Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[BullChick]

Or beer. But it is not just for breakfast any more.

You saying that will never get old.
Unfortunately, it's making my mouth water for Stake's hard apple cider. It is worth coming to PA for!!

 

[dheltzel]

When life goes wrong Ducks will make you smile

 

[dheltzel]

Yeah, he showed me a pullet priced at $100... I couldn't believe it. Orpingtons are pretty popular, right? And they come in so many colors. Is the lavender really hard to breed?

One of my hens came from CC on here (is he still on byc? his username didn't seem to pop up when I started writing it out)... she is a blue/lavender with a gold head/neck. I wonder if he ever gets any pure lavender

Lavenders are easier to breed than regular blues because they breed true (recessive gene, the easiest kind to fix in a strain). The prices are all about supply and demand, and very dependent on geography because chicks are hard to ship in small quantities.

Popularity comes and goes in this hobby. Few breeds stay in the limelight for decades. New and rare seems to be a big deal now. The people working on new colors in popular breeds (lavender, coronation, jubilee, etc), or making a new "breed" with a cutesy name (sapphires, super blues, whiting true blues, arkansas blues, etc) are cashing in it seems. Not that I'm not part of this (*cough* Welbars). I think I'm going to create a new breed called a "Pennsylvania Green" and sell them for big $$

(we need an emoticon for "cha-ching")

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I've found that lavenders are extremely popular. I was concerned at first with my lav ameraucanas because I couldn't sell the first couple but now, I'm preordered through the end of April!

 

[hyzenthlay]

Anyone know of a local source for Lavender Orpingtons? I met a poultry entrepreneur at the Farm to Table event in Pittsburgh last weekend who was pretty excited about my chicken train hobby. I told him I'd email dheltzel's website to him, but he is also interested in finding some lavender orpingtons.

This may not be what you're looking for, but Meyer sells sexed Lavender Orpington pullets for about $20. I don't know that I've ever seen Freehling Farms get them in, but if you don't want to drive to (or ship from) OH, you may be able to ask them to add some to their orders for you.

 

[hyzenthlay]

GREAT Photos! Camille was indeed a sweet looking chick, I'm glad she's doing well. I hear ya on the mulch...seems like they can't wait to undo what's been done.

Thanks! I take that as high praise coming from you, since your pictures are always so lovely. The puppy is looking super adorable! His name is Mark, now?

Gorgeous girls. I wish mine looked that fluffy. I have 1 that has no tail feathers (she was a rescue with many health problems), and 1 that has a messed up back from our rooster who is no longer here. The rest are ok tho, thankfully!

The roosters really can do a number on their feathers...

I'm sure they'll grow back in fine after the next molt, though! If you look closely at the blue Marans in my one pic, you can see that some of the feathers on her back are darker. She was the favorite of our young light brahma roo for only a week or so last summer before he found a new home, and where she lost feathers they grew back in a bit darker than the others.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

I've found that lavenders are extremely popular. I was concerned at first with my lav ameraucanas because I couldn't sell the first couple but now, I'm preordered through the end of April!

That's good to know. If my broody hatches out some of the LAs, maybe I will try to breed them. She is supposed to hatch out today. I peeked under her (I know that's naughty, but it was only a quick peek!). No visible pips yet. Hopefully by tomorrow morning something will have happened. And I'd looove some more Bielefelders too. Hoping I get at least two.

@dheltzel That Tom turkey is excellent to have around. He may seem aloof at times, but he is a good bouncer. The past day or so, I have seen him chasing and chastening my Roo. He is definitely keeping him in line. Very cool to watch, the Tom is not aggressive, but he gets the job done.

 

[dheltzel]

That's good to know. If my broody hatches out some of the LAs, maybe I will try to breed them. She is supposed to hatch out today. I peeked under her (I know that's naughty, but it was only a quick peek!). No visible pips yet. Hopefully by tomorrow morning something will have happened. And I'd looove some more Bielefelders too. Hoping I get at least two.

@dheltzel That Tom turkey is excellent to have around. He may seem aloof at times, but he is a good bouncer. The past day or so, I have seen him chasing and chastening my Roo. He is definitely keeping him in line. Very cool to watch, the Tom is not aggressive, but he gets the job done.

"Speak softly and carry a big snood"

I love having the toms strutting around. Pilgrim is the bird most likely to get a hug from me, even if I'm in a hurry after work (only the turkeys and bantam Ameraucanas seem to actually appreciate human touch).

 

[dheltzel]

I've found that lavenders are extremely popular. I was concerned at first with my lav ameraucanas because I couldn't sell the first couple but now, I'm preordered through the end of April!

You need another incubator to set more of their eggs. Every Lavender you hatch is money in your pocket.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

You need another incubator to set more of their eggs. Every Lavender you hatch is money in your pocket.

Working on it I haven't managed to run out of room in the bator yet though. I'm glad I figured out who the egg eater in that pen was. Now I'm actualy getting a lot more.

I haven't had much luck with fertility on the silkied lavenders. It looks like the first couple eggs didn't develope. I'm thinking about before I stop for the season, putting the silkied lav roo over the smooth feathered girls and the smooth roo over the silkied girls to try to get some splits and get some new blood in to them. Then maybe after our trip in July, seperating the splits with the silkied and seeing what I can get.