Pip & Grow

29/01/2025

*** Australia Post Tracking Glitch ***

We’ve noticed a little hiccup with Australia Post’s tracking system today. All shipments sent out yesterday (Tuesday, 28th January) to various locations are incorrectly marked as "DELIVERED," even though they are still in transit. E.g. Adelaide airport, whoever recieved it. 😅

Rest assured, your precious cargo is on the right path, correctly addressed, and making its way to you. No one has received your eggs, so there’s no need to worry! We expect Australia Post to resolve this glitch soon.

Thank you for your patience, and we’ll keep you updated if there is any further issue with delivery from this event.

28/01/2025

*** Porcelain feathering fault ***

We’ve been trying to introduce porcelain Pekin genetics into our line for the past two years since our original line, inherited from our breeding partner Venessa - Chirpy chickens Poultry only produces Millefleur. Last year, we shared our experience of having to cull a porcelain male we hatched from purchased eggs. Determined to try again, we sourced eggs from a different breeder in another state this year.

From this batch, we hatched a beautiful female porcelain. All of her siblings are Millefleur. As per photo, The fault isn’t visible from a distance as it is mostly hidden beneath her feathers. (males often display this fault more prominently than females.) However, we remembered last year case and decided to take a closer look during our final assessment. Lucky we did. This girl has the exact same issue as the previous year's male: brittle feathers on the wing shoulders.

We would like to recommend checking your porcelain birds wing shoulders especially if you plan to breed. You will need to actually flick over the wing feathers to see. It looks like someone pecked the feathers, but feathers are actually constantly breaking off, never grow into proper feathers.

Two things we want to be clear,

#1. We are not sharing this to point fingers or cast blame to the breeder. We don’t know the full story behind this fault. The breeder may have known about it but decided to continue breeding for other reasons or may not have been aware. It is not our place to pass judgment.

#2. Our birds aren’t perfect either: We aren’t trying to make ourselves look better by sharing this. None of our birds are faultless, and we have plenty of room for improvement. We simply want to raise awareness about this particular fault in the porcelain color. The more we know, the better we can avoid passing on these issues in our breeding lines.

Breeding goals vary greatly among breeders.
For us, we aim to breed birds for the "general public"; ensuring they meet at least the fundamental criteria of the Australian Poultry Standards. Most importantly, we prioritize breeding from happy, healthy birds. As much as we want to add the porcelain color to our lines, we do not wish to pass on genetic faults like this Australia wide via our eggs, as they are difficult to eliminate once it is in the line, and there is not much information we can rely on.

This girl has now been re-homed as a backyard pet, where she’ll live a happy life. The fault has been clearly communicated to the new owner, who doesn’t mind at all, as she is otherwise a happy and healthy girl.

For Porcelain, we’ll try again next year - third time’s the charm!...or maybe it is a poultry god's sending us a sign, just do millie😂
Related post shared May 2024 : Story of a porcelain boy
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1KYQmh3YHC/
📷 Pip & Grow - HQ

27/01/2025

*** Final Hatch of the Season ***

Our last chicks of the season were out of the hatcher last night.

Due to the extreme weather, pick-ups will be scheduled during the cooler part of the day:

Monday, 27th January : 5–8 PM
Tuesday and after : By appointment

Available breeds and details :
https://www.pipandgrow.com.au/product/final/

We have hatched close to 2,000 birds this season. It has been an absolute joy to serve all our local customers again this year. Many of you are returning customers, and that makes us incredibly happy and grateful.

Thank you so much for stopping by, for your continued support, understanding, and love this season. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if there’s anything we can assist you with our grandchookies. Lifetime support is included in the price & we stand by it.

P.S. We also have 4 young currently laying quail hens looking for new homes.
https://www.pipandgrow.com.au/product/japquailoffheat/

Thank you again for being part of this incredible season with us. We hope to see you again in the new season!
📷 Pip & Grow - Littlehampton HQ

23/01/2025

We’re thrilled to announce that the Four Broody Jail Criminals have been officially bailed.

Their impressive behaviour ; refusing to escape through the gigantic gumtree branch that broke their pen, paired with their incredible luck in evading foxes for over TWO NIGHTS/DAYS deserves recognition.

