Hi BYC! I need help with my next breed/breeder selection!

[mrskenmore]

Thanks Lizzy!

This is great information- I wish I had the courage to incubate- it could be a really good winter project for me. I just don't know how I would stomach any hatchlings that dont make it- or if I get 12 roosters! How many eggs to you incubate to get a success rate?

 

[Lizzy733]

Thanks Lizzy!

This is great information- I wish I had the courage to incubate- it could be a really good winter project for me. I just don't know how I would stomach any hatchlings that dont make it- or if I get 12 roosters! How many eggs to you incubate to get a success rate?

In the past, I've always given them to my silkie. She's had two hatches: first 3/4 were successful and second, 7/7 made it with one assist. Eggs were picked up, not shipped.

This time, I've gotten shipped eggs - 22 total. I'm only 8 days in and have lost a few - the campines have been the easiest to see through. Two were infertile and one blood-ringed around day 4. (It's a bit sad, there is an obvious little baby in there when cracking them open). All the other campines are looking great.

The Orpington eggs may be light brown, but their shells are very thick, which has made it hard to really see their development. There are 5 on my 'watch list' from them. There's also a fair few detached air cells and a saddled egg or two for them (they came from further away), but they're otherwise growing and losing weight as expected.

They're due for a check-in candle later today - waiting on it to warm up a bit.

Our 5 year plan involves getting a lifestyle block and expanding into pheasants, geese etc... I want turkey and my husband wants emu.

We've had to do our first home-kill last month since we've been in lockdown and our 3 year old shaver was ill and getting worse and worse. We didn't want her to suffer and it's really hard to do when it's a pet, but it was necessary. I couldn't see her coming back from it as she was showing signs of organ failure and all her sister shavers have died this year as well (tumors and hunger strike)

I don't think we'll need to cull any chicks; typically we have friends interested or they should sell for a pretty penny on the local market considering their bloodlines and rarity. *Quality eggs are much cheaper than chicks or grown pullets - $5 an egg for what would likely be a $60+ pullet at 6-8wks. (At least for pricing here in NZD)

We will be trying out the incubator with quail next and those will be food - though we are also limited to 6, so will be at most, one dinner a month. That'll be more for gaining additional experience in hatching and processing than anything else.

 

[Lizzy733]

In the past, I've always given them to my silkie. She's had two hatches: first 3/4 were successful and second, 7/7 made it with one assist. Eggs were picked up, not shipped.

This time, I've gotten shipped eggs - 22 total. I'm only 8 days in and have lost a few - the campines have been the easiest to see through. Two were infertile and one blood-ringed around day 4. (It's a bit sad, there is an obvious little baby in there when cracking them open). All the other campines are looking great.

The Orpington eggs may be light brown, but their shells are very thick, which has made it hard to really see their development. There are 5 on my 'watch list' from them. There's also a fair few detached air cells and a saddled egg or two for them (they came from further away), but they're otherwise growing and losing weight as expected.

They're due for a check-in candle later today - waiting on it to warm up a bit.

Our 5 year plan involves getting a lifestyle block and expanding into pheasants, geese etc... I want turkey and my husband wants emu.

We've had to do our first home-kill last month since we've been in lockdown and our 3 year old shaver was ill and getting worse and worse. We didn't want her to suffer and it's really hard to do when it's a pet, but it was necessary. I couldn't see her coming back from it as she was showing signs of organ failure and all her sister shavers have died this year as well (tumors and hunger strike)

I don't think we'll need to cull any chicks; typically we have friends interested or they should sell for a pretty penny on the local market considering their bloodlines and rarity. *Quality eggs are much cheaper than chicks or grown pullets - $5 an egg for what would likely be a $60+ pullet at 6-8wks. (At least for pricing here in NZD)

We will be trying out the incubator with quail next and those will be food - though we are also limited to 6, so will be at most, one dinner a month. That'll be more for gaining additional experience in hatching and processing than anything else.

Oh and out of the group of 7, SLW, 5 were boys. I felt really guilty cause we kept one pullet and all the others went to a friend of a friend who was hoping for lots of girls

Bad ratios just happen sometimes.

 

[PasoRoblesEgger]

Thanks Lizzy!

This is great information- I wish I had the courage to incubate- it could be a really good winter project for me. I just don't know how I would stomach any hatchlings that dont make it- or if I get 12 roosters! How many eggs to you incubate to get a success rate?

I bought a dozen Pita Pinta eggs this year. They hatched on Mother's Day. Eight out of 10 hatched, I lost two over the summer, but have six beautiful hens which started laying last week. Sweet temperament and beautiful to look at. I have a Brinsea incubator, use the dry hatch method and only added water on lockdown. Try it, you'll love the experience I promise! https://sunbirdfarms.com/2020/04/pita-pinta/

 

[Snakebiteholloway]

Hello All!

