind chill is either lol its about what is possible this year to come. Its a precaution I take with my expensive birds and I have alot riding on them, plus I am getting old and wise and that makes you prevent ANYTHING you can possible prevent. If I just had chickens for eggs and had some expendable it may be different, but I wouldnt lock anything up and expect them to be ok on their own. You have to keep in mind my coops are very tiny, no insulation alot different than having a barn and area to go to. They get what they get. Plus they are lifted off the ground so their is no extra insulation ANYwhere. We had frostbitten combs last year when it got in the single digits I DONT want to go through it this year, worrying about loosing wattles and feet. Chad actually lost chickens because their feet froze and fell off. NOT something I EVER want. We are very careful with our heat lamps, they cannot fall, they cannot swing and hit anything or get hung up on anything. They are wiped off frequently as well and on thermostat outlets on at 32 off at 42.

Our barn isn't insulated at all. It was made in the 1800's. It's big, but the wood is old with holes so it's pretty drafty and it has a cement floor.

I can't imagine a chicken's feet freezing and falling off. If it ever gets to that point, I'll set up heat lamps. Is his coop well ventilated? I was told that moisture coupled with cold temperatures is the main cause of frostbite.

Everyone seems to be doing ok. I pray that it warms up soon. Temperatures above 0 would be nice.

 

[ozexpat]

I am on this now Oz, so far your looking A M A Z I N G. you have alot of talent and a very good eye at design as well. Heading back to your pages, thank you Oz

thanks sally

I have to finish it.

I am starting to get a few inquiries by word of mouth and through byc. I sold a trio of Rhode Island Reds last week for $120 and the guy is returning for Barred Rocks and Buff Orps once I have a local bred generation.

A $120 sale every couple of weeks would cover the cost of my chicken feed and the share of Bernies labor maintaining them.

The website should improve marketing

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: Oz that is alot of breeds! Did you make your breeding pens then? What services are you using to add the site online?

 

[Sally Sunshine]

adding, the pics are not on yet correct? it was giving me error where images are. it could been zip files though

 

[ozexpat]

Oz that is alot of breeds! Did you make your breeding pens then? What services are you using to add the site online?

cocobeachpoultry.com and cocobeachfarms.com are both registered with godaddy. As with http://thecrazychickenman.com/

I use http://www.wysiwygwebbuilder.com/ as the app to build the web pages.

I am decreasing the breeds.

Rhode Island Reds*
New Hampshire Reds
Buff Orpingtons*
Lavender Orpingtons*
Australorps
BLR Wyandottes*
Light Brahmas
Speckled Sussex
Barred Rocks*
White Rocks
Easter eggers*
Marans
Cream Legbars

The ones marked * I have adult birds and the remainders are juveniles.

I have 4 breeder pens at the moment waiting for the BLRW, RIR, BO and BR to kick in.

I plan to build a few more after the piggery which has more time constraints.

I also have 20+ Guineas ready to start breeding and 12 Chukar. I have a restaurant that will take all my Chukar Partridge, Guineas and Pheasants next year.

The turkeys and geese are becoming a big challenge as the eggs dont travel well. I am going to probably carry a couple of dozen in my carry on and then have Bernie meet me in Manila and take them by ferry home to see if we can minimize damage to the eggs. That will be in March when breeding season is well under way.

Lots of plans. Little time.

 

[loveourbirds]

so game planning for egg marketing should be tops on my list right now. Most of what I have are rare breeds I am wondering how the RBAuction does with selling eggs, I think I seen them on there. Then there is ebay, and about three FB sites I can use to my advantage. I would be happy if I could at least cover these feed costs over winter. I am going through feed like mad already. Another really cold spell its 15 this morning and now some of the coops have heat lamps on. I am sure the thermostat outlets will help with cutting costs, I already noticed that the heat lamp in the serama has been off quite a bit, so that is a plus and I can highly suggest them for anyone that has large combs and needs that heat for that like I do in the WFS and CCL coops. Brahma has a heat lamp in it, but ONLY because I have several smaller birds in with the mix now and their heat lamp is only a plug in as needed if it gets below 15. I noticed that the littler birds are heading under the bigger ones, and I am happy the older ones are not minding at all! works well I wish all breeds would be like that!

Brian how did you pick up so many local customers? do you go to auctions or just know alot of other farmers and such? I am wondering if at some point I can advertise somewhere else to find local buyers. I know that some get a Lancaster Farming Newspaper thing, I dont get it but I may have to research it. Again more costs at a time I just dont have the cash. What also stinks is that I dont have the opportunity to just go look for clients either. BYC and selling eggs is a bust lol. swapping sure is fun but all that gets you is in dept and disease in your flock. And I have no desire for many other breeds, I have one or two in mind to add for breeding projects to keep it fun, but other than that I am cool with my final decisions here!

that is a good question. most of my business came from word of mouth i think. when i had extras i would advertise on craigslist, usually with one craigslist add i would end up a couple hundred chicks behind.
i also take a few birds to the SOPA Lucasville Ohio swap. its at the Scioto county fair grounds, and a good place to network. i typically take 30 or so business cards down there and pass them out to interested people.
your brahmas and seramas would probably do well on rare breed auctions. most other people sell on Ebay and do well.
i know your into different things, but Dick Horstman may be able to help you too. he is not far from Pittsburg. i dont know him well, hes more of a friend of a friend and probably wouldnt know me by name. Tim Bowles is our mutual friend, Tim has helped me out alot.

since your close to Lancaster, maybe you can get "Levi" from "Amish Mafia" to speak for you

 

[loveourbirds]

Oz, i see you are dropping cream legbars. i myself havent been happy with my group, i thought they would be better layers. what is your opinion on the breed?

 

[ozexpat]

Oz, i see you are dropping cream legbars. i myself havent been happy with my group, i thought they would be better layers. what is your opinion on the breed?

I still have them. I even had a request for them last night by a buyer in the Phils.

I will continue to develop them and see what happens.

The mainstays of heritage birds are the ones that people there know and want - the ones that the missionaries brought in after McArthur returned.

Reds, Rocks and Orps. I can heritage eggs for these birds for $20 a dozen from the sources like Frank Reece and Dick Horstman.

I have a great BYC friend here in LA that is giving me free legbar eggs. She is a talented genetics knowledgable women that has several project pens as well.

I want to use the Legbars as the stock for my blue eggers. I am not sure I can create a big market for them yet as a seperate purebreed. All the "designer" breeds will be a while in the Philippines. I may get in trouble here but I think Americans fall into the trap of jumping on the next Greenfire Farms new thing. Most of the rest of the world just wants good chooks.

In saying that, I am also working in the back ground with Basque and Bresse. I will be hatching a few doz of each over Christmas. I have liked the looks of the ones I have hatched thus far.