Now I am thinking, "Crap, I can't bring a three year old and tell him we are buying chicken, show him the chickens and then have to explain that he has to wait a week to (maybe) get the chickens we want."
On to plan B... call up Hilary and make her Google search the remaining breeds to see if they are a match. Unfortunately, I get her on the phone and can't articulate what characteristics I am looking for and she is just reading off a bunch of random notes about the breeds.
I am sure at this point the sales man is thinking, "Is this lady for real? Real farmers don't need Google and cell phones to pick out their chickens." Maybe he is right, but we aren't real farmers, we are just backyard chicken enthusiasts that were 5 minutes too late getting there because I just had to take a shower. With all my research out the door and pleading looks to the elderly Korean couple to please leave some for the rest of us we purchased our two newest chicks. Thanks Hilary for being able to get me the info I want (cold hardy and good egg layers) even though I couldn't speak concisely on the phone.
Without further ado please meet Three and Four (M named them).
Three - The Black Australorp |
Four - The Golden Campine |
They lay and an average 3 eggs per week. While they are considered a egg production hen, they are primarily kept for ornamental purposes. Campines tolerate confinement they do much better if allowed to free range. (Source: Backyardchickens.com)
According to Backyardchicken.com:
The Australorp Breed was developed in Australia at the end of the nineteenth century with Black Orpington stock from England. The breed also has genes from Rhode Island Red, White Leghorn, Langshan and Minorca crosses. The purpose of the breed was as a “utility” chicken for both high egg production and meat. It was originally known as the Black Utility Orpingtons. The breed was standardized after World War One and admitted to the Standard of Perfection in 1929 in England under the fitting name Australorp. By the end of World War Two, Australian poultry breeders wrote up their own breed standards, which have been accepted worldwide. Historically, Australorps have been egg-laying champions: an Australorp hen once laid 364 eggs in 365 days. They are an exceptionally beautiful bird, quite big, with black glossy feathers that have a green sheen and huge black soulful eyes.
They are friendly, quiet and very good egg layers, laying as many as 300 eggs a year. They do well with other breeds and weather the winter months well.
Here is what they will look like when they mature.
Australorp |
Golden Campine |
Cute chickens! Good luck with them.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHow are your Campines doing? I am about to get some chicks and was wondering about them?
ReplyDeleteBPB,
ReplyDeleteThe Campines died after a few weeks...
:(