Dreaming of Spring...

[Mrs. K]

Really this is a seriously dangerous post!

What to get? What to get?

Thought I had a local breeder of Buckeyes, but it turns out my source was wrong, they are chancellors.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

Really this is a seriously dangerous post!

What to get? What to get?

Thought I had a local breeder of Buckeyes, but it turns out my source was wrong, they are chancellors.

Mrs K

Chanteclers? I would love to have some of those!

 

[Mrs. K]

Kind of what I am thinking! How does anyone have a closed flock?

 

[bobbi-j]

I think I saw Chanteclers on the Ideal site. Just sayin...

Me, I'm seriously considering ordering 5 straight run chicks of 5 different breeds and hoping for at least 2-3 pullets of each breed. Except the EEs. I've not had the best EE roosters in the past. Pretty, but nasty.

ETA - it may have to be 5 chicks of 6 breeds....

 

[Folly's place]

I just looked; Ideal has buff, partridge, and red Chanties. Candy and I have whites. Mary

 

[bobbi-j]

My MMcM silver and gold laced Wyandottes were not very big. The hatchery hasn't had as many years to shrink the BLRW's in size (my opinion) so they were and are bigger. Same for the buff Rocks compared to the barred. My BLRW's were pretty good layers, and I do value their broodiness. I didn't like the buff Orphingtons, much preferred the buff Rocks. The MMcM black Jersey Giants varied hugely in size; Eleven years ago I got ten SR chicks. The three smaller pullets were the only ones who could fly to the 3' high lower roost, and they stayed. One died the following year on a hot day, The remaining two 'midget' Jersey Giants lived to be ten years of age, and were very sweet hens. They layed eggs for years, never went broody, and were pets. I don't keep everyone, but some do stay forever here. The Australorps are good layers and sort of blend into the flock. I love the Speckled Sussex hens, and the white Chanties from Cackle are big and very nice all around. Mary

This is very helpful information. I don't keep everyone, either, but every now and then there is one that I just can't eat.

 

[Mrs. K]

Some girls just earn a spot. Butter is mine. Others earn a spot in the pot! haha

My EE rooster was my best rooster so far! I did not loose a single hen for more than a year.

Are you completely starting over Bobbi-J?

Mrs K

 

[donrae]

Folly--I hadn't thought of the "rarer" breeds being closer to SOP, or larger in size, but that's a good observation. Plus, a blue laced Wyandotte rooster is about the definition of eye candy! And the blue coloring makes fun offspring when you're playing mix and match with your next generations.

 

[bobbi-j]

Some girls just earn a spot. Butter is mine. Others earn a spot in the pot! haha

My EE rooster was my best rooster so far! I did not loose a single hen for more than a year.

Are you completely starting over Bobbi-J?

Mrs K

Yeah, pretty much. No chicks for me last year as we were gone so much. (I didn't want to hatch any out, and didn't get a broody.) My rooster croaked this fall - found him dead under the roost one day - and I'm down to seven 3-year old hens. Actually, I only know for sure that 3 of them are that old. I got some old laying hens last fall from someone with the intention of letting them lay until molt, then butchering them. Well, I have 4 left of the original 12 that I got. Some just dropped dead, the dog got one for sure. I think they were older than the 2 years that I was told. Because of them dying, though, the coop I plan on putting my chicks in this spring will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before they go in. I'm thinking spraying everything down with a 10% bleach solution.

 

[bobbi-j]

Well, l haven't ordered my chicks yet, but have narrowed down the breeds of hens I want. Now all I have to do is figure out what I want for a rooster. While I love the looks of a BLRW, I'm wondering if it would be more practical to get either a Buff Rock or Dark Cornish rooster. (I'm planning on females of both breeds). My thinking is, Cornish Rocks are the white franken-birds that are sold as meat birds. If I cross the Buff Rock and Dark Cornish, will I get a nice, meaty bird that's maybe not like those ugly white things, but still has plenty of meat on it?

For anyone who's interested, I'm thinking of getting BLRWs (straight run, as that't the only way McMurray will sell them), Buff Rocks, Dark Cornish, Welsummers, Australorps EEs and Barred Rocks. At the end of the summer, I only want a dozen or so hens, so I really only "need" one rooster.