I think the title says it all. I have officially become chicken obsessed, and I think its about time I admit it. At least to myself…
We have about 8 of our own eggs in the incubator as I am writing this, due to hatch in a few weeks or so. We’ve selected eggs from Lynx only, to hatch, who has been bred with Gimpy. Were hoping to see some more dark egg layers come from this batch as Lynx lays around a 5-6 (I think) on the Marans Scale. This is all dependant upon Gimpy’s Genes though too, so we’ll see how this goes. It’s a bit of an experiment but not on a large enough scale to be entirely accurate. Regardless, I’m very excited to see how this all plays out.
On the other hand, I have now also put in an order for 4 chicks at the beginning of April of Ameraucanas / Easter Eggers. These will be from a hatchery nearby, which is the first we’ll have purchased from a hatchery, so I’m curious to see how these grow. The hatchery calls them pure bred Ameraucanas, but due to the research I have looked into on them, and the fact they are not bred to the SOP (other than lay only BLUE eggs), I have a hard time calling them that…so will most likely just refer to them as Easter Eggers. They should all be laying blue eggs, not quite the same varying shades of most EE’s but, due to the breeding…well, you get it… Anyways, we’ll see how these ones grow.
In between all this as well, we’ll be receiving some hatching eggs for Cayuga ducks (Just in time for my birthday! happy birthday to me 😉 ). I’m very excited about them, and a little nervous to start our adventures in other farm animals other than chickens, though I feel we are prepared for it… but is one really truly ever for anything 100%?
Also, just for fun, here are some updated photo’s of our little POL pullets from last fall. I’m super impatient for them all to start laying (LOL) but, alas, regardless of how I feel, they’ll do it when their ready…and I’m at my wits end. Our little Swedish Flower, Pepper, is laying nicely though, slowly her eggs will get bigger (Her’s are the cream coloured eggs)
It’s all happening! 🙂
What we have been working on for about 10 years now, slowly and steadily, our focus is actually happening and becoming a reality. It’s an amazing feeling, knowing what you have worked hard for is now becoming an achievement. Hopefully we’ve prepared ourselves well enough for this next adventure, though, knowing us…not matter how much we prepare ourselves, were always thrown loops to jump through, but in the end were stronger (and more flexible) then we originally believed ourselves to be.
Happy farming!
The Gone Wild Farmhouse 