Rural Gardening: My New Adventure, 1 by Melissa_Ohio

Melissa_Ohio wrote:
Background: Last fall a husky destroyed what was left of our flock... it killed 27 chickens.... leaving us with 11 hens. We were fine over most of the winter, but late winter, another dog killed more... and we're now down to 3 hens who aren't laying every day. So, I had already planned to buy new chicks this spring... when we sell eggs,everyone wants dark eggs, and my own personal preference is dark brown eggs... so, I planned on getting Cuckoo Marans, while researching them, I started reading about Black Copper Marans, and saw pictures of how dark their eggs were, and decided that I wanted those. Problem is, they're very expensive, and have to be purchased from individuals since they aren't a recognized Breed here in the US. So... after reading here, and elsewhere decided I was going to buy eggs and hatch my own. I bought the incubator, and started looking at where I wanted to buy my eggs and from whom. I started this thread about the hatch.... http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/982534

I started the eggs so they would hatch over Memorial Weekend... it didn't go so well, I was hand turning, and we had electrical issues twice where the electric was out for hours.... not so good for chicks in eggs.... I ended up with 7 chicks, and I absolutely love them... but, I needed more than 7 new chicks..... so I bought more eggs... and they're in the incubator now. I also planned to order 20 barred rock pullets to arrive when this new batch was scheduled to hatch.

For whatever reason, I went to a chick/egg auction site Tuesday, and there before my eyes at the top of the page was an auction for Black Copper Marans chicks, and the price was unbelieveable. I couldn't resist... my husband was off tuesday and I showed him... I waffled back and forth for a couple of minutes, and then just entered a bid... there were only 10 minutes or so left, and I only bid about 15.00 over what the current bid was, because we JUST had the electric issues permanently fixed monday, and I knew that bill was coming, and it was going to be a big one.

We ate breakfast, I came back to the computer, and I'd won the auction. I emailed the seller to get the details, and after a couple of exchanges, he told me he'd looked at the birds, and they were a lot bigger than he thought... he was afraid they'd die in shipment if he sent what the actual auction called for.... he knew I wanted them for egg production... so he asked if I'd mind taking a breeding trio shipped in one box, and Chicks in another box... but less chicks so they wouldn't suffocate. For the price I had paid, I would have been happy with less chicks all alive... but the offer of the Trio was amazing.

They left Florida Wednesday, Express, but didn't arrive here until this morning....

The adults are about 7 months old... and absolutely GORGEOUS.... Three of the chicks are exactly the same size as my original 7, 2 of the chicks are about a week old, and the rest are about 2 weeks old..... but, I now have 24 new Black Copper Marans, my original 7, and 36 eggs in the incubator.

Today is my mom's birthday, and usually a rough day for me... she's been gone 3 years.... but, this has made it a pretty good day so far. :)

Here the chicks are on arrival, and after getting them out of the box.

This message was edited Jun 19, 2009 12:33 PM