Hey Ya'll

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docjones24

docjones24

Hatching
5 Years
Dec 11, 2014
3
0
7
I want to introduce my self. I am Bro. Jeff Jones, a bi-vocational worship Pastor and my other profession is a Pharmacist. I'm from the Great State of Mississippi. I am married to Sherry Parker Jones and we have 4 children. Parker,19-Payton,17-Lillie Kathryn, 14- and Libbie-Claire, 11.

We are new to the backyard chicken world, but are already in love with it. We have Road Island Reds, Lavender Orbingtons, and Yellow Buff Orbingtons.

We are considering ordering some eggs to hatch that are AMERAUCANA/ COPPER MARANS/ CREAM LEGBAR hatchilngs.
Is anyone familiar with them and are they good layers?

We are also looking for the best rooster to get for our gals. We want a colorful one and one that would be a good crower for the farm.

Any advice is Welcomed.
Thanks and Blessings,
Jeff Jones
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
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So glad you could join our community! This IS the place to be for all the fun and learning. We are just bursting at the seams with knowledge.

I have never raised the breeds you speak of but I know people that do keep them and love them to pieces. So I think you will be happy with those breeds. I think the Copper Marans are just gorgeous!

Enjoy this new journey you are on and we do welcome you to our flock! :)
 
Welcome to BYC! Glad you decided to join our flock. I've had all of the breeds you mention in your post at one time or another over the past 50 years except the Legbars. I've raised Orpingtons for years and they are wonderful birds; hardy, friendly and gentle (my children, and now my granddaughter, made lap pets of them) and good layers of large, brown eggs. Depending on where you are getting your Ameraucana eggs from, they are likely to be Easter Eggers rather than true Ameraucanas, which are relatively rare and expensive. Easter Eggers are hybrids produced by crossing Ameraucanas with other breeds to produce offspring that lay eggs in colors other than just blue. Hatcheries often incorrectly market their Easter Eggers under the labels Araucana or Ameraucana (frequently misspelled as Americana or Americauna). If your are not familiar with the difference, there is a good article at http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/09/ameraucana-easter-egger-or-araucana.html explaining the difference. Easter Eggers are good layers (3, occasionally 4 eggs per hen per week), and they are my granddaughter's (pictured in my avatar) favorite hens. She loves their colored eggs. Marans are also good layers (about the same as EEs) and lay beautiful dark brown eggs, frequently referred to as "chocolate eggs." As for roosters, the recommended ration is 1 rooster for every 10 hens as too many roosters will be very hard physically on your hens; over-breeding them, biting and plucking the feathers from their backs and necks, battering them, and potentially, seriously injuring them. I would suggest getting a rooster of one of the breeds that has a well deserved reputation for being calm and gentle such as Australorps, Orpingtons, Cochins, Brahmas, Sussex, or Faverolles. Please feel free to ask any other questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. May God bless your flock.
 

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