Olive Eggers

[Natalie]

Yup, their mean. Not all of them but alot. They have many off topic threads over there though. They post about fights with their husbands, relatives and neighbors.
They post about their drug addicted kids, their jobs etc.
Believe me, lurk longer and you will know way more than you ever wanted to about those people.
Having said that, they are a wealth of information and I would not hesitate to post any question over there.
I am surprised that you found info that marans are tempermental, mine are so laid back and sweet.
If you don't think chickens are addicting you will find out. I only wanted 6 or 8 and I have way more than that now.
Pretty soon you will see another beautiful breed and want a couple of those, and then you will see another one and another one..................

[Jessaboo]

I was surprised to see that going on over there. I mean, what is the point of participating if you really just want to complain and/or berate others? I guess I just assumed that they would be as encouraging as beefolk are but maybe chickenfolk are different! I will def continue to keep going there for info though - even when the opinions are conflicting I am learning something!

The stuff I saw on Marans didn't necessarily say they were a problem just indicated that the breeding is not completely "done" so that you have a chance to get some that are a bit more edgy than others depending on the line they come from. This is probably true of every breed but it just made me a little nervous that it would be mentioned specifically.

Maybe when I am ready for more chicks I can get an egg from your flock?! Maybe by then you will have perfected that olive egger, too!

And what you say is, of course, true - I am already planning for other breeds when my first girls "give out" and they haven't even been born yet! And of course there's the go-for-broke path to more chicks but that involves moving!

- Jess

[reinbeau]

I've read a few times (on BYC) that Marans would be one of the breeds to survive a predator attack, because they are very wiley and have a strong survivalist drive.  I guess other breeds aren't quite so feisty.

As for people on BYC being mean, I think you can find that, but you can also find some very helpful folks well worth asking questions of.  I've got other thoughts, but since I'm a moderator over there I have to behave myself  ;)

[poka-bee]

Chix & Bees, Bees & Chix...both are addicting!  I love all mine, one in particular, Rosie, she was the weird one, sposed to be a blk sex link but was chox brown chick, now looks sort of like a partridge rock.  I love the EE's, they are all so different in coloring & those tufts are just too cute. You will love your chix, it is amazing that they can cram em all into such a small box, with room left over!  J

[Natalie]

I ordered a dozen ameraucana eggs from a woman who breeds them and she sent me 3 dozen with a note that said she had saved 2 dozen for herself to incubate but since they lost power in the ice storm she couldn't hatch them so she sent them along with my order.
So I now have another 3 dozen blue/black/splash and mottled ameraucanas.
Thank goodness I have a monthly swap meet to go to and there are actually 2 extra scheduled from another chicken group, so I won't have to look to hard to rehome the extras and I will make some money and recoup what I spent.
No one ever has to give away chicks at these swaps, you can always get a few dollars for them.
I told reinbeau I would give her a couple if she wants, plus I still have the olive eggers and some golden cuckoos and wellsummers in the bator.
I just hope I get enough pullets out of the wellies and olive eggers
Now if I don't get a bunch of pullets out of all those ameraucanas then something is really wrong!
Its been a joke in my family that every time I get this breed I get all roosters, which is pretty much true.
The eggs she sent are so pretty, such a nice shade of blue so I would love to get hens that lay the same.
Jessaboo, just let me know when you want to hatch and I can send you some eggs when you are ready.

[Cindi]

Jess, oh, you ain't seen nuthin' yet.  You think that you got addicted to bees, the chickenyard critters are almost as the same.  What a blast, I kid you not, you'll love every minute of it!!!  Good luck with the babies that will be coming your way, yours to raise, to be mamma too, how cool.  Have a great, most wonderful day, attract great health.  Cindi