Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[RaZ]

Fortunately I hit TSC today during the snowstorm. VERY helpful in avoiding those cute chicks! I WILL NOT set up my brooder to keep temptation at bay. Besides, the Cackle order is coming in April. Bought enough feed to last a while without going back there too. Mary

Stopped during the snowstorm. Avoided the "cute" chicks. Came home with the ugly ones.

 

[1muttsfan]

Easter Eggers are mixed breed birds that lay a colorful assortment of eggs; many lay blue/green eggs, but they can also lay light tan ("pink") eggs. They are related to Ameraucanas and/or Araucanas, but are not purebred birds, and can have a variety of colorful feathers. In general they tend to be good layers and good flock citizens, but egg color can be variable.

 

[Stacykins]

Good to know... I mainly just like the fact they have blue eggs. I think the kids will find that fun. Will that be true of an Easter egger as well? I believe the chicks come from town line poultry

Because EEs are a mixed breed they can lay a range of colors. Many do carry the allele for blue egg shells (it is dominant). Eggs often will be shades blue or green, green occurs when a blue shelled egg has brown pigment. If they are layers of white shelled eggs, the eggs will be in the tan or brown range. It doesn't seem many lay pure white eggs.

Those of us who keep purebred Araucanas are in a losing battle against hatcheries to properly label their birds. EEs are great birds! But people need to know that is what they are getting. Calling them Araucanas makes people think they are getting them. But they're not. They're too difficult for a hatchery to handle. Rumplessness reduces fertility, and if tufted x tufted is bred, 25% of chicks perish before hatching if they inherit two copies of the dominant tufting allele.

 

[RaZ]

I will stick with calling them EEs. I can never seem to spell Ameraucanas and/or Araucanas.
I also have trouble with the egg colour. Is it blue or green? Even my buff Orpingtons make things difficult. Their light tan eggs look pink to me.

And who came up with feather colour??? What the heck is blue, lavender, and cuckoo anyway? Blue legs, green legs, or yellow legs? And don't get me started on the silver-laced, blue-penciled red birds.

It's enough to drive you to drink. I need a beer! A nice lager, maybe an ale. Perhaps a stout or an IPA.

 

[bigmrg74]

Fortunately I hit TSC today during the snowstorm. VERY helpful in avoiding those cute chicks! I WILL NOT set up my brooder to keep temptation at bay. Besides, the Cackle order is coming in April. Bought enough feed to last a while without going back there too. Mary

was there at TSC Saline tonight. Was strong and avoided getting chicks. They didn't have Buff Orpingtons chicks, just Australorps, rhode island reds, leghorns, assorted bantams and ducks. Really hoping that they get Buffs next week. they didn't know what they're getting in their next shipment next week.

I will stick with calling them EEs. I can never seem to spell Ameraucanas and/or Araucanas.
I also have trouble with the egg colour. Is it blue or green? Even my buff Orpingtons make things difficult. Their light tan eggs look pink to me.

And who came up with feather colour??? What the heck is blue, lavender, and cuckoo anyway? Blue legs, green legs, or yellow legs? And don't get me started on the silver-laced, blue-penciled red birds.

It's enough to drive you to drink. I need a beer! A nice lager, maybe an ale. Perhaps a stout or an IPA.

Just want chickies that lay yummy eggs and will tolerate being herded by a 9 pound dog. Oh and a beer, that does sound yummy!!

 

[RaZ]

was there at TSC Saline tonight. Was strong and avoided getting chicks. They didn't have Buff Orpingtons chicks

I picked up 6 BO's at the TSC in New Hudson. The new store just south of I-96 and Milford Road. They had quite a few. I watched the bin for a good 20 minutes and all the chicks looked healthy. With the snow and traffic, it took nearly an hour to get home. The fuzz-butts fared well during the trip. They are eating and drinking like champs.

Not that I am instigating....but you could be there and back on your lunch hour tomorrow.

 

[bigmrg74]

I picked up 6 BO's at the TSC in New Hudson. The new store just south of I-96 and Milford Road. They had quite a few. I watched the bin for a good 20 minutes and all the chicks looked healthy. With the snow and traffic, it took nearly an hour to get home. The fuzz-butts fared well during the trip. They are eating and drinking like champs.

Not that I am instigating....but you could be there and back on your lunch hour tomorrow.

I will keep that in mind. I already have a tentative lunch date next Thursday planned to go get chicks with the girlfriend. She would be madder than an old wet hen if I got chickies and wasn't there to watch them the whole ride home like she did last year when I got the Iowa's from Brent and Candy. Plus, I have to be at work at 1:30 in the Domino Farms area of Ann Arbor. I don't think the boss would like me stashing them in her office or in the break room until 8 or so. She considers me a bad influence on her wife who also wants to get chickens.

 

[1muttsfan]

Maybe her wife would babysit them for you

 

[bigmrg74]

Maybe her wife would babysit them for you

That's exactly what the Boss would be afraid of.

Then again, about half of the front desk staff would be fawning over the chickies as well.

 

[LisaLouHoo]

Any Michiganders interested in SFH chicks or hatching eggs? If so, PM me or message me on my FB page, http://Facebook.com/MyFlowerFarm