Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[COChix]

I wouldn't buy into that stuff about not mixing certain breeds. I read the same warnungs about brahmas in a mixed flock, and mine is coming around fine. I have a RIR and a delaware with her. Both have reputations for bullying, and they are the leaders of my flock, but I haven't had serious issues. I've had to keep my eye out and add toys/treats, but that seems to keep them occupied enough to keep everyone happy. I personally love my mixed flock and would be saddened if I would have listened to everyone who said not to get certain breeds.

Totally agree wih you, we have a mixed flock of 25 with 7 different breeds. For the most part they get along, not sure who our top hen is, I think a BR. I have seen each breed, with the exception of the EE, be pushy and peck others from time to time. Nothing major, more spats than anything.

X2

I have a very mixed flock, from bantams to cochins, and they all get along fine. There are pecks here and there but no bullying. I have 2 orps in there right now. My friend has 5-6 orps in her mixed flock and they do fine also. Variety is the spice of life! 
I do think it's possible to just get a mean bird or a bad mix of personalities though despite the breeds. Our first BO was head of the flock and mean to the new girls. We sold her to a friend and since she was the new girl there she fit in great. She still has her and loves her.

agree, we had two RIR roo's from our all pullet pack and they were mean and agressive, they went into the freezers.

My son's chicken is also an EE.  She was the first to lay in our flock at 20 weeks, with our Golden Buff (known for laying early) laying later that week.  She lays a light bluish green egg.  She's a bit skittish, but docile and quiet.  My son was scared to hold the chicks and I could have snuggled her more...

I started keeping track of the girls laying two weeks ago.  Not surprisingly Amelia the Golden Buff has laid the most, with Victoria the Dorking coming in close behind her, there have been three days it's been just the two of them laying.  Morgaine the Marans apparently thinks its winter break, she hasn't laid an egg in the last four days.  Previously none of our girls had skipped more than one day in a row.  She used to lay five in a row.  Ah well tis the season!

That is great your tracking individual egg production. I someimes wish we had less girls so I could do that as well.

Speaking of tracking egg production, can anyone share their how to's on tracking individual egg production in a lager flock. I was thinking about how to do this and what I figured is I could do a controlled test each week with about 5-6 girls. I could use food dye on their vents and then I could track their eggs for a week. I am very curious about who all is laying. We have about 4-5 girls that are broody and are sitting on clutches of eggs, every chance they get. I continually have to remove then from the nests when I collect eggs. So I am wondering if they are laying, we are averaging 20 eggs a day from 23 layers. Yesterday we had 22/23, we have gotten 23/23 a few times but nothing consistent.

On a side note, the girls are blowing through their feed faster than I expected, we figured they are eating over 1/4 pounds of feed a day, more like 1/3 pound. I do miss how much fermenting their feed extended their food. I need to get going on fodder. I have barley and will start with that. Maybe next week, anyone doing fodder?

 

[jeremyhodges]

Had a disappointment today. Last June we bought four new breeds from Meyer. My Olive Egger (who is a gorgeous bird) started laying but unfortunately they're not olive eggs at all. More of a medium brown. The egg color was the reason we bought that breed so it's always a bummer when it doesn't work out.

 

[Melabella]

Had a disappointment today. Last June we bought four new breeds from Meyer. My Olive Egger (who is a gorgeous bird) started laying but unfortunately they're not olive eggs at all. More of a medium brown. The egg color was the reason we bought that breed so it's always a bummer when it doesn't work out.

Oh NO! I have an olive egger just getting ready to lay and was looking forward to olive eggs as well! Do you have a picture of what she looks like perhaps. I bought two that are 16 weeks old and they look completely different. One is darker grey with almost lacing/barring to her feathers and has a crest. She is a very large bird all ready. The other is almost blue looking and large as well.Praying one of them at least lays an olive egg! Sorry about that I am sure you love her just the same!

MB

 

[Melabella]

Disappointment for me as well today as I now realize that one of the three Blue, Black Splash Ameraucana pullets I ordered is indeed a roo. Since they are in the big grow out stall with multiple cockerels in it.. he has been especially secretive about it. That and the fact the Ameraucana are slow to mature, here we are at 13 weeks and it's a boy! Grrrrrr... this is now the third time Meyer has done this to me, they are lucky I still like them! I have to get a good picture of him and give them a call. 4 dollars a chick is one thing.. but I think I paid $10 a day old is worth a refund!


