Update:
Happy April Fool's day everyone!
Here are some of our past years' April Fool's threads:
2007 - April Fools - BYC Expanding - BackYardCows.com
2008 - April Fools - BYC Hacked!!
2009 - Thanks Everyone! Third Annual BYC April Fools Day Was LOTS of Fun!
2010 - April Fools - New BYC Store Product: The EggCell !!
2011 - NEW BYC Program & Partnership - Sell Your Extra Eggs! April Fools 2011
2012 - April Fools 2012 - New Forums / Sections - Exotic Backyard Animals
2013 - Big Announcement: BYC & Mark Zuckerberg / Facebook Partnership - BeakBook - April fool's 2013
2014 - April Fools 2014 - BYC Sponsored Study: Increase Chicken Broodiness By Up To 48% With Aluminum Foil
2015 - April Fools 2015 - Announcement - BYC Staff / Moderator Term Limits & Retirement
2016 - April Fools 2016 - New Development: Chicken Feed That Changes Egg Shell Color!
2017 - Introducing: BackYard Robots - April Fools 2017
2018 - New BYC Cryptocurrency: ChicKoin
2019 - BYC Now Fully Self-Moderated
INDEX:
BACKGROUND
As many of you know, there are some crazy things happening in the world right now.... and with this craziness comes a bit of uncertainty.
Around the 2008 "Great Recession" there were very similar feelings of uncertainty. This uneasiness inspired many to find ways to become more self-sufficient. People discovered that one of the best ways to feel more self-sufficient was to start raising backyard chickens. During these turbulent years, this was all a big contributing factor to BYC's meteoric growth. There was now a clear path to how you could have a healthy source of fresh-food (eggs) from chickens that were well-cared for, and raised in a humane manner.
These days, we're seeing a similar motivation and resurgence in interest towards raising chickens.
THE PROBLEM
One of the biggest frustrations for these new chicken enthusiasts is the realization that it could take up to 6-8 months for a hen to begin laying eggs. Back in 2008 we saw and recognized this was a huge issue, and we vowed to do something about it!
So, the team at BYC began working closely with a handful of respected breeders across the nation to brainstorm solutions to the question: "How to get chickens to lay eggs sooner?!?" After a few years of intense discussion (and sometimes debate) and work, we came up with a few radical ideas and processes. At that point, we began bringing in a handful of well-know hatcheries to help us take our ideas and elevate them to the next level.
We are now excited to officially announce the results of years of blood, sweat, and tears...
THE SOLUTION
Announcing: Quickens - A New Breed Of Chicken!
Unfortunately we are limited in what details we can provide right now, but we'll be delivering an official peer-reviewed whitepaper in a month on 5/1. Until then, here is some high-level information that we can share:
Around April, 2010 the team realized that it might be possible to leverage a quail's natural process of beginning to lay eggs as early as 6-8 weeks!
The Quicken (Quail - Chicken) is basically a genetic cross between a xyz breed chicken and an xyz breed quail.
After years of intense genetic work and breeding, we now have a breed of chicken (the Quicken is still genetically 92.24% chicken) that can begin laying eggs as early as 7-8 weeks!!!
Our hope is that the Quicken will not only help alleviate general frustrations around a lack of instant-gratification, but will also help people more-quickly get eggs into their households to feed themselves and their families!.
ABOUT THE BREED
As mentioned earlier, more specific details will be forthcoming, but for now a few notes on the new Quicken breed:
"... how can I get a Quicken?@!?"
HOW TO GET A QUICKEN CHICKEN
Our partner hatcheries have been ramping up breeding of Quickens for the past 6 months in anticipation of this busy Spring season and hope to begin taking orders towards the end of May.
We were already anticipating HUGE demand for Quickens, but with recent events, we know we won't be anywhere near being able to provide enough Quickens to everyone.
This being the case, we've come up with the following process for those that are interested in ordering Quickens:
If you have any questions about the process above, please let us know.
Also, please link to this post throughout all social-media. Our hope is that with increased awareness and interest, we can get even more breeders and hatcheries involved!
Happy April Fool's day everyone!
Here are some of our past years' April Fool's threads:
2007 - April Fools - BYC Expanding - BackYardCows.com
2008 - April Fools - BYC Hacked!!
2009 - Thanks Everyone! Third Annual BYC April Fools Day Was LOTS of Fun!
2010 - April Fools - New BYC Store Product: The EggCell !!
2011 - NEW BYC Program & Partnership - Sell Your Extra Eggs! April Fools 2011
2012 - April Fools 2012 - New Forums / Sections - Exotic Backyard Animals
2013 - Big Announcement: BYC & Mark Zuckerberg / Facebook Partnership - BeakBook - April fool's 2013
2014 - April Fools 2014 - BYC Sponsored Study: Increase Chicken Broodiness By Up To 48% With Aluminum Foil
2015 - April Fools 2015 - Announcement - BYC Staff / Moderator Term Limits & Retirement
2016 - April Fools 2016 - New Development: Chicken Feed That Changes Egg Shell Color!
