North Carolina

[dutchbunny83]

I finally had time to take some photos for my blog and here's some of two leghorns I got from dutchbunny. I should've bought 5 more that day, but i didn't know if i was going to like the leghorns

They're getting big!
They're from Mt Healthy though, I didn't breed them.
I do really like the one I kept.
I sold the last 4 of them yesterday.
I think they're about 10 weeks now, so we should be getting eggs in a couple months

 

[dutchbunny83]

Yeah the SOP doesn't call for tons of shank feathers but I'm pretty sure they shouldn't be blotchy either

The egg color has suffered with many breeds that used to be known for very dark eggs. That is one of the reasons I want to help improve FBCMs. They are a sought after breed but that often leads to lack of quality.
I don't have the color scale yet but I am definitely not happy with my egg color yet. Only one of my hens lays a really dark egg. Don't get me wrong, they lay darker than any of my other chicken breeds. But I totally understand why you wouldn't be pleased with your egg color.

If you find a good source for dark eggs let me know!

I've been on the BCM thread too, and it seems like everyone is having the same problem.
I got 8 eggs last night from a breeder in Kentucky.
The photos of his eggs are really dark and the birds shown at least have the proper coloring.
I guess all I can do is hatch and see, expectations aren't overly high for ebay, hoping to be pleasantly surprised!
The seller sure was talking up his birds & his eggs. Has a ton of feedback, so fingers crossed, I'll let you know!

 

[daphneysmamma]

LOOK WHAT I FOUND IN MY NEST BOX THIS MORNING UNDER MY BROODY HEN !! ( I GOT SOME EGGS FROM RAMIREZFRAMING PUT SOME IN INCUBATOR AND SOME UNDER THE BROODY HEN.. ) .. THESE R THE CUTEST LITTLE SILVER CHICKS !!! 2 HATCHED IN THE INCUBATOR AND THIS ONE I FOUND WITH THE HEN THIS MORN I TOOK IT .. PUT IT BACK AND THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE HATCHED THEN I CANT WAIT TO GO HOME AND SEE IF THERES MORE !!!!

 

[StarMeKritten]

I bought some BCM hatching eggs a few months ago. I had a ridiculously low hatch rate on them. I ended up with just one. Are they just harder to hatch then other breeds? I had much more luck with the other breeds that were in the incubator at the same time. The one I do have started out with light leg feathering but it has almost entirely disappeared now. I don't know whether they'll feather out more or not. If anyone finds a good source for BCM eggs (or better yet, blue copper!) let me know. I'm ready to try hatching some more of them. Heck, I'd be pretty happy if I could find a nice cockerel even.

 

[CricketR4]

It was such a nice day yesterday! I got so much done: gave all my chickens a dip for mites, cleaned out the coop, processed two cockerels for the freezer (first time processing chickens, I didn't do too bad, and it's a good learning experience since we just ordered 10 Heritage Whites for raising for meat) and worked in the garden.

Now it's looking like it's supposed to be nasty most of this week, so I'm glad I got most everything done yesterday and Saturday. Todays agenda is grocery shopping and household chores, thankfully nothing too strenuous since my fibromyalgia doesn't like the rain.

Hope y'all have a great day, stay dry if possible.

 

[ramirezframing]

I bought some BCM hatching eggs a few months ago. I had a ridiculously low hatch rate on them. I ended up with just one. Are they just harder to hatch then other breeds? I had much more luck with the other breeds that were in the incubator at the same time. The one I do have started out with light leg feathering but it has almost entirely disappeared now. I don't know whether they'll feather out more or not. If anyone finds a good source for BCM eggs (or better yet, blue copper!) let me know. I'm ready to try hatching some more of them. Heck, I'd be pretty happy if I could find a nice cockerel even.

It might help if you let folks know what area you are in. Many
won't respond unless they know you are close enough to make
a deal or get eggs.

 

[dutchbunny83]

I bought some BCM hatching eggs a few months ago. I had a ridiculously low hatch rate on them. I ended up with just one. Are they just harder to hatch then other breeds? I had much more luck with the other breeds that were in the incubator at the same time. The one I do have started out with light leg feathering but it has almost entirely disappeared now. I don't know whether they'll feather out more or not. If anyone finds a good source for BCM eggs (or better yet, blue copper!) let me know. I'm ready to try hatching some more of them. Heck, I'd be pretty happy if I could find a nice cockerel even.

I have blue copper as well. Though she gives me eggs a shade lighter with dark speckles. BCM's are supposed to have the darkest eggs over the other colored Marans, which is why I was trying to find them. Mail order eggs are tough. The post office can be really hard on them. I have had some great mail order hatches though. The BCM I have now has feathered shanks to meet the standard, but my personal preference is the heavily feathered shanks. Coloring really good (some of the hens I've found with dark eggs have white spots on them which I don't like at all). It seems like breeders are only breeding for the dark egg or for the bird's appearance, it seems to be impossible to find for both.

These are the eggs I'm getting now. They're not BAD, but I want the DEEP chocolate eggs, like 8-9 on the scale. (This is the only pic I have on my computer with them, so ignore all the other eggs)

 

[daphneysmamma]

I have blue copper as well. Though she gives me eggs a shade lighter with dark speckles. BCM's are supposed to have the darkest eggs over the other colored Marans, which is why I was trying to find them. Mail order eggs are tough. The post office can be really hard on them. I have had some great mail order hatches though. The BCM I have now has feathered shanks to meet the standard, but my personal preference is the heavily feathered shanks. Coloring really good (some of the hens I've found with dark eggs have white spots on them which I don't like at all). It seems like breeders are only breeding for the dark egg or for the bird's appearance, it seems to be impossible to find for both.

These are the eggs I'm getting now. They're not BAD, but I want the DEEP chocolate eggs, like 8-9 on the scale. (This is the only pic I have on my computer with them, so ignore all the other eggs)

what layed those speckled eggs

 

[dutchbunny83]

what layed those speckled eggs

The little ones?
They're from my quail

 

[sbrooks88]

My other rooster just died! Like all of a sudden turned purple and started jumping around and flapping his wings! He was fine 2 freakin hours ago! There was nothing in his pen for him to choke over or anything! Help!