Hello!

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC!

 

[drumstick diva]

Boy, that is really hot and heavy work. I knew someone that was a blacksmith before he started college. he ended up becoming a doctor.

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC, Lisa. Glad you decided to join our flock. We have visited BC on several occasions and love it there. You have some excellent colored egg layers. Isa Brown is one of a many labels under which some hatcheries market their Red Sex Links, and like all Red Sex Links, they are egg laying machines. As far as white egg layers, White Leghorns are the most productive, but they are high strung and flighty, and not especially cold hardy. I would suggest Austra Whites. Hatcheries produce them by crossing Black Australorp roosters with White Leghorn hens. They combine the calm and gentle temperament, and cold hardiness of the Australorp with the white egg laying abilities of the White Leghorns. Raising chickens is a great experience for children. My granddaughter (pictured in my avatar) loves our chickens. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck in getting your white egg layers.

 

[sunflour]

So glad you joined us.

 

[ladysmith]

Thanks Michael, I have heard of the Austra Whites, I was kind of thinking I would like the California Grey as I also really like Barred Rocks. But finding a hatchery with either of these birds in Canada has been tough. I was thinking of maybe trying my hand at incubating in the spring....
I have just found Leg Horns that are a year old, I was thinking of buying 6 of them in hopes to breed them to a Barred Rock Rooster in the Spring... Any thoughts on buying year old birds?

 

[Michael OShay]

Thanks Michael, I have heard of the Austra Whites, I was kind of thinking I would like the California Grey as I also really like Barred Rocks. But finding a hatchery with either of these birds in Canada has been tough. I was thinking of maybe trying my hand at incubating in the spring....
I have just found Leg Horns that are a year old, I was thinking of buying 6 of them in hopes to breed them to a Barred Rock Rooster in the Spring... Any thoughts on buying year old birds?

I personally would not buy year old hens for three reasons. First, unless you know the person you are buying from, and know that they are trustworthy, you can't be sure that the hens are only a year old. They might actually be quite a bit older. Second, you have no way of knowing what kind of care they've had, particularly in regards to nutrition, that might afffect their lay rate in some negative way. And third, even if you know for sure that they are only a year old, you've already lost half a year of laying, and if they are egg laying machines like White Leghorns or sex links, both of which typically have a shorter length of prime laying rate than other hens before they burn out, that lost six months is likely to be half of their prime laying rate. I would either buy chicks or look for hens that are six months or less in age.

 

[ladysmith]

Lots of good points to think about. Thank you
Our local feed supply will bring in chicks from a large hatchery in Alberta, but would only bring in 25 as the smallest order. I don't want 25!

 

[Book Em Danno25]

I hope you have a great experience here with our one big happy flock!! remember if you need anything, we are here to help.

Signed,

Turkenstein25

 

[Michael OShay]

Lots of good points to think about. Thank you
Our local feed supply will bring in chicks from a large hatchery in Alberta, but would only bring in 25 as the smallest order. I don't want 25!

One thing you might do if that is your only option is to order pullets and sell off the extras. I always order 25 pullets from the hatcheries even though I don't need that many. By ordering pullets (I have the order form to show that I ordered pullets), I've never had any problem selling off the extras and recouping my money. And if you're wanting a rooster, even with pullet orders, I always get one or two cockerels (hatcheries normally only guarantee 90% on pullet orders).

 

[ladysmith]

Yes, I had thought of that, but I was a little worried about not being able to sell Leghorns as most people seem to want brown egg layers.
That and my husband would have a bird (pun intended) if I ordered 25 more chicks!!!