Icelandic Chickens

[kathyinmo]

Quote:

That is GREAT news! I have been checking in every Sunday to see.

 

[Mahonri]

Have I ever mentioned how much I love this thread?

 

[Totalcolour]

Mohonri, I hope you are felling better. Make sure you take pain meds. There are so many on the market, there's NO reason to be in pain, and hopefully, offspring will be helping too

 

[Mahonri]

I am doing SO MUCH BETTER TODAY.

I'm praying I'll be up for the long week ahead.

They have me double booked tomorrow and Tuesday, big day Wednesday and when they tried to extend my day on Thursday I said " NO! " DS#1 will be getting home that day and I want to spend the holidays with family... plus I haven't done ANY shopping. so Friday will be the only shopping day for me.

I imagine we'll do all the Christmas celebrating on Saturday and leave Sunday for Church. I will only work 3 days the following week... Tues, Wed and Thurs. And then I'm hatching chickies!

 

[Totalcolour]

So, we just culled some birds. What was really amazing is how big the Cornish birds are. They look so small because of the tight, hard feather. Two (one Icee and one Cornish) are now soaking in a lovely bath full of herbs, garlic, cider and juniper berries and will be spatchcocked for dinner tonight. A very festive meal I think.

So Mary, do you only have the one emu egg? Your place looks really cool with the emus running around. I'm afraid our neighbours would be shooting us if we did something like that.

 

[Totalcolour]

So, this hatching chickens all the time stuff - what does everyone do with all the chickens they hatch? I'm afraid I'd become a hoarder. I started out with five and now have 24 (I won't even talk about the ducks).

Where does it end. . . ?

 

[Totalcolour]

Quote:
I did most of my shopping online - you might consider doing that to save your knee. (Not to mention how much time it saves) Amazon.com will even wrap gifts for you.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
It DOESN'T end!

I started out by building a layers coop (12x16), so we could, "have a few eggs," and bought 24 chicks at the Farm store. THEN, I found BYC. I spent the next year building and building and building, more coops (and adding to the population).

My first hatch was with an incubator (HovaBator) I bought at a garage sale. I went to the Farmer's Market and bought 2 dozen eggs. Most every one hatched. (I still have that incubator, by the way). I gave away all of those chicks and began my journey of hatching pure bred birds...... lots of 'em.

I still give away alot of chicks to the locals around here. I especially enjoy helping out the 4H kids. Though, I have found that they are more appreciative and more likely to continue working with their chickens if they have to pay for them. I gave away so many that some became complacent in caring for their birds. When they would die, they figured..... ahhh, no loss, I can get more free ones. So, I have changed my thinking on giving away tooooo many. Once. Only one batch of chicks is my limit. Then, they have to pay.

I sell chicks, too. I have orders and can't hatch enough to fill them all. I truly love breeding and hatching. Most of all, I enjoy my projects and seeing the results. I am always happy when customers email me with pictures and stories.

 

[Totalcolour]

Quote:
It DOESN'T end!

I started out by building a layers coop (12x16), so we could, "have a few eggs," and bought 24 chicks at the Farm store. THEN, I found BYC. I spent the next year building and building and building, more coops (and adding to the population).

My first hatch was with an incubator (HovaBator) I bought at a garage sale. I went to the Farmer's Market and bought 2 dozen eggs. Most every one hatched. (I still have that incubator, by the way). I gave away all of those chicks and began my journey of hatching pure bred birds...... lots of 'em.

How many breeds do you have?

I sell chicks, too. I have orders and can't hatch enough to fill them all. I truly love breeding and hatching. Most of all, I enjoy my projects and seeing the results. I am always happy when customers email me with pictures and stories.

So, do you do this for a living now, or is this a "Side" project?

I have a few "repeat customers, but mostly for ducks. Hubby has a big Hatchrite, so we can do about 100 at a time I think rr was it 200? I did just sell a very nice BLRW cockerel (so I could have the Icees instead) to a previous customer.

How do you find them, your customers - do you just advertise or do you go to shows?​

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
To the contrary. I went back to work, mostly to support my "hobby." I do not make any sizable money. I will be in the red forever. I have hired help living in my guest house; namely, son #4. I can't take care of it all myself, and he is "between jobs."

Anyway, I am grateful that he does an awesome job.

I do not advertise. I have run a couple auctions here on BYC, and am still getting orders from them. I have a Sportsman that has 3 shelves, 96 eggs per shelf. I usually fill one shelf (or 1½) each week, when I am hatching. I ship out on Mondays and Tuesdays.

I have several breeds, but my focus is on New Hampshires, Barred Rocks, Delawares, and (of course) Icelandics.

It's all just an expensive hobby. And I LOVE IT!