I have been happily raising chickens for the past 7 years and I am ready to add to the flock again this Spring 2022. I like to keep a small flock given my suburban nature and small acreage. I was wondering if you could all recommend high quality breeders and some breeds that would be able to fulfill my flock needs based on the criteria below. Please let me know your thoughts and if you have any recommendations for breeds and breeders to go with. As always thank you thank you thank you for any help that you can give

Who: I am a backyard chicken enthusiast with 7+ years experience with chickens and really enjoy this hobby with my husband on our small 1/8" backyard.

What: I would like to add 4 day old (ideally) sexed chicks to my existing flock of 4 hens (Barred Plymouth Rock age 7, Easter Egger age 4, Cuckoo Maran age 2 and Partridge Plymouth Rock age 2) from a breeder. Looking for cold-hearty breeds and very interested in heritage breeds. After years of raising chickens I am tired of getting inferior hatchery stock and recently lost a 2 year old GLW to a tumor and my 7 year old EE due to cancer. I am hoping that by going to heritage breeds and/ or a breeder that the quality will be better and I won't constantly be losing my chickens to genetic or breeding issues. I am aware that chickens do not live forever, but I have had some major loses in the past years due to genetic issues.

Where: Long Island, NY- a coop located in our back yard on 1/8 acre that is 200+ sq ft. access daily to free ranging as I work from home so they get about 8 hours out in a pen and then about 1 hr daily in the back yard with surveillance lol

How: I am able to drive to pick up on the east coast, or open to having chicks shipped

Why: Because chickens are so darn cute and amazing, they make you breakfast and chicken math is real y'all! My flock of 4 currently doesn't feel like enough for me

Okay so now that you know a little bit about me and what I am looking for, let me go into detail on what breeds I am interested in!

I want to be able to go to a breeder that has a few heritage breeds to choose from. I enjoy a mixed flock as it is nice to have different egg colors, personalities and such. Important that they are friendly as I have young ones in the neighborhood that enjoy the hens as well, I wouldn't mind a lap chicken lol and ideally if the breeds can be on the quieter side that would be ideal (I once had a Black Sex Link that would scream bloody murder at the sky to which my neighbors asked if there was something wrong with her lol) I would like for them to be sexed ideally (can look into autosexing breeds as well such as legbars and such..) as roosters are out of the question for where I live.

We really have had good luck and enjoyed our Plymouth Rocks that we have. I also loved my EE and would be open to diving into the world of Ameraucanas. I recently read some really nice things about the Dominican breed and absolutely absolutely loved all of my Buff Orpingtons that I have ever had (unfortunately they were also some of my unhealthier bunches and lost one at day 1, one at 9 months and one at 15 months due to sudden chicken death syndrome) I love the egg laying ability of my Cuckoo Maran and have heard great things about the Maran breed in general. My Golden Laced Wyandotte was one of the prettiest and sweetest hens ever. I also have been researching Greenfire Farms and like that they have autosexing day old chicks, but read mixed reviews on their operation. I will be adding to a flock, so vaccinations against Mareks and such could be needed as well.

When: Ideally Spring 2022

Thanks all! Appreciate it and thanks for reading my post!

I was just bragging on my ISAs as being insanely good layers and so affectionate.
They are also very quiet.
So they aren't the prettiest, who cares?
I've only been chicken farming for about two years, but have raised all 34 of mine by hand and i have about 15 different breeds.
I'm retired so i basically just walk my chickens all day, lol
I like Hoover Hatcheries. I'm sorry but i think they only ship.
We've been very pleased with ours from there.
As far as disease resistance, including baby and adult poopybutt, i love the heritage breeds.
I love my Marans but they've always got some yeast infection or another, despite tip top care and coops, same with my other multi-generational hybrids.
(Sagittas, aquilas, sapphires, etc)
My brahmas, rocks, and other heritage breeds never do!
They all live together!
Amazing.
The brahmas take forever to Mature but worth it.
My 6 brahmas were kinda skittish while young but settled as young adults. They don't mind handling now, but aren't beggars for attention and best thing to me,
They are fine in coops and small ranges.
I free range when I'm outside, and even after dusk i have to go round up my GLWs and rocks, and a few others.
But the brahmas go home immediately, and never really stray far from the coop to begin with.
They are superior cold-Hardy chickens and supposedly go broody often.
Not sure about that yet but fingers crossed.
I salute your heritage interest.
That's where I'm headed too!