It’s just (or still – depending on perspective) 33 days 4 hrs and 17 mins till I board the plane for the easter egg run in my getting-the-flock-out-of-here adventure and 34 days and 5 hrs till I can embrace my wife.
I have been driving Mrs Oz crazy trying to discuss breeds and options on Skype.
I have a spreadsheet that I am continually adjusting based on what breeds I would like versus what’s available. I learn something new and the priority changes. I find that I cannot get the breed locally then I mull over the need versus the risk with shipped eggs. I do my chicken math to try and decide the minimum number of each breed I am willing to take and I factor in whether the eggs are shipped.
For local eggs I will try for 18 but will take 12. For shipped eggs 24. Basically I feel its going to be hard to propagate a breed with less than 4 hens. At a 60% hatch rate on locals and 30% on shipped, I can meet this number. Obviously I would be happy with higher hatch rates but I have to be realistic – and its not like I can just say bad luck and go grab a few more eggs if my numbers are lower.
I have the capacity to hatch 160 eggs at once. Once we have adult birds and have developed a market for our eggs and birds, that should be enough incubation capacity for a while. The next couple of trips to the Philippines will be very short – less than 72 hrs at home. On me next long trip, I will work on a larger scale egg turner from ideas I have garnered from this site.
Until I can show a return on this, 4-6 hens and 2 roos will be all I hang onto as breeders.
The following is a rational for the breeds I am taking. I have gone over some of this before, so excuse my ramblings.
I would like classic breeds as my utility flock. I love the visual of a mixed flock of white, red, barred, buff and black birds and I like them big. My whites are Jerseys, reds are New Hampshires, Barred Rocks, Buff Orps and Black Australorps. To add to that with “colored” birds are Dorkings (rapidly becoming my favorite bird), Light Sussex, and Wyandottes – RLBW, GLW. Black Copper Marans are in the mix for the egg color and Crème Legbars for both egg color and my genetic interests and a modern twist. Finally I am rounding it out with some Silkies and Polish for the cute factor.
Like many a BYCer, I would prefer heritage quality stock – once you acquire the egg, it costs the same to hatch and raise a nice full shaped quality bird as a “puppy mill” variety. All of the aforementioned breeds look different to each other and even a non-trained eye could separate a mixed flock for breeding coops.
Later on I may try Brahmas and Cochins – after I see how the Silkies feathers handle the climate. Campines, Delawares, Aracaunas, Seabrights and a host of spectacular European breeds could also be down the road. With these breeds I will take smaller numbers and just have fun with them. Hopefully we will also have incubation in 80% humidity and how to deal with eggs travelling 7500 miles sorted out and have stellar hatch rates too.
If you have an opinion on my breed selection or otherwise, feel free to comment.
I also have to establish, an incubation and brooder area for quarantine, should the Philippine Bureau of Animal Industry’s designated vet want to come and inspect the eggs and chicks while they are being quarantined.
Even using chicken math, I cannot carry all of the above in one trip so even though I am into instant gratification, this is a multi-year project.
