The Aloha Chicken Project

[fosterson]

Hi there! I posted a couple of days ago and hadn't gotten a response yet. Thought I'd try again.

I'm looking at what I'm going to add to my flock next spring and I fell in love with your breeding program.

I was wondering if I got some stock as suggested on your blog, if I could join in the fun? I primarily want nice dual purpose layers but having a goal to breed towards would icing on the cake!

 

[5moore]

Fosterson, Sommer only checks in here once in a while. The others can correct me if I am wrong, but I think she has requested people to email her instead. Have you tried that? It is a very fun project and I think you will have a great time.

 

[5moore]

I collected 5 eggs from 6 aloha pullets today. I weighed them. 54, 47, 45, 38,38 grams.

 

[bahaaelabbasi]

Some body has a free coop to give me from Minnesota does any one have a cheap service to ship from

 

[knjinnm]

LOL!!
Usually free means you come, take it apart, and take it away.
Good luck with your new coop.

 

[fosterson]

Or you come, chase the chickens around a poorly fenced 'run', risk tetanus or worse going into a coop that was probably built in 1919 and not cleaned since 1930, and oh yeah, the farm dog isn't friendly

At least my last batch of 'refugee' hens came from a really NICE yard and coop...it was just that the owner wanted me to come get them 2 hours after it got dark...and his run was a steep hill full of trees and stobs...the stobs were mostly knee high.

The hens seemed happy to come to my 'quarantine' run...at least it was flat?

 

[5moore]

My eggs are getting bigger. A couple pullets are laying between a medium and large egg now.

 

[HEChicken]

That's great 5moore!

Sommer, I have one egg underway after all. I had a hen go broody (ridiculous in this region at this time of year). The timing was wrong, not just for the weather, but because it had only been a week since I had eliminated a Cornish cockerel from the flock who was mating the hens. Still, I took a chance, and put an Exchequer egg under her. She is only a small bantam and I don't want her hatching too many chicks and trying to cover and keep them warm in December/January. I gave her a couple of eggs that I know to be purebred, and also let her keep the Exchequer egg in the hopes it will be the first of my next generation. So IF it was fertilized by the NH rooster rather than the Cornish cockerel and IF it is a pullet…..I will be able to move onto the next generation in the spring with that one. Lot of "IF's" there!

 

[alohachickens]

Hi everyone! I've been out of town for a week, and just got back.

An update to ANYONE who might want to join in! I would absolutely LOVE all the help that I can get. New members or helpers are *always* gratefully welcomed.

However, it's been tricky, sometimes, trying to get chicks to new members. I've had horrible hatch rates on shipped eggs, and to get a few good chicks, you really need to start with a decent number, like 25 minimum. That's because half will be roosters, which will only leave you with maybe 12 hens, and of course you want to start with the best of those.

But, the weather in Phoenix has not been cooperating! I tried to ship some chicks to San Diego last May, and it got too hot. Now, I tried to fill the order, and the chicks hatched early (they need to be under 24 hours old, to ship) plus we are having a freak heat wave with temps in the low 90's! (The Post Office does not like to ship if it's above 80 degrees!) So, it makes it kind of tricky, sometimes, to get new batches of chicks shipped out to new areas. I can't wait until some folks in other parts of the country (like maybe Kansas?) get breeding flocks set up, because the weather in AZ makes it too hot to ship live chicks about half the year! November, Dec, Jan, Feb, March are our "best" months for raising chicks, but did I mention, that the Post Office also won't ship if it's too cold on the other end? So, the weeks where it is cool enough to ship out of Phoenix, but also warm enough on your end, are very few and far between!

Soon as I get the San Diego crowd set up with chicks, I can't wait to try and set up new flocks in other areas! Going to try again for a ship date of November 25th, I'm expecting a big batch of chicks then.

Anyone in the meantime can start working with Speckled Sussex, New Hampshire Red, Buff Sussex, or Swedish Flowers to start a base flock. The Alohas are terrific but unfortunately are still a bit too small, so out-crossing to other breeds will be needed to improve the strain.

 

[alohachickens]

Hi there! I posted a couple of days ago and hadn't gotten a response yet. Thought I'd try again.

I'm looking at what I'm going to add to my flock next spring and I fell in love with your breeding program.

I was wondering if I got some stock as suggested on your blog, if I could join in the fun? I primarily want nice dual purpose layers but having a goal to breed towards would icing on the cake!

I see you are in Washington State. I have shipped three batches of Alohas to people up there in the past few years. I am not sure if any of the folks still have any left?