The Poultry Keeper

Attila The Hen · Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 389 Location: Shetland

Hope you'll all forgive me this shameless self-promotion!

After the early breeding disaster recently (Attila minimus opening all the outdoor breeding pens, allowing cockerels to mingle freely with ladies they shouldn't have been, ahem, mingling with!) I've only got one breed that can possibly be coming pure, my hard-won large fowl Black Minorcas. Girls were from a UK breeder, but the cockerel was hatched from Minorcan stock (sourced during a trip there last Spring).

Have just run 10 eggs in my new Rcom20 (hugely recommended, btw, the 2008 model), and they're hatching today. 90% success, so am delighted with both fertility and the incubator itself.

Now... Am going to source a fresh bloodline this year, so the current cockerel is due to be put away shortly. Here's your chance - if anyone wants hatching eggs, please let me know before Tuesday 5pm. Otherwise he goes that evening! If there are any takers, he'll be reprieved until orders are met. I know theoretically the hens' eggs remain viably fertilised for 21 days or so, but I work on the basis that fresh-is-best!

£6 per half dozen, plus postage - I'd recommend the more expensive next day delivery, but it's down to the buyer! Eggs will come in proper polyboxes.

Any takers?!

Attila

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6797 Location: isle of lewis

i'm really tempted ,but limiting myself this year

debcat · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 1:22 pm Post subject:

Hen-Gen · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 1:24 pm Post subject:

Ditto. But congratulations. They really are a superb breed.

JustChickens · Joined: 24 Mar 2008 Posts: 605 Location: Sussex

Id like to, but ive got 12 pekin eggs in my incy Smile

thanks again Attila! Ill let you know how many pekins i get out of the 12 eggs (hopefully)

kated · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 1585 Location: norfolk

I have 11 LF minorcans in my incubator too. Pity they're not mine.......

jaydee67 · Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 11:37 pm Post subject:

I'd like some - but won't have room in my bator until next weekend. Ordinary egg boxes accepted! Wink

Attila The Hen · Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 389 Location: Shetland

jaydee67 · Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 5:53 pm Post subject:

Pity I'll be at work, unless you're here before 8.40!

I'll try a dozen please. I'll try to remember to put the money on the freezer in the garage if I miss you. Thanks.

Attila The Hen · Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 389 Location: Shetland

Ferry gets in at 8.20, so I'll be with you by 8.25 or thereabouts!

Franco (the usual choice of nationally appropriate dictatorial cockerel name!) thanks you for his temporary stay of execution, and says he'll make the most of this fine weather...

Attila

jaydee67 · Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 10:24 pm Post subject:

Hen-Gen · Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 11:03 pm Post subject:

Great to see a build up of new strains of Minorcas in Shetland!!! Wink

nigel · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 6:14 am Post subject:

I love minorcas, they are so sleek - the ferrari of the poultry world. No one has them here though

Attila The Hen · Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 389 Location: Shetland

They're the first Mediterranean breed I've kept, and I'm delighted with them. Reasonably prolific layers of nice sized white eggs, as well as being lookers in their own right (Ferraris! Love it).

Only went with them as I had a works trip to Minorca, so it seemed like too good an opportunity to pass by. Am going to collect some White-faced Black Spanish eggs while I'm away next week for a change, and then next year the breeding fun begins in earnest working on blue strains of both.

Hen-Gen, I may be picking your brain sometime soon, as I know you have extensive experience of this!

Attila