Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

Started up the incubator today and set 59 eggs. I need to test fertility - that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I think my first batch of turkey eggs is due next Sunday. I've been loading up the incubator every week. I only have my English Orpingtons separated. I really need to make time to get everyone else separated for breeding. I just can't seem to find the time and energy to do it :/
 
We hatch only when hens are asking for chicks.. . But around here that is too often! We have the pencils separated, and we have a white rock rooster and a SPR roo running the mixed flock which has California Grays (who are our only white egg layers) so we are able to grab eggs and know what they are. The problem is that doing it in cold weather makes it iffy for viability.
This time I had a stretch of relatively decent weather and a few days off so was able to gather enough eggs pretty quick.
The white rock rooster over the California hens gave us some great hens last 2 years. They are about the size of a hatchery white rock hen and very meaty, they are also (unfortunately) very broody, lol... though they are great layers when not brooding. The cockerels from that mix are rather calm, tall and meaty and great for butchering by about 18 weeks.
 
We hatch only when hens are asking for chicks.. . But around here that is too often! We have the pencils separated, and we have a white rock rooster and a SPR roo running the mixed flock which has California Grays (who are our only white egg layers) so we are able to grab eggs and know what they are. The problem is that doing it in cold weather makes it iffy for viability.
This time I had a stretch of relatively decent weather and a few days off so was able to gather enough eggs pretty quick.
The white rock rooster over the California hens gave us some great hens last 2 years. They are about the size of a hatchery white rock hen and very meaty, they are also (unfortunately) very broody, lol... though they are great layers when not brooding. The cockerels from that mix are rather calm, tall and meaty and great for butchering by about 18 weeks.

I have a feeling that even a leghorn will be broody in your flock. :gig
 
It will take me a little while to get used to the site changes, but I do LOVE having a full selection of smilies!:celebrate🥰👍
Hello all,
Looking for anyone knowledgeable about living on a 3-5 acres or more, relatively inexpensively near south eastern PA.
We really love the area near chaddsford, brandy wine valley, and Coatesville.
This is all assuming my husband will be working for the same company, but we’d like much more space, less noise, neighbors less close, off grid not 100% necessary.
Price is the main issue... of course.
Thanks! 🤗
 
I have a feeling that even a leghorn will be broody in your flock. :gig
Funny you should mention that... a few years ago a friend wanted leg horns, I found a good breeder and hatched out 10 chicks for him under our broodies... they raised them in the flock just like all our chicks. I gave them to him at about 12 weeks. And 2 hens went broody on him by the time they were 9 months old! :lau
I told him they were just making sure he would have enough Eggers for the next year too!
 
@PhillyDelcoChix , welcome (hopefully) to the neighborhood! :frow I live in Lincoln University, which if you’re coming from Philly is a little further west/south on Route 1 from Kennett Square. Sadly, a property like what you described is almost impossible to find. Housing boom put 2500-4500 sq ft McMansions on most buildable acreage, most of them with less than 1 acre zoning. Chester County farmettes (and, frankly, farmers) are a critically endangered species, and if you’re lucky enough to find anything, it will NOT come cheap! Be prepared, even over the Lancaster County border what you’re looking for will likely run you seven figures, which you probably already know if you’re looking in Chadds Ford and Brandywine Valley area. I hope you find something, I really do. Route 30 corridor (Downingtown, Coatesville, Parkesburg, even as far as Gap) might be a little less expensive than Brandywine, but I don’t know about inventory availability. I’ve been out of real estate for 20 years. Besides, if your husband works in Philadelphia, that means running down 30 every day, and it gets some nasty traffic sometimes (unless he prefers Amtrak, you can take that from Coatesville). Depending on how far you are willing to drive, you could try north of Route 30 around Honeybrook. That’s the Brandywine headwater, and it is quieter than where I am, close to the Maryland/Delaware border. I was born here and always dreamed of a nice little farmette (3-10 acres), but no dice for me. Good luck!:)
 
@PhillyDelcoChix , welcome (hopefully) to the neighborhood! :frow I live in Lincoln University, which if you’re coming from Philly is a little further west/south on Route 1 from Kennett Square. Sadly, a property like what you described is almost impossible to find. Housing boom put 2500-4500 sq ft McMansions on most buildable acreage, most of them with less than 1 acre zoning. Chester County farmettes (and, frankly, farmers) are a critically endangered species, and if you’re lucky enough to find anything, it will NOT come cheap! Be prepared, even over the Lancaster County border what you’re looking for will likely run you seven figures, which you probably already know if you’re looking in Chadds Ford and Brandywine Valley area. I hope you find something, I really do. Route 30 corridor (Downingtown, Coatesville, Parkesburg, even as far as Gap) might be a little less expensive than Brandywine, but I don’t know about inventory availability. I’ve been out of real estate for 20 years. Besides, if your husband works in Philadelphia, that means running down 30 every day, and it gets some nasty traffic sometimes (unless he prefers Amtrak, you can take that from Coatesville). Depending on how far you are willing to drive, you could try north of Route 30 around Honeybrook. That’s the Brandywine headwater, and it is quieter than where I am, close to the Maryland/Delaware border. I was born here and always dreamed of a nice little farmette (3-10 acres), but no dice for me. Good luck!:)
I’ve never heard of Lincoln University but I’ve found it now!
My husband actually works in Kennett square, and works from home mostly. Goes into the office only a couple of days a month.
I know what you mean about the area. It’s lovely and therefore expensive.
We drive through the farms in coatesville and that’s really where I’d love to be. But as you know, super expensive, few and far between lots of land the size I’d like that I could ever afford in my wildest dreams!
I don’t know much about honeybrook but I’ll check it out!
Thanks!
 

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