Hello fellow Oregonians...I finally stumbled over to the Oregon thread after being on BYC for several years now.
I live in Beaverton and currently have 15 egg layers, 1 Silkie, and 5 hatchlings that are 11 weeks old (2 roo's destined for re-home)....currently 21 birds.
Each late winter/spring I like to hatch out the next generation for refreshing my egg laying flock, and i like to do that by putting fertile eggs under my broodies.
While I could legally keep a rooster (I'm still in unincorporated Washington Co.), it wouldn't be prudent as I have houses around and don't need to start a neighbor war.
As you can imagine it takes a bit of "right timing" to get fertile eggs under a hen who has decided to brood.
Thus far I've had to settle for grab bag eggs either from a friend or from the feed store with the result of pretty mutts...first time went well and I got some nice layer hybrids, this last time (from the feed store) I got some game bird blood that won't be exactly productive for me...pretty...but not productive.
Therefore I'd like to know my options for local fertile eggs. What breeds are around. Prices. Availability.
This next year, I thought I would like to add color to my basket by adding a couple of EE's. I'd also like to maybe add a couple of Speckled Sussex, and I would like to try a couple of Buckeye's as i've heard they are good mousers (anyone know how they are on Oregon rats?).
I know I can always mail order, but was wondering what options there were locally for me both to support local keepers and to avoid unnecessary shipping costs.
Anyway, fun to find this thread and see what others in our beloved Northwet do for chicken care.
Lady of McCamley
I live in Beaverton and currently have 15 egg layers, 1 Silkie, and 5 hatchlings that are 11 weeks old (2 roo's destined for re-home)....currently 21 birds.
Each late winter/spring I like to hatch out the next generation for refreshing my egg laying flock, and i like to do that by putting fertile eggs under my broodies.
While I could legally keep a rooster (I'm still in unincorporated Washington Co.), it wouldn't be prudent as I have houses around and don't need to start a neighbor war.
As you can imagine it takes a bit of "right timing" to get fertile eggs under a hen who has decided to brood.
Thus far I've had to settle for grab bag eggs either from a friend or from the feed store with the result of pretty mutts...first time went well and I got some nice layer hybrids, this last time (from the feed store) I got some game bird blood that won't be exactly productive for me...pretty...but not productive.
Therefore I'd like to know my options for local fertile eggs. What breeds are around. Prices. Availability.
This next year, I thought I would like to add color to my basket by adding a couple of EE's. I'd also like to maybe add a couple of Speckled Sussex, and I would like to try a couple of Buckeye's as i've heard they are good mousers (anyone know how they are on Oregon rats?).
I know I can always mail order, but was wondering what options there were locally for me both to support local keepers and to avoid unnecessary shipping costs.
Anyway, fun to find this thread and see what others in our beloved Northwet do for chicken care.
Lady of McCamley
