OMG I won yet again!!!

[sheena]

It's a well known fact (locally) that my hubby is a stubborn little git.

And it took me ages to talk him round to incubating eggs. Started on him last year around July/Aug and when looking at the price of incy's I kinda gave it a wide birth until Kirsty B had been kind enough to loan me her's for a stint.

Didn't tell him about it, but arranged with Kirsty regardless. I knew I would be in for the chop, and he finally gave in when the equivalent of "1000 Why not's" in a day was doing he's head in. (psst I don't usually beg, but on this occasion I did turn on the tears).

I started my search for egg's and found a lovely lady willing to do me a deal on 6x mixed buff orp's (whatever that means I don't actually know, but we will soon find out). Well I hadn't heard from the lady for a few days (5 days to be precise) and resorted to looking on ebay but didn't actually buy any. That was really hard!!!

However, hubby has just decided to take up a new hobby of he's own (fixing up motobikes) and to say sorry for not spending time with me, he shocked the hell out of me and bought me an incy of my own.

Ok, admittedly it looks like something from the 1920's (but it has a plug and seems to be working). But the lady we bought it off also done me a deal on some egg's.

I am now the proud owner of the following:
2 x Black Brahma
1 x Lavender Araucana
2 x RIR
3 x Orp's (Not sure of what kind, but I finally got Orp's even tho they are eggs lol)
2 x Ixworth and
1 x Light Sussex

And soon to collect...
6 x Buff Orp mix

I'm dead chuffed, and can't wait for the little babies to go in the incy... god know's what i'm gonna be like when they hatch? I'm almost bouncing off the walls as I type!!

[Gro-Bag]

He-he - sounds like you've got a long 21 days ahead of you...

[julesapple]

Way to go! Well done you - they sound a lovely lot. Keep us posted and don't forget the pics.

My BH had a bit of a head fit last week when he realised just how many eggs we have under chooks and in the bator (40) but he's got a grip of himself since.

Jules

[Gro-Bag]

40*)!!"!
40?$*!"£$!!

[sheena]

He-he - sounds like you've got a long 21 days ahead of you...

Make that 22, gotta wait til tomorrow to get the 6 x Orp mix... and ....
6 x Buff Orp's!!!

How quickly it's gone from only possibly hatching 6 to 23! hahaha
Hubby is gonna kill me, my son is gonna kill me (they are being inc'ed in he's bedroom)... the whole neighbourhood are gonna be gunning me down in the street if they the girl to boy ratio goes belly up!

And me, i'm just sitting here with a big smile on my face

[RichmondHens]

My BH had a bit of a head fit last week when he realised just how many eggs we have under chooks and in the bator (40) but he's got a grip of himself since.

Jules

Ha ha ha - Just wait till 40 hatch! That's more than I've hatched so far (think I'm up to 28 now). Actually, just wait till they're growing on. My first lots (was 17 total but now 15 as sold two girls) are roaming the field looking like great white monsters, and they are only 12 weeks old! The 6 weekers are squabbling in their pen and need to go to somewhere bigger, the 4 weekers are still with mama and we have 5 newbies hatched end of last week.

[its hilly]

Wow, lovely mix there Sheena. Countdown commencing
I was doing really well with three hatches my total is at 27, but moving has now stopped me trying any more probably a good job
I will say though that by the time I got the second lot to 6 weeks I would cheerfully have given the noisy little so'n'sos away

[julesapple]

No idea how successful our hatch will be this time from the bator, but I'm doing everything I can think of to make it successful. I'd really love to keep each & every chick we hatch, but reality keeps poking it's nose in. Most of ours will all be going at 8 weeks.

My problem is that I can keep only two.....or maybe four. Out of 5 hatches. All growing at different times and leaving at different times. How will I decide?

We aren't keeping the Poland, that's for sure. Noisy little punk.

Jules

[RichmondHens]

Where are they all going? Do you have homes waiting? I've sold a couple of girls this year, but that's all. Am advertising my other girls but no takers yet. All the boys of course go in the pot. The girls will too if no takers as I don't need more hens right now, but it's a shame to put POLs in the pot really, especially when they are really lovely.

I think so many people are hatching their own now the demand for hens has dropped off quite dramatically.

[julesapple]

Where are they all going? Do you have homes waiting? I've sold a couple of girls this year, but that's all. Am advertising my other girls but no takers yet. All the boys of course go in the pot. The girls will too if no takers as I don't need more hens right now, but it's a shame to put POLs in the pot really, especially when they are really lovely.

I think so many people are hatching their own now the demand for hens has dropped off quite dramatically.

In our area there are very few people who have poultry for sale and the few that do are charging £30 to £40 for POLs. I ended up going to Devon and Wiltshire for my girls.

We're going to sell ours at 8 weeks and have advertised in local agri suppliers. So far, we have 15 chicks and homes for 10 (regardless of sex) with a chap along the road trying to persuade his wife to let him have our two sablepoots and a frizzle/silkie pekin.

We've told people that we aren't responsible if any chicks turn out to be boys and that we cannot take them back - it's a risk that they take and if they aren't prepared to take it then they shouldn't buy anything at all at this stage. We've recommended that they go elsewhere and buy more mature chickens which have been sexed.

The DD has a lot of friends & connections via her Animal Management Uni course and they want chooks.

Jules

[RichmondHens]

You are lucky. We are very rural here and lots of people have their own chickens. There are also quite a few breeders in the area. I must admit I don't advertise much as I'm a bit fussy about where they go to. Would rather hang on to them/give to a friend than sell to just anyone.

[sheena]

If homes can't be found for boy's, they will go in the pot. Girl's get a reprieve and will stay.

Depending on how many we get, the shed next to the run will be converted too. Plenty of room for new stock. And already have homes for 4 girl's aswell.

Hence why I got a few extra's, no harm in supplying the demand.
I'm sure I will be able to sell them on alot cheaper than the local chicken lady at the farmer's market. She wanted £30 for each Orp (I almost fell over when she told me) So with luck i'll be able to half her price and find homes alot quicker.

Maybe the lady who had my 2 lav pekin's might want a girl or 2 to go with her peacocks and pheasants and whatever else she has up on her land

I'm hopeful that all will be well when the time comes.