The Olive-Egger thread!

[chicken fever]

Let us know what you get!!! I got isbars and amerucanas....hmmm now yall got me thinking

 

[Flowerbh]

DVICE please. I get my new incubator for Christmas. My DD will be driving past Valdosta where Jordan's farm is. Would you just buy one Isbar or would you get four hatching eggs for the same price? She could pick it/them up for me. What would you do?

 

[DMRippy]

ADVICE please. I get my new incubator for Christmas. My DD will be driving past Valdosta where Jordan's farm is. Would you just buy one Isbar or would you get four hatching eggs for the same price? She could pick it/them up for me. What would you do?

I think I would get the eggs, but I would get more than 4. BUT then again one live bird is good too.... is it a chick or grown bird?

 

[Daloorashens]

Wow, all the genetics stuff on here has been very interesting and educational, thanks for ur knowledge!!

BTW... Love the pics of the Blue OE's!!! Very pretty!!

 

[buckabucka]

ADVICE please. I get my new incubator for Christmas. My DD will be driving past Valdosta where Jordan's farm is. Would you just buy one Isbar or would you get four hatching eggs for the same price? She could pick it/them up for me. What would you do?

Great question. Personally, I would get the eggs. What better way to test out the new incubator!

However, you may want to think about a few things: how will you feel if you hatch all roos? Will you think, oh, nice, now I can purchase a hen and have a breeding pair, or will you be terribly disappointed? What if nothing hatches? Can you still afford a chick or more eggs later? On the other hand, maybe everything will hatch, and you will miraculously get 3 hens and a rooster. I would take the chance, just because the anticipation makes life more interesting.

Have fun. And let us know what you get!

 

[Flowerbh]

I think ordering an Isbar chick is straight run only. I actually think I want a roo. I only have one roo (which at the time was a mistake, but he has the brown egg layer gene, I think....actually a 3rd generation olive egger hatched from a green egg), but I have new blue egg layer pullets growing out and I think it would be awesome to have the Isbar to breed with them to get some interesting colored eggs. Not really doing this as a business......just for myself and a few friends who I know would like some chicks next spring. BUT!, if I did get some females and a roo, I would definitely build a separate area and think about selling their chicks. The eggs are $10 each, a chick is $39 each. If I was going there myself, I could probably come away with picking out a hen....but do I want a hen or do I want a roo??????????? Would I have trouble with my other roo? My chickens have always free ranged. What would I do? Alternate days with the roos and hens to free range so I can keep the Isbars pure? What do you guys do? It's so simple now...

 

[buckabucka]

I was confusing Isbar with Cream Legbar (which I believe is auto-sexing).

I don't know what others do, but I ended out adding on to include more breeds. My main coop has an olive egger rooster that I cross with a variety of breeds to get more olive eggers. Then we built a hoop coop, and since I couldn't decide on just one breed, we divided it in half. One side has a small number of Basque roosters and hens, along with new olive eggers, the other has lavender Ameraucanas.

My two Basque roosters that live together are getting along so far, but they were litter mates.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

I think ordering an Isbar chick is straight run only. I actually think I want a roo. I only have one roo (which at the time was a mistake, but he has the brown egg layer gene, I think....actually a 3rd generation olive egger hatched from a green egg), but I have new blue egg layer pullets growing out and I think it would be awesome to have the Isbar to breed with them to get some interesting colored eggs. Not really doing this as a business......just for myself and a few friends who I know would like some chicks next spring. BUT!, if I did get some females and a roo, I would definitely build a separate area and think about selling their chicks. The eggs are $10 each, a chick is $39 each. If I was going there myself, I could probably come away with picking out a hen....but do I want a hen or do I want a roo??????????? Would I have trouble with my other roo? My chickens have always free ranged. What would I do? Alternate days with the roos and hens to free range so I can keep the Isbars pure? What do you guys do? It's so simple now...

I would seperate the roosters. I had a instance where the second in charge tried to man up and was almost killed by the top dog rooster. I say if they are raised together it is one thing but not a good idea to introduce. mine where not raised together but next to each other for months before I introduced them.. I say either set up a seperate coop and run or just do the isbar hens with your dark brown gened roo. or swap out your roo with the new guy. he may not even mind the other rooster until he is almost mature .. just my two pennies

 

[DMRippy]

My first homegrown Olive Eggers are starting to lay. 2 are laying a great olive color the newest one is laying a darker brown egg with just a hint of green.... not sure I like that color. If I keep her, should I breed her to an Ameraucana to lighten up the eggs or an Olive Egger to get a better variety of color?

 

[naturespace]

My first homegrown Olive Eggers are starting to lay.  2 are laying a great olive color the newest one is laying a darker brown egg with just a hint of green.... not sure I like that color.  If I keep her, should I breed her to an Ameraucana to lighten up the eggs or an Olive Egger to get a better variety of color? 

I think you should wait and see if it lightens up. I find the first eggs I get from a pullet are not true to color. I haven't done much breeding so I'm not sure what to advise. My guess would be an Ameraucana.