They are all EE's. I'm hooked on the Big Heads and Muffs and Beards... they are cold hardy, and fairly friendly birds... plus I really love the colored eggs. and for now, I don't have $18 per bird for True Ameraucana's or much less $68 per Araucana... maybe when I retire...
Flock Blocks are great, compressed grit, oyster shell, grains, seeds, some have dried fruits... chickens love them, encourages pecking on the block rather than on each other too (Purina makes them)
Where are you getting you birds from? I only ask, because outside a very nice show bird, and wanted to breed/sell SQ birds, I'd be hard pressed to pay 68 per chick/chicken. I know there is a few people around with Ameraucana's, myself included that would be willing to sell them for less than that.
my birds are hatchery stock. the original gang came from McMurray, but they weren't my order, they were completely misdelivered to the wrong state and all the trucks were gone by the time they were found... so they were put in my charge to find homes for them. out of 26, I kept 9, lost 2 (EE's) to a fox @15 weeks, picked up 3 others from a fellow byc'er... the new chicks came from My Pet Chicken. I could have gotten EE's cheaper, but they have a nice variety of colors, and being in Ohio, it's not that far for the chicks to travel... Most hatcheries do not have the true Araucana or Ameraucana, but will sell you EE's under that name... MPC calls em what they are. Easter Egger Mixed Breeds. MPC claims to have the "true" breeds, and those are their prices, and I've seen similar prices at private breeders, but haven't done all that much research. I'm not a "show person" of any animal... I like to go to shows, and see the critters, but showing is not for me... I think, as the years go by, and I get closer to retirement, and more time to spend with them, that's the point where I will look for a more serious "quality" chicken breed. besides the EE's, I have a pair of RIR hens, and a pair of BR hens.
Let us know how it goes tonight, I will be thinking of you!Mission 1 Completed! I switched out the eggs from nest box to shoe box so I can move Pearl tonight. She's right back on her nest as if nothing changed. Now for the big move tonight, hoping it doesn't stress her out too much.
If anyone is ambitious enough, I've made my own flock block with gelatin from the store and a bag of birdseed which cost a lot less in the long run. You could add in whatever you wanted. I even added some molasses to the mix, the girls loved it. Mother earth had an article with directions for small birdseed ornaments...I just took it to the next logical level...If you google bird seed ornaments you'll get all kinds of directions. I think country max sells it as the "pecker wrecker".
If anyone is ambitious enough, I've made my own flock block with gelatin from the store and a bag of birdseed which cost a lot less in the long run. You could add in whatever you wanted. I even added some molasses to the mix, the girls loved it. Mother earth had an article with directions for small birdseed ornaments...I just took it to the next logical level...If you google bird seed ornaments you'll get all kinds of directions. I think country max sells it as the "pecker wrecker".
