Hi!
I decided to join so I could learn from some of you, and maybe I might be able to offer some advice that I have learned on my own through the years as well.
As you notice from my title I am not new to chickens. I have owned chickens for around 9 years now. We started with Araucanas, Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, Silver laced Wyandottes. From there we went to Light Brahmas, Pearl White Leghorns, Black Australorps, New Hampshire Reds, Buff Orpingtons, White Rocks, Single Comb Brown Leghorn, Buff laced Polish. After having all those different types we have decided to concentrate on the really good layers, and personality as well.
Currently I have 20 hens. I have 4 Black Stars, 2 Red Stars, 3 White leghorns, 2 Delaware, 3 Anconas, 1 Speckled Sussex, 1 Buff Orpington, 2 White Crested Black Polish, and two that were hatched from my Black Star hen, and Pearl White Leghorn Rooster. They are turning out to be great layers! We also have a female Mallard, who ended up hatching two baby chicks and raised them for about 2 months till an owl or skunk came and killed them. It was hilarious to watch her take care of those two chicks, she was a very good mother! I currently have her in the chicken house and yard with the other chickens, and she rules the roost.
So there has always been some cons with the past chickens I have had. Either the feed ratio wasn't good for the eggs they produced, or they were mean, or I found a lot of brown spots in the eggs which my son informed me was protein, but I didn't like it so I would try another breed. The chickens from my experience they lay the cleanest eggs meaning no brown or red spots, not including being fertilized are the Leghorns, and the Araucanas. But since the egg to feed ratio wasn't good with the Araucanas, we stopped raising them. We are so far liking the leghorns, Red Stars, and Black Stars, for laying ability and feed ratio. The others have just started laying so I will see about them.
I have found Backyard, through google, and decided I should probably give it a try and join.
I live in the greater Northwest, and love it! We have 5 acres, and 20 chickens, 50 dairy goats, and 1 horse. We have done 4-H as a family while my children were growing up. Now they have all aged out.
The next breed I want to try is a hybrid called Bovan Goldline. I am currently trying to find a hatchery or breeder in the U.S. All the ones I have found online are from Great Britain. But so far I haven't found any. If I don't I am totally looking into trying to breed them myself. For those who may not know the Goldline comes from a Rhode Island Red Rooster and a Light Sussex hen.
Anyway I have gone on too much. Looking forward to meeting and getting to know all of you!
I decided to join so I could learn from some of you, and maybe I might be able to offer some advice that I have learned on my own through the years as well.
As you notice from my title I am not new to chickens. I have owned chickens for around 9 years now. We started with Araucanas, Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, Silver laced Wyandottes. From there we went to Light Brahmas, Pearl White Leghorns, Black Australorps, New Hampshire Reds, Buff Orpingtons, White Rocks, Single Comb Brown Leghorn, Buff laced Polish. After having all those different types we have decided to concentrate on the really good layers, and personality as well.
Currently I have 20 hens. I have 4 Black Stars, 2 Red Stars, 3 White leghorns, 2 Delaware, 3 Anconas, 1 Speckled Sussex, 1 Buff Orpington, 2 White Crested Black Polish, and two that were hatched from my Black Star hen, and Pearl White Leghorn Rooster. They are turning out to be great layers! We also have a female Mallard, who ended up hatching two baby chicks and raised them for about 2 months till an owl or skunk came and killed them. It was hilarious to watch her take care of those two chicks, she was a very good mother! I currently have her in the chicken house and yard with the other chickens, and she rules the roost.
So there has always been some cons with the past chickens I have had. Either the feed ratio wasn't good for the eggs they produced, or they were mean, or I found a lot of brown spots in the eggs which my son informed me was protein, but I didn't like it so I would try another breed. The chickens from my experience they lay the cleanest eggs meaning no brown or red spots, not including being fertilized are the Leghorns, and the Araucanas. But since the egg to feed ratio wasn't good with the Araucanas, we stopped raising them. We are so far liking the leghorns, Red Stars, and Black Stars, for laying ability and feed ratio. The others have just started laying so I will see about them.
I have found Backyard, through google, and decided I should probably give it a try and join.
I live in the greater Northwest, and love it! We have 5 acres, and 20 chickens, 50 dairy goats, and 1 horse. We have done 4-H as a family while my children were growing up. Now they have all aged out.
The next breed I want to try is a hybrid called Bovan Goldline. I am currently trying to find a hatchery or breeder in the U.S. All the ones I have found online are from Great Britain. But so far I haven't found any. If I don't I am totally looking into trying to breed them myself. For those who may not know the Goldline comes from a Rhode Island Red Rooster and a Light Sussex hen.
Anyway I have gone on too much. Looking forward to meeting and getting to know all of you!
