New Mexico

[svenskavessla]

If it's in the spring I will (probably) have some svart höna hatching eggs and possibly chicks.

 

[Classy Chick]

I would be looking for show quality silkies, blue and green egg layers, and pretty much any colorful bird that catches my eye. I can offer fertile hatching eggs from my silkie girls and maybe some chicks if they arrive in time!

 

[bumpercarr]

I have LF brahmas. Partridge and darks and I'm looking for a really nice dark pair if I can find one. I will have hatching eggs and chicks in the spring.

 

[Classy Chick]

This could be great! And if no feed stores here are willing to do it, I have a lot of land in the valley where we could set up. If one was hosted in ABQ I would just bring hatching eggs, but would definitely still come. If anyone brought lavender hens, swedish flowers, or cochins it would be amazing! Ive been looking for those forever, but have't been wanting to ship eggs because of the cost and risk.

 

[bumpercarr]

This could be great! And if no feed stores here are willing to do it, I have a lot of land in the valley where we could set up. If one was hosted in ABQ I would just bring hatching eggs, but would definitely still come. If anyone brought lavender hens, swedish flowers, or cochins it would be amazing! Ive been looking for those forever, but have't been wanting to ship eggs because of the cost and risk.

My experience with shipped eggs last year was dismal until I figured out that eggs that come from sea level have a hard time at altitude. The last batch I ordered from someone at 3K feet and had much better luck (3/15) but still not good. Just letting you know that should you go the shipped eggs route, it is important to think about the altitude difference. There are some things that you can do to improve your chances, there is a high altitude hatching thread that you can read that gives some ideas.

Last year I was 7 for 60 shipped eggs....dismal and expensive, but I was 18/20 for my own laid eggs so I know it wasn't an incubator/humidity/etc problem.

I'm planning on going to the Ohio national show this year (November) and hopefully can pick up a breeding pair there. There are shows in Farmington, Shawnee OK, and AZ that you can go to and see if someone has some sale birds. Be prepared for sticker shock though, most of the time they are asking big $$ for their breeding pairs, but they are worth it if you are working on show quality birds.

Has anyone thought about starting up a poultry organization for New Mexico? The only one that I know of in the state is in Farmington (Four Corners Poultry Association). I can check with our state APA rep to see if there is another organization in the state, but I don't think that there is. A poultry association would go a long way towards helping us get swaps and maybe even some shows going. The great thing about shows is that even if you aren't showing, you can bring birds for trade/sale as well.

 

[olliegrow]

We had horrible experiences with ordering eggs and will never do it again !! That's why my family is now into breeding full bred chickens and yes the quality is going up if you know were to look and so are the prices ! Our true breeding Japanese bantams were from Okinawa japan were my grandmother is from and people don't seem excited about them like we thought ? We always have chicks an pullets for $10 which is very reasonable, but don't sell? I think there are some of the coolest urban chickens Ive ever had !! Ohh well, cant please them all but do agree prices are going up as they should for show quality...

 

[Classy Chick]

We had horrible experiences with ordering eggs and will never do it again !! That's why my family is now into breeding full bred chickens and yes the quality is going up if you know were to look and so are the prices ! Our true breeding Japanese bantams were from Okinawa japan were my grandmother is from and people don't seem excited about them like we thought ? We always have chicks an pullets for $10 which is very reasonable, but don't sell? I think there are some of the coolest urban chickens Ive ever had !! Ohh well, cant please them all but do agree prices are going up as they should for show quality...

I LOVE japanese bantams! What colors do you have? I am trying to get some more variety in my little flock, since most of them are silkie crosses.

 

[bumpercarr]

We had horrible experiences with ordering eggs and will never do it again !! That's why my family is now into breeding full bred chickens and yes the quality is going up if you know were to look and so are the prices ! Our true breeding Japanese bantams were from Okinawa japan were my grandmother is from and people don't seem excited about them like we thought ? We always have chicks an pullets for $10 which is very reasonable, but don't sell? I think there are some of the coolest urban chickens Ive ever had !! Ohh well, cant please them all but do agree prices are going up as they should for show quality...

I think excitement is building for all of the "different" varieties, in other words, the ones that you can't get at the local feed store. I'm afraid that a lot of people have sticker shock though. $10 for a pullet is an outstanding price, I usually end up paying $20 per chick, between $60 and $100 for a pullet, $200-$300 for a breeding pair (sometimes can get that price for a trio, but not often). Heck, I've paid $20 for a pullet from hatchery stock, just to not have to wait to get eggs. I haven't sold anything yet, I'm still working on my breeding program but do plan on starting to sell in the next few years once I get the "type" where I want it. Unfortunately, I've had to start over twice this year thanks to some dogs that killed everything that I had worked on for over two years.

That is part of the reason that I think we may need another poultry association in New Mexico. It would help those with various breeds establish contacts for selling and for discussing breeding programs. Have you joined APA, ABA and the association for Japanese bantams? Generally, these organizations keep a list of breeders for those that are looking for a specific breed and you will establish contacts that you wouldn't otherwise have across the country for your hatching eggs and chicks (even juvenile and adult stock).

 

[olliegrow]

We currently have the black tailed white Japanese bantams...

Here are our breeding parents, 1 of them, our chicks are 5 weeks old now..

 

[Classy Chick]

We currently have the black tailed white Japanese bantams...

Here are our breeding parents, 1 of them, our chicks are 5 weeks old now..

They are simply gorgeous! I would love to own a pullet or two, do you have any available at the moment? Are they decent layers?