North Carolina

[416bigbore]

Roosters are a gamble. My in-town Light Brahma lived up to the Brahma reputation for laid-back roosters but I'm not getting one for this flock because I don't want late maturity and low egg production as part of my ongoing flock genetics.

I've been happy with chicks from Ideal. Since they're in Texas their breeders are adapted to heat even if they're not necessarily "heat-tolerant" breeds. I don't do ice and misting and all that stuff for heat -- I just give them plenty of shade, electrolytes once a week when it's over 95F, good ventilation, and access to ground that they can dig into cooler layers. I haven't had a heat stress issue last summer or this summer and I never had an issue in my in-town flock.

I understand the breed indecision thing. Sometime serendipity happens -- I just LOVE the Blue Australorps I got from Welp via Carolina Town and Country last year. I wouldn't have gotten them except that I had to choose from what was available and they didn't get the Delawares I'd gone there for.

Hello, Sorry for my delay in returning a reply. Now you have me interested in the Delaware breed, LOL What an amazing beautiful breed of chicken, I can see why you wanted them.

While researching that breed, I seen somewhere on the net, they are becoming a rare and hard to find breed. Your thoughts on that?

I have never order chicks before, always afraid of a delay in shipping and something bad happening to them. I will have to check Ideal to see what breeds they have to offer?

We have been very fortunate with our mixed flock during the hot humid months. I too give electrolytes once a week and also use a fan to help keep the air moving and they all seem to like that. We have an open coop and they free range for the most part and have plenty of shade when needed.

I just started to learn how the whole incubating egg process works and with room being an issue I can't get to crazy. LOL That is why I would like to find a hardy dual purpose breed to repopulate our own flock, while sending the extra cockerels to freezer camp.

Any luck with finding a new feed source near you yet? I am kind of a fan of FF and buy a variety of small grains in 50lb bags from local farmers to help keep our feed costs down. I then add the extra vitamins and poultry minerals to their FF to make sure they are getting everything they need. I understand FF isn't an option for everyone, it does take a little extra time to mess with.


https://www.chickensandmore.com/delaware-chicken/

 

[3KillerBs]

While researching that breed, I seen somewhere on the net, they are becoming a rare and hard to find breed. Your thoughts on that?

There does seem to be a general shortage of Delawares these past couple years. I really do want to have some again because I really liked my in-town flock's Delawares.

Any luck with finding a new feed source near you yet?

No, I haven't found one yet.

 

[416bigbore]

There does seem to be a general shortage of Delawares these past couple years. I really do want to have some again because I really liked my in-town flock's Delawares.



No, I haven't found one yet.

This is what I found from Ideal, I will call them Monday and see what they have to say about shipping etc. If I like what they have to say I may just order some up this spring and see what happens.

Sorry about your feed supply issue, that Sux!

https://www.idealpoultry.com/product/1493/0

https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/australorp-chickens-a-comprehensive-care-guide/

 

[3KillerBs]

This is what I found from Ideal, I will call them Monday and see what they have to say about shipping etc. If I like what they have to say I may just order some up this spring and see what happens.

Sorry about your feed supply issue, that Sux!

https://www.idealpoultry.com/product/1493/0

https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/australorp-chickens-a-comprehensive-care-guide/

Unfortunately, Ideal was out of Delawares when I placed my order last year.

 

[416bigbore]

Unfortunately, Ideal was out of Delawares when I placed my order last year.

Do you think you will still try for more Delawares, or just keep going with the breeds you have?

I am favoring the Black Australorps because of their more quiet and docile behavior. I did find a few local peeps on CL who have them posted and will have to reach out to them to find out more on what they have going with that breed?

What's your thoughts on buying vaccinated chicks from Ideal over unvaccinated?

 

[3KillerBs]

Do you think you will still try for more Delawares, or just keep going with the breeds you have?

I am favoring the Black Australorps because of their more quiet and docile behavior. I did find a few local peeps on CL who have them posted and will have to reach out to them to find out more on what they have going with that breed?

What's your thoughts on buying vaccinated chicks from Ideal over unvaccinated?

I will probably try to get Delawares when I can, but I'm absolutely LOVING my Blue Australorps -- my two adults inspired me to get 15 of them from Welp at the end of September (I'll have some to sell in a few weeks when I'm ready to choose the initial keepers and am fairly certain which are the cockerels and which are the pullets).

Australorps seem to be very well suited to our climate. I also like the fact that they're fairly large since I have hawks nesting on the property and hear them overhead constantly.

I haven't bought vaccinated chicks because there have never been chickens on this property and I'm planning on hatching and didn't want to mix vaccinated and unvaccinated. I might end up changing my mind and learning to do my own vaccinations depending on how the future works out.

 

[416bigbore]

I will probably try to get Delawares when I can, but I'm absolutely LOVING my Blue Australorps -- my two adults inspired me to get 15 of them from Welp at the end of September (I'll have some to sell in a few weeks when I'm ready to choose the initial keepers and am fairly certain which are the cockerels and which are the pullets).

Australorps seem to be very well suited to our climate. I also like the fact that they're fairly large since I have hawks nesting on the property and hear them overhead constantly.

I haven't bought vaccinated chicks because there have never been chickens on this property and I'm planning on hatching and didn't want to mix vaccinated and unvaccinated. I might end up changing my mind and learning to do my own vaccinations depending on how the future works out.

Just curious what's the big difference if any, between the Blue and Black Australorps?

 

[3KillerBs]

Just curious what's the big difference if any, between the Blue and Black Australorps?

Probably mainly color. I don't know what breed was used to bring blue into the Australorp line, but my adult girls are good layers and one went broody three times this summer. I didn't get to let her hatch since I didn't have a rooster and didn't have the large coop finished anyway.

I have cockerels in this order and will be bleeding the blue girls with my pick this spring.

 

[416bigbore]

Probably mainly color. I don't know what breed was used to bring blue into the Australorp line, but my adult girls are good layers and one went broody three times this summer. I didn't get to let her hatch since I didn't have a rooster and didn't have the large coop finished anyway.

I have cockerels in this order and will be bleeding the blue girls with my pick this spring.

I had kind of thought color may be the only difference with them, but for sure one of my questions when I call ideal in the morning. They are both very beautiful for sure and a great duel purpose chicken from what I have been reading about them.

Who knows, maybe in the feature we can trade fertile eggs and or poultry to help keep our blood lines mixed up a bit! LOL

 

[416bigbore]

@3KillerBs Since I am new to the area and this will be my first time ordering live baby chicks from a hatchery this next spring, what would be a good shipping date for the chicks in relationship to the spring time temperatures? or maybe I don't have a say in when they ship them?

I forgot to ask that question when I called them. LOL