Michigan Pea Breeders?

[PurpleEast]

Hello pea people!!

I was on the hunt for breeders located in Michigan, preferably the southwestern area of the mitten but I'm not opposed to a road trip.

I was looking to expand my flock by either eggs, pea chicks or peahens. Now probably isn't the best time for hens..

I'm not keen on trying shipped eggs as I've had bad luck and didn't want to drop a lot of money on shipped eggs that have been subjected to shipping. But I thought if a breeder was nearby I would love to try hatching eggs. Or at least get in touch with some folks!

Thanks! (So many beautiful birds in here, btw)!

 

[birdmanmax]

I'm in auburn 30mins from Saginaw so quite a drive. I have black shoulders and India blues plus some pieds but will have more colors coming this summer. Currently I have only had one egg laid but have two chicks from last year, 1male and 1 female, both BS IB cross. There's more of us out here but I don't know to many breeders in the southwestern region.

 

[PurpleEast]

Hey birdmanmax!

That's not an extreme hike if it comes down to it. Worth the gas money for chicks versus lottery shipped eggs. I know the breeding season is maybe juuust starting here so I'm a month out for chicks.

I got my India blues from blackberry pines right nearby where I am from an awesome breeder but I'm looking for new genetics.. which is a shame because he's so close to me right now.

I'll keep you in mind for sure! Appreciate the reply.

 

[birdmanmax]

Yup no problem I to am looking for new colors too. The spicer family raises some different colors along with the Gunnels in Clio and Ancona's peafowl in lapeer there numbers are on the mbgba website under members on the net.

 

[PurpleEast]

Thanks for this, I might have to contact them if they're doing this year for chicks because they have a lot of different mutations, wow!

 

[Kedreeva]

*waves* I'm over in Belleville, south/southeast Michigan. My kids should drop pied, dark pied, cameo pied females, and hopefully some purple pied and purple pied split BS this year.

 

[birdmanmax]

Lol kids I think of my peas the same way, it's nice to see another loving pea breeder @Kedreeva how much do you usually sell chicks/eggs for?

 

[Kedreeva]

Eggs I was doing $8/ea on the pied/cameo pen, $10/ea from the purple pen. Chicks depends on age and colors, I usually do blues/dark pieds at $15-20, pieds at $30, and everything else at $35-40.

And I gotta tell you, selling has been an ADVENTURE here. The first year I was selling, I just listed them on Craigslist and sold all of them except one of the cameos that a friend ended up taking at the end of the season anyway... not a big deal, not a bad turn around. Last year I didn't say anything, people just started calling me at the end of April. Like, people I didn't even know and had never spoken to before. One lady didn't even have a backyard she just wanted a birthday present for her son (I obviously said no to that one yikes!!) and another guy called back to pick up more because "I was outside letting them play and a HAWK GRABBED ONE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME." yiiikkkkes. Three people called to ask if I had purples yet ...???.... I wasn't even breeding purples yet, my male was just turning 2.... how did they know...

ALSO you should consider, if you just wanna browse, popping by the MI game bird swap meets.

http://www.mbgba.com/upcoming_events

Lots of folks bring their peas to these. Imlay is a good one for older birds, Montrose is usually GREAT for young birds (also it's in a field next to a cider mill with AMAZING donuts and hot cider?? it's my favorite). There's also a set of swaps at Wolf Creek Swap Grounds in Indiana, near Shipshewana. I think that one is 4 times a year? but anyway it's HUGE and people from several states show up with peas usually, so there's a good range of colors and New Blood to choose from.

 

[birdmanmax]

Thanks for the response, oh wow sounds like a very exciting selling season. I've always wondered if it was hard to sell birds, never tried to hard to get people to buy them. And we probably have met or seen each other I've been to a lot of mbgba sales and will be attending the Imlay swap meet. When would you think you'd have some chicks ready, I'm looking for anything but India blues and black shoulders?

 

[Kedreeva]

Hard to say, my ladies haven't started laying yet (I mean, except Beep, but she isn't with any boys, so she doesn't count). They don't normally start until the end of April, so it'll probably be mid to late May before the first chicks hatch.