2017 - Introducing: BackYard Robots - April Fools 2017
2018 - New BYC Cryptocurrency: ChicKoin
2019 - BYC Now Fully Self-Moderated
INDEX:
- BACKGROUND
- THE PROBLEM
- THE SOLUTION
- ABOUT THE BREED
- HOW TO GET A QUICKEN CHICKEN
- STEPS TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT TO ORDER.
BACKGROUND
As many of you know, there are some crazy things happening in the world right now.... and with this craziness comes a bit of uncertainty.
Around the 2008 "Great Recession" there were very similar feelings of uncertainty. This uneasiness inspired many to find ways to become more self-sufficient. People discovered that one of the best ways to feel more self-sufficient was to start raising backyard chickens. During these turbulent years, this was all a big contributing factor to BYC's meteoric growth. There was now a clear path to how you could have a healthy source of fresh-food (eggs) from chickens that were well-cared for, and raised in a humane manner.
These days, we're seeing a similar motivation and resurgence in interest towards raising chickens.
THE PROBLEM
One of the biggest frustrations for these new chicken enthusiasts is the realization that it could take up to 6-8 months for a hen to begin laying eggs. Back in 2008 we saw and recognized this was a huge issue, and we vowed to do something about it!
So, the team at BYC began working closely with a handful of respected breeders across the nation to brainstorm solutions to the question: "How to get chickens to lay eggs sooner?!?" After a few years of intense discussion (and sometimes debate) and work, we came up with a few radical ideas and processes. At that point, we began bringing in a handful of well-know hatcheries to help us take our ideas and elevate them to the next level.
We are now excited to officially announce the results of years of blood, sweat, and tears...
THE SOLUTION
Announcing: Quickens - A New Breed Of Chicken!
Unfortunately we are limited in what details we can provide right now, but we'll be delivering an official peer-reviewed whitepaper in a month on 5/1. Until then, here is some high-level information that we can share:
Around April, 2010 the team realized that it might be possible to leverage a quail's natural process of beginning to lay eggs as early as 6-8 weeks!
The Quicken (Quail - Chicken) is basically a genetic cross between a xyz breed chicken and an xyz breed quail.
After years of intense genetic work and breeding, we now have a breed of chicken (the Quicken is still genetically 92.24% chicken) that can begin laying eggs as early as 7-8 weeks!!!
Our hope is that the Quicken will not only help alleviate general frustrations around a lack of instant-gratification, but will also help people more-quickly get eggs into their households to feed themselves and their families!.
ABOUT THE BREED
As mentioned earlier, more specific details will be forthcoming, but for now a few notes on the new Quicken breed:
- Physically, the Quicken resembles most other “standard” breed chickens. There are a few noticeable differences in an adult hen, for example…
- Quickens, while able to produce eggs MUCH sooner (at just 7-8 weeks) than standard chicken breeds, their physical size is much more gradual (linear vs. exponential) compared to a standard breed chicken.
- Due to fact #2 above, when a Quicken first begins laying eggs at the 7-8 week mark, they are physically only about ½ the size of a standard breed chicken of the same age.
- As a result of their slower physical growth and size, the eggs produced by a Quicken (during the first year) will be smaller, and in proportion to the size of the Quicken itself. For example, a Quicken owner can expect their first set of eggs to be about ½ the size of a standard-breed chicken’s first eggs. Ironically, a Quicken’s first eggs will be somewhat closer to the size of a quail’s eggs.
"... how can I get a Quicken?@!?"
HOW TO GET A QUICKEN CHICKEN
Our partner hatcheries have been ramping up breeding of Quickens for the past 6 months in anticipation of this busy Spring season and hope to begin taking orders towards the end of May.
We were already anticipating HUGE demand for Quickens, but with recent events, we know we won't be anywhere near being able to provide enough Quickens to everyone.
This being the case, we've come up with the following process for those that are interested in ordering Quickens:
- Since BYC spearheaded this initiative, we're giving our members first access to ordering Quickens when they are made available.
- Due to the expected demand, we're limiting to a MAXIMUM of 5 chicks per household.
- Our hatchery partners can only ship Quicken chicks in boxes of 25 chicks per shipment.
- This all being the case, any BYC members that want to be in the first batches of shipments need to do the following:.
- Make sure you have read all of the above and have the ability to properly care for new Quickens in your flock.
- Agree that you will limit yourself to only 5 chicks per household
- Determine at least 4 other BYC friends that will join with you to divide up a shipment of 25 Quicken chicks
- IMPORTANT: Reply to this thread stating (reserving) your spot to be the first to place an order of Quickens AND TAG THOSE FRIENDS IN YOUR POST!
If you have any questions about the process above, please let us know.
Also, please link to this post throughout all social-media. Our hope is that with increased awareness and interest, we can get even more breeders and hatcheries involved!
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