All four girls were found gathered at the one side of the pen that wasn’t broken. Knowing their personalities, we are pretty sure silkie girl declared, “No way I’m leaving my safe zone and wonder out” managed to keep everyone together. 😆

After this event, the girls decided brooding life isn’t for them anymore. They’ve happily returned to their original pens, looking very pleased to be home.

We lost,
Part of the broody jail coop
A security camera
The sensor light
Power connection
…and our favourite silkie butt-trimming bench

All replaceable, and most importantly, no lives were lost which we are greatful.

A big thank you to everyone who has checked in and sent kind thoughts our way. ❤️

P.S. Is this broody jail being tested by poultry god? This is the same place where we found huge brown 🐍 before! 😂
📷 -At the Manor

23/01/2025

23/01/2025

"Why are we not hatching more?"

There are two main reasons:

1. As moulting begins, most of our "mature" hens stop laying. Of course, there are some exceptions, such as Silkies, who seem to have their own seasons, or a few hens who started their season later in the year.
"spring chickens" (pullets hatched early in spring) will lay eggs throughout winter, and while these eggs will hatch, it's not ideal for hatching due to various reasons.
2. We prefer our chicks to be at least 16 weeks old before the cold, wet, and rainy season begins where we are. This gives them the strength to handle the challenges of changing seasons. Spring and summer are battles against mites and lice, while autumn and winter often bring respiratory illnesses to common backyard flocks. Older birds are much better equipped to survive unexpected illnesses or diseases. This approach ensures the best outcomes for all our chicks, whether they’re staying with us or heading to new homes as dayolds.

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻
Our final hatch pick up for this season is scheduled for 27th January 2025. After that, we "may" have a few small test hatches if our quirky Silkies decide that winter is their time to shine, but this would only result in a handful of chicks.

We haven’t taken pre-orders for this hatch.
Once the chicks are hatched, we’ll do a headcount before opening orders with the exact number of chicks available as we really want to avoid not having enough chicks for our last hatch. "Never count chicks before they are out of the shell!"

If you plan to order chicks from this final hatch, please send us a message with the breed(s) and quantity you’re after. We’ll prioritize your request and allocate chicks before listing them online. This isn’t something we normally offer, but since it’s our final hatch of the season, we wanted to give our followers the opportunity to avoid missing out. 😊
Info & Details
https://www.pipandgrow.com.au/product/final
📷 - Littlehampton HQ

21/01/2025

Today, we announce the official retirement of our beloved "Bruno".

He has left our care and is now headed to his new home, where he will spend the rest of his life as a farmyard boy, looking after Orpington girls on a spacious, free-ranging acreage.

This decision was not an easy one, but we knew it was the right time for both of us—giving Bruno the opportunity to thrive in his new role as a pet in a spacious place while allowing us to introduce new genetics into our Buff Orpington line.

On days like today,
we wish we could simply keep chickens as backyard pets, not for breeding. We dream of unlimited land, endless resources, and a helping hand to care for every bird we cherish. But the reality is different.

Bruno, my darling boy,
Thank you for coming into our lives and showing us the true charm of the Orpington breed. You’ve given us wonderful babies and so many precious memories. Your gentle, cheeky, and silly nature will never be forgotten. You will always hold a special place in my heart as my very first chicken son.

Wishing you all the best in your new life at Port Lincoln.
📷 - Momeory of "Bruno"
Our very first chicken son. We’ve had (and still have) many chooks in our lives, but not all of them hold the title of "chicken child." Bruno was truly one of a kind, special in every way. ❤️

20/01/2025

We are keep an eye on the quails to see if any are walking uncomfortably. 😆 Whoever keeps laying 20g eggs deserves a piece of watermelon! 🍉
📷 quail eggs & Belgian D'Uccle egg comparison

17/01/2025

A Friendly Reminder: Moulting Season

Some of your chickens (older than 1 yr) may have already started moulting, depending on their age or the climate.

1. Eggs will become scarce.
2. Pens might look like a "pillow fight"aftermath.
3. Chooks are looking messy, some horrendous with bare skin with pin feathers.

Should You change main feed to high Protein blend ?
If you're already feeding a quality, well-balanced chook feed, there's no need to change it. Chickens naturally stop laying eggs during moulting to redirect protein towards feather regrowth. Too much protein can actually be harmