09/14/2026
This is my favorite time of year because all my new layers from my spring hatches start to lay .
2026 has been a really hard year for me birds wise. I was really pretty devastated after spending a lot of money for purple copper Marans from Crosshatch farms and having an absolute HORRIBLE experience and set my Maran program back by a solid 1 1/2 years. I waited 15 months for these chicks . All of them died right after I got them. To add insult to injury - this breeder never apologized , never offered any type of solution or simply, an apology.
Then to add more insult to injury - I paid 700 dollars of hard earned money , sold over 80% of my mottled grow outs to pay for fresh genetics. I bought heavy bloomed eggs from “Almost something like a tiny farm”. Again, high hopes , poor results. I had only 13 chicks out of 4 dozen eggs make it to lockdown and 4 of the 13 had severe defects. Severe defects like no eyes, severe cross beak and one had its brain outside of its skull. This sent me over the edge . I just sobbed holding these chicks in my lap . I was defeated in this moment. It really broke me . I reached out to the breeder, her resolution was to send me more silver rudds to make up for my poor hatch . That was not ok with me . Why ? Because her reasoning as to why my birds I hatched from her had such severe defects and horrible hatch rates was ……… you guessed it , shipping . The shipping is the reason. No thank you . I don’t accept that. If my eggs were shipped in March/Apirl like they should have been and not June , maybe would have had a better success when temps were 70-80s and not 100s. I have never experienced in 7 years of poultry hatching this severe malformation in chicks. I do not believe it’s solely shipping. But yet, it’s somehow my issue as the customer. It’s somehow my issue there was no wait for eggs when I sent this breeder my money. I saw her post eggs daily , send eggs to all these social media influencers and big farm pages while I waited patiently for an update . ITS NOT OK TO DEMAND AND TAKE PEOPLES MONEY IMMEDIATELY AND NOT PROVIDE THEIR PRODUCT TIMELY.
This is what I am so over guys . This is truly why I had a breakdown and sold 75% of my birds. I do not operate this way and never will.
I am back to focusing on what what makes me happy . I love egg color and genetics. I adore silkies . I love my ducks. If I have extras , I will surely post them BUT I am going back to doing this for me .
Enjoy these gorgeous eggs below. When I have extra , I will post them ❤️