MB

 

[jeremyhodges]

Here's a photo of my non-olive laying Olive Egger!

 

[Melabella]

Here's a photo of my non-olive laying Olive Egger!

Oh she is pretty! Love her brown neck feathers. One of mine is exactly that color but doesn't have the brown.. at least not yet. She is only 13 weeks. And I just checked the website. I paid $20 per chick.. not $10. I'm definitely sending off pictures. I just chatted with Bethany from Meyer, she is very helpful. She told me to send pics.

MB

 

[konachicks]

I had 4 Meyer EE's. Most people get green or blue eggs but be prepared, you could get any color at all.  2 of mine laid green and 1 brown and 1 light creamy color.  ALL are/were super layers though.  One died at 1 yr old of unknown causes and one I sold cause she was just really mean to the younger girls.  The 2 that I have left are great layers and the creamy colored egg is a jumbo sized egg every time!  The other is XL and a pretty green color.  I'm waiting for my Meyer Olive Egger to start laying... she's 16 weeks now. I'll let everyone know how that works out  

sorry forgot to add... the green color on one of my EE's is a pretty sage color and the other was a brighter green. 

I'm so bad at guessing chicks, sorry.  Did Meyer offer a suggestion as to what it could be?

Nope they just said I was right she does look different and to send more pics in a few weeks

They're all so pretty!!!   My son was the one really hoping for pretty blue/green eggs, I will just have to keep my fingers crossed. I am just appreciative for the variety of color in the egg basket, since the rest of the girls will all be laying brown eggs. 

I was reading about breed temperaments last night, and read that orps shouldn't be kept in mixed flocks, because they are so docile they are easily bullied? Is this something any of you have had issues with? I'm hoping my "big" girls won't have an issue with the new girls, once they get big enough to challenge the existing pecking order. I specifically didn't order any RIR or LH because I've read they can have rather aggressive personalities, even though they are great egg layers. Sigh! Now I'm going to second guess (or is it third guess, by now?) all of my choices... 
Could it be your blue am, with a the "wrong" kind of comb? I know hatchery birds aren't always to breed standard, but we love them anyway.  

I also have one Buff Orp and she is also kind of a loner. She is very friendly and ventures the farthest when I take the babies outside. But nobody pics on her and I have 6 other chicks, all different breeds with her.

Totally agree wih you, we have a mixed flock of 25 with 7 different breeds. For the most part they get along, not sure who our top hen is, I think a BR. I have seen each breed, with the exception of the EE, be pushy and peck others from time to time. Nothing major, more spats than anything.
agree, we had two RIR roo's from our all pullet pack and they were mean and agressive, they went into the freezers.

That is great your tracking individual egg production. I someimes wish we had less girls so I could do that as well.

Speaking of tracking egg production, can anyone share their how to's on tracking individual egg production in a lager flock. I was thinking about how to do this and what I figured is I could do a controlled test each week with about 5-6 girls. I could use food dye on their vents and then I could track their eggs for a week. I am very curious about who all is laying. We have about 4-5 girls that are broody and are sitting on clutches of eggs, every chance they get. I continually have to remove then from the nests when I collect eggs. So I am wondering if they are laying, we are averaging 20 eggs a day from 23 layers. Yesterday we had 22/23, we have gotten 23/23 a few times but nothing consistent.

On a side note, the girls are blowing through their feed faster than I expected, we figured they are eating over 1/4 pounds of feed a day, more like 1/3 pound. I do miss how much fermenting their feed extended their food. I need to get going on fodder. I have barley and will start with that. Maybe next week, anyone doing fodder?

I did a test run on fodder and my girls all loved it. However on an actual fodder thread someone said she just sprouts for 4 days then feeds cause she had a bird die (choking I believe) do I was going to do my next batch for 4 days and see how they do

Disappointment for me as well today as I now realize that one of the three Blue, Black Splash Ameraucana pullets I ordered is indeed a roo.  Since they are in the big grow out stall with multiple cockerels in it.. he has been especially secretive about it.  That and the fact the Ameraucana are slow to mature, here we are at 13 weeks and it's  a boy!  Grrrrrr... this is now the third time Meyer has done this to me, they are lucky I still like them!  I have to get a good picture of him and give them a call.  4 dollars a chick is one thing.. but I think I paid $10 a day old is worth a refund!
May I see some pics of the AM's? I'm having trouble with mine too ( or not being an am) do you have any pics from like 4-5 weeks old?


MB

 

[trsturself]

Totally agree wih you, we have a mixed flock of 25 with 7 different breeds. For the most part they get along, not sure who our top hen is, I think a BR. I have seen each breed, with the exception of the EE, be pushy and peck others from time to time. Nothing major, more spats than anything.
agree, we had two RIR roo's from our all pullet pack and they were mean and agressive, they went into the freezers.

That is great your tracking individual egg production. I someimes wish we had less girls so I could do that as well.

Speaking of tracking egg production, can anyone share their how to's on tracking individual egg production in a lager flock. I was thinking about how to do this and what I figured is I could do a controlled test each week with about 5-6 girls. I could use food dye on their vents and then I could track their eggs for a week. I am very curious about who all is laying. We have about 4-5 girls that are broody and are sitting on clutches of eggs, every chance they get. I continually have to remove then from the nests when I collect eggs. So I am wondering if they are laying, we are averaging 20 eggs a day from 23 layers. Yesterday we had 22/23, we have gotten 23/23 a few times but nothing consistent.

On a side note, the girls are blowing through their feed faster than I expected, we figured they are eating over 1/4 pounds of feed a day, more like 1/3 pound. I do miss how much fermenting their feed extended their food. I need to get going on fodder. I have barley and will start with that. Maybe next week, anyone doing fodder?

The food color for a week is a good way to do it with a larger flock. Just note you'll have to reapply the food coloring about every other day. Pick dark colors (yellow and neon green don't work too well) and make sure it goes into the vent, not just the outside.

We used to do fodder but it kept getting moldy. Someone said 65-68 is the perfect temp to do it, which is where we keep the temp in the house in the winter, but even my sprouts have gone moldy a couple times if I don't get them rinsed well enough each day. I'd really like to setup the system again but not sure where to do it. I would do it in the basement but I rarely go down there so I'm afraid I'd forget about it. I'd definitely need it on a timer with a pump to water it. I agree, we are flying through the food much faster now that we aren't fermenting. The flock wastes a lot more of it too picking out their favorite parts and throwing the oats all over the place. If I hadn't already mixed the whole 100lbs I would've gone back and ground the oats a bit. Maybe that would help. Maybe next batch.

Here's a photo of my non-olive laying Olive Egger!

Looks a lot like a blue copper maran. It's interesting how some lay the olive and some don't. I would love to see the genetics on that. I saw it once but don't remember it. Maybe I'll go look that up. She's pretty at least!

Nope they just said I was right she does look different and to send more pics in a few weeks

I also have one Buff Orp and she is also kind of a loner. She is very friendly and ventures the farthest when I take the babies outside. But nobody pics on her and I have 6 other chicks, all different breeds with her.
I did a test run on fodder and my girls all loved it. However on an actual fodder thread someone said she just sprouts for 4 days then feeds cause she had a bird die (choking I believe) do I was going to do my next batch for 4 days and see how they do

I think a fodder feeder is necessary. I saw a DIY one on here somewhere that looked great. Another thing to research. They like it better if it isn't loose so they can pull off small chunks at a time.

 

[chickadee5002]

My 5 buffs are my original girls and they are top hens out of 28 hens and 1 Roo. I definitely have a mixed flock with 5 easter eggers (3 green, 1 blue & 1 brown layer), 5 golden buffs, 5 barred rocks, 3 speckled Sussex, 3 olive eggers (1 olive layer 2 brown layers), 1 baby buff, 1 baby Australorp, 1 Australorp Roo. They are all from Meyer. They all get along great. I was very disapointed with the olive eggers too they are very pretty but I hate paying 10 dollars for a brown egg layer :/

 

[rnchick74]

I have a blue orp & a buff orp. My blue orp (Flora) is a BIG girl...HUGE! She is one of the top girls...mostly because she can sit on you & crush you. She's so laid back and docile though and the only issues that have ever come about (pecks) are over food.

My buff orp (Doc McCluckins) is a busy body. She has to be all up in everyone's face & business. She gets pecked a lot because she can be annoying!!! She's in the middle of the pecking order. She got a good peck to the comb today as someone was in the nesting box - Doc sticks her head in "whatcha doin...can I see?" Yeah, she deserved it!

Funny thing is that my top chick is my Black Copper Marans, Collette. She is a bossy thing who keeps everyone in line. She started laying today too...at least I think it's her. The egg isn't that dark, but it is brown!