Refocusing My Flock

[3KillerBs]

3 years ago when I started this flock I *thought* I wanted a mixed flock and was looking forward to the interesting colors and patterns I'd get from my intended backyard mixes.

Then I fell in love with Blue Australorps.

Over the past month or so as I'm doing fall culling I have decided to, with the exception of my project birds and my son's pet Cochin, sell off all the brown layers except the Australorps -- even the Delawares I had so much trouble finding -- and have only Australorps and breeds that I can tell apart from Australorps' eggs.

So,

Brown eggs: Blue-Black-Splash Australorps -- >50% of my flock.

Silver-Laced Australorp(ish) Project -- ~5-7 birds

White Eggs: California Whites. *Maybe* Anconas. 2-3 birds.

Dark Brown Eggs: French Cuckoo Marans if I can find replacement birds/hatching eggs at a price level more reasonable than Cackle's >$11/ sexed pullet chick plus small order fee and shipping. Otherwise I'll have to accept the end of all my beloved foot feathers.

Blue or Green Eggs: Good Question. I don't like red chickens. I don't like getting Easter Eggers with no guarantee that they actually lay blue or green eggs. I don't want to pay through the nose for actual Ameraucanas that don't actually lay all that well. ?????

But this seems like the best way to be able to breed the Blue Australorps and then to sell hatching eggs/chicks once I can get NPIP certified.

Thoughts? Comments?

Stories of your own changing goals with your flock?

 

[Mrs. K]

I am so impressed that you can make a goal and stick to it. So many times I have thought, "THIS is the breed' only later on to think, not so much. haha

I am assuming that you want the colored eggs to have a pretty basket, and a multi-colored flock, but to be able to say with confidence, these eggs are the australorps. Not quite sure how that will work with the silver australorps.

I would just go plain hatchery on the non breeding birds. They will lay eggs, feed your family, and not interfere with your breeding goals. Contact your county extension agent or poultry club, or 4H groups to find someone that would split an order with you. You can get chicks much cheaper if you order more chicks.

The brown leghorns and the dark brown leghorns - white eggs pretty birds. I have never had an EE mutt bird that did not lay a green or blue egg, just saying.

 

[NanaK]

What about Cream Legbars?

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Legbars would have been my suggestion for blue eggs as well. Having Leghorn in their ancestry (similarly to your California whites), they are smaller birds that lay like crazy! The only thing is cost may be on the high side for what you're looking for; them being an autosexing breed, they tend to cost a bit more as is, and a lot of hatcheries that have them overcharge for them. Their blue eggs are also generally a paler blue than what you'd get from an Ameraucana.

As for green eggs, Easter-eggers and Olive-eggers are about the only way to get those at a low price and without hunting forever for breeds like Silverudd's Blues or (goodness, can I even spell this breed name?) Schijndelaars. Green eggs are kind of complicated, genetically, so not many true breeds have been bred for that trait because of difficulties with consistently getting green eggers each generation.

 

[3KillerBs]

I am assuming that you want the colored eggs to have a pretty basket, and a multi-colored flock, but to be able to say with confidence, these eggs are the australorps.

That, and because mixed color eggs will sell better as we work into our egg sales.

The brown leghorns and the dark brown leghorns

I just don't like any form of red or gold chicken. I'm quite happy with my California Whites, though Anconas are soooo pretty I might try them.

What about Cream Legbars?

I was going to get White Legbars on the same order that I got the large order of Blue Australorps from Welp, but Welp suddenly stopped carrying them.

The Cream ones, though diluted, are still in the red/gold category. I might have to fall back on them, but they're not my first choice.

I have never had an EE mutt bird that did not lay a green or blue egg, just saying.

I've read too many threads about people's EEs who laid the "any" color egg instead of blue/green to have any confidence in them.

As for green eggs, Easter-eggers and Olive-eggers are about the only way to get those at a low price

I have a home-bred OE who *ought* to be laying soon to see if she actually does lay green. Alas, she's red. And my son loves her.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I have a home-bred OE who *ought* to be laying soon to see if she actually does lay green. Alas, she's red. And my son loves her.

Aw, she is pretty in her own way, though! I'm sort of the similar to you in that I don't like Buff or similar shades, although I don't mind those colors with some patterning breaking up the color, so your hen's appearance isn't unappealing to me. Her impressive beard helps, too. I hope she lays the green eggs you're looking for!

Proper Cream Legbars are more of a gray color to my eye--but a lot of Legbars sold as Cream Legbars are actually more of a Crele color than a true Cream color, so yes, they'd probably fall on the side of being too red based on what you've said about your tastes.

 

[eira_barbara]

Is it important to you that the blue or green layers be purebred? There seem to be a few hatcheries offering designer crosses with barred or blue birds at your price point that lay green or blue eggs: there's a barred Creme Legbar cross and some other crested blue cross out of Meyer, Murry McMurry offers inexpensive blue Ameraucanas (unsexed, tho) and Whiting True Blues which seem to be more likely to be black-based without red.

 

[3KillerBs]

Is it important to you that the blue or green layers be purebred? There seem to be a few hatcheries offering designer crosses with barred or blue birds at your price point that lay green or blue eggs: there's a barred Creme Legbar cross and some other crested blue cross out of Meyer, Murry McMurry offers inexpensive blue Ameraucanas (unsexed, tho) and Whiting True Blues which seem to be more likely to be black-based without red.

No, I'm not intending to breed the birds who lay the other color eggs so I don't mind hybrids. My issue with EEs is not knowing for sure that they're going to lay blue or green.

 

[bhawk-23]

Out of curiosity, why do you like the blue Australorps so much? I just ordered a few chicks and regretted not getting a black Australorp because ours are just so sweet and social. They lay a beautiful shade of light brown with a slight pinkish tint to me. But from the sounds of it I am where you were. I have a flock of all different breeds for the variety of colors and sizes.

Sorry, I'm not much help for your original question. But will be following for the info on all the breeds and egg colors!

 

[3KillerBs]

Out of curiosity, why do you like the blue Australorps so much? I just ordered a few chicks and regretted not getting a black Australorp because ours are just so sweet and social. They lay a beautiful shade of light brown with a slight pinkish tint to me. But from the sounds of it I am where you were. I have a flock of all different breeds for the variety of colors and sizes.

Sorry, I'm not much help for your original question. But will be following for the info on all the breeds and egg colors!

It's hard to put a finger on it, but everything about Australorps simply fits my mental concept of what the word "chicken" ought to mean. I made a whole thread in praise of them. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ps-because-medium-doesnt-mean-boring.1547066/

And I just LOVE the blue color.