We did a thing.. expanding the flock!

[KhalSancho]

So, let me start by saying in Australia.. it tends to be harder to get pure bred chickens that meet the SOP especially where we’re located.. We have our 7 Araucana and it’s always been the plan to find some Marans and bring in deep brown eggs and eventually olive eggers. I was looking on Gumtree (kinda like Craigslist for Australia) and I found a breeding pair for $150.. And yes, I paid it and drove 6 hours total to get them lol Here’s the best part.. these Marans are from basically the MARANS MAN, out here in Australia. The breeder I got them from had been trying to get eggs off of the man, Phil Irwin, for 5 years she said and her pair directly from him cost her double what I paid!! And he’s only sold his line to one other person. He took twelve birds into the last show and walked out with something like 27 awards! So basically, in my flock.. I’ve got the best Marans you can find out here!! And she said these hatched out of eggs that were like conservatively 7/8s on the egg scale for darkness! So let me stop wasting your time and introduce you to Haan and Kip (rooster and chicken in Dutch)

 

[KhalSancho]

Congratulations! They are beautiful birds!

Thanks a tonne! We are thrilled to work with them.. The Crazy Chicken Man Syndrome just keeps getting worse, or better, depending how you look at it lol

 

[KhalSancho]

They're gorgeous!! That's a breed I really want to get in the future.

Thank you so much!! They’re so chill! And guys, I just went out to feed and... Kip laid her first little pullet egg!! Not the darkest but so beautiful, I’ll take it any day of the week!! Do you guys know if the Marans first few lays are a little lighter, or is the colour you get off the bat usually the darkest they’ll be? Either way.. I’m extremely happy and can’t wait til she’s grown and I can fertilise some!!

 

[KhalSancho]

Ooh!! Congratulations on your upcoming baby girl!!!

Guys, she’s HERE!!! Killara Rae Sanchez.

Born on January 30th at 12:28 pm. She was 8.322 lbs and 20.472” long. AND, one of the Ameraucana gals gave us her first pullet egg, AND our Muscovy started laying again!! They say good things come in threes, right!?

 

[aart]

With “correct birds” I mean their structure and colour as far as SOP.

Ah, so you are both perpetuating a pure Araucana line and 'making' olive eggers.
Best of cLuck!!
Hope you post your blue eggs here once those pullets start laying.
Am a bit jeally of the good blues.

 

[KhalSancho]

This is next to a store bought “brown” egg

 

[KhalSancho]

She’s trying!!

Her first two were a little lighter with really dark speckles. Her third consecutive that she gave today was just darker than the other two with the dark speckling in EVERY pore.. so to me, I’m thinking, maybe she’s wanting to go darker and the colour is dispersing from the speckles to the entire egg.. OR lol, maybe I’m just reading in too far

 

[aart]

As long as I won’t get in trouble with admins, I’ll post some pictures in my gallery ASAP I’ll photoshop the flock in the corners

You don't need to camouflage your human family pics with chicken pics...there's even a special place here at BYC for stories and pics about:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/family-life-stories-pictures-updates.40/create-thread
Congrats on your fist child.....it will change everything.

 

[NoodlesMama]

Congratulations! They are beautiful birds!

 

[chrissynemetz]

Ooh what a pretty little egg!!