i'm just so excited. and NO ONE in my real life understands.
thought you guys would!
they showed up on craigslist for $15 each, and after talking with the guy i was pleased to buy from him. he bought his birds from a local fellow named john tunstall here in nw arkansas, who has raised javas for 40 years, and has been working on improving the line and bringing them back. seller would only sell in breeding groups (meaning with a roo) b/c he's passionate about getting more javas out there.
i turned down the HUGE HUGE roo with auburn feathers b/c i just really think he was too big for my mixed flock (some of which are lighter standard hens, like EEs and brown leghorns). he was built like a tank and looked to be 4 times their size! i went with the smaller roo, with slate legs and bright yellow footpads (brighter than his brother the giant's.) he is so amazingly gorgeous and so far very good natured. i had my toddler and 7 year old in the pen when i let him out and no hint of aggression or meanness.
i bought three hens, or i should say two hens and one pullet. they are not nearly as pretty as the roo but i'm brighten them up with free ranging and BOSS and all the other little tricks that this guy just had too many animals to be able to do--he was a hobby farmer and we must have seen 100 animals...not neglected at all, but not like my girls, if you know what i mean.
they are all 11 months old, and he said he was just starting to get eggs from a few of the hens (hens and pullets were all housed together, so no way of knowing if my girls are laying yet or not). have others had the experience of it taking javas about a year to lay?
anyway, i am stoked...got my ark turned into a breeding coop and BOY was it fun and educational to watch my ladies preen and sashay in front of that roo today...the amount they were picking on and pecking at each other decreased dramatically when they saw him this morning...they are too busy trying to get with the roo to be grump to each other now!
they showed up on craigslist for $15 each, and after talking with the guy i was pleased to buy from him. he bought his birds from a local fellow named john tunstall here in nw arkansas, who has raised javas for 40 years, and has been working on improving the line and bringing them back. seller would only sell in breeding groups (meaning with a roo) b/c he's passionate about getting more javas out there.
i turned down the HUGE HUGE roo with auburn feathers b/c i just really think he was too big for my mixed flock (some of which are lighter standard hens, like EEs and brown leghorns). he was built like a tank and looked to be 4 times their size! i went with the smaller roo, with slate legs and bright yellow footpads (brighter than his brother the giant's.) he is so amazingly gorgeous and so far very good natured. i had my toddler and 7 year old in the pen when i let him out and no hint of aggression or meanness.
i bought three hens, or i should say two hens and one pullet. they are not nearly as pretty as the roo but i'm brighten them up with free ranging and BOSS and all the other little tricks that this guy just had too many animals to be able to do--he was a hobby farmer and we must have seen 100 animals...not neglected at all, but not like my girls, if you know what i mean.
they are all 11 months old, and he said he was just starting to get eggs from a few of the hens (hens and pullets were all housed together, so no way of knowing if my girls are laying yet or not). have others had the experience of it taking javas about a year to lay?
anyway, i am stoked...got my ark turned into a breeding coop and BOY was it fun and educational to watch my ladies preen and sashay in front of that roo today...the amount they were picking on and pecking at each other decreased dramatically when they saw him this morning...they are too busy trying to get with the roo to be grump to each other now!
