Oregon

[aggiemae]

thanks so much for the info. My head is swimming reading all the craigslist posts, etc and trying to figure out where to buy them. I plan on taking the kids to Sandy to let them pick out their own, hope he doesn't argue... that's half the fun in my kids' opinion...

He didn't argue he just we clear that he would meet us elsewhere. You do need to consider that chickens are not easy to catch and he might need to pick them off the roost for you in the morning. Maybe he can grab up a selection of the breeds you are thinking of so you can choose from.

I don't know how much you know about chickens. Farm raised pullets will not be as friendly as chicks you raise yourself, it's a reasonable trade off for getting eggs sooner, but something to consider if your hens will also be pets for your children.

 

[jmp-pdx]

Thanks so much for your help, I'm hoping to buy them around 5wks old... plan on handling them a lot in the beginning to hopefully get them accustomed to the kids

 

[amberr]

Anyone know of a Guinea breeder in Southern Oregon? No luck on CL so far and I only secured 3 from the grange and I am on the list to get more if they send extras, but I want 8 total I think after much research.... So I'm on the hunt for more.

 

[Lorilyn Farms]

The Grange can order chicks for you at no extra cost. Most of the chicks at the Grange are pre-orders anyways. That's how I got some of mine. I believe they use Ideal, which is a hatchery I like.

 

[OR4-hmom]

The Grange can order chicks for you at no extra cost. Most of the chicks at the Grange are pre-orders anyways. That's how I got some of mine. I believe they use Ideal, which is a hatchery I like.

The way I understand it, they can special order but if Ideal's hatch of guineas is already sold the Grange is out of luck. I'm not sure they could mix guineas in with the chicks in the shipment container either. All you can do is ask them though, I've always found them to be extremely helpfull.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I keep seeing beautiful hatching eggs available, but none of my hens are broody right now ... it's testing my patience!

 

[OR4-hmom]

I keep seeing beautiful hatching eggs available, but none of my hens are broody right now ... it's testing my patience!

I'm also wishing one of my girls would crossover to the broody side. Last year I had 6 at once, they are so much easier than incubators!

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I'm also wishing one of my girls would crossover to the broody side. Last year I had 6 at once, they are so much easier than incubators!

Yes, I've noticed that!

We had three go broody in a row late last summer, fall & winter -- I was surprised they went broody so young -- they were spring chicks. The last broody we let handle the introduction of the chicks to the flock ... It's definitely the way to go IMO ... and I'd do it even earlier next time even if I have to segregate her while she's sitting. I love watching a hen with her chicks.

If I get "good" eggs from a local breeder it would be so worth it compared to hatchery stock. I'm having great luck with egg production from the hatchery birds, but would love some "special" birds for "show quality" or more diversity in my egg basket. So I hope some cool local eggs are available when I get another broody.

The main issue for me is how to help the broody hen find her way back to the right clutch when she gets up to eat and stuff every day. I'd prefer to not have to cage her at all, but we've usually got an attractive clutch of eggs in all of our nesting boxes during laying hours. I tried to let the last broody keep her clutch in the nesting box she chose, but she usually got confused and sat on the wrong clutch when she came back ... or stealing more eggs, which was confusing to me. We finally marked the eggs, but that meant handling them a lot to check for the marks, and I don't think that's great for the hatch rate.

 

[OR4-hmom]

I read somewhere that if you draw a circle around the middle of the egg it is simple to tell which eggs to leave with her.

My broodies are in a flock of 35, part of those being BSL that I would not trust around a chick! I built an extended nest box for one until the chicks were 3 weeks old then oved them outside but that was in July.

We just finished a broody room for growing out chicks, when I get my next broody I will move her in there to hatch and raise them.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Quote:
I separate my broody into her own nest in the coop(broody box) and let her set on the eggs there. She has to get up to get food and water at other end, so she gets a little exercise. Then once she hatches she stays in there with the chicks for one week to teach them to eat and drink. Then they go onto the flock with everyone else to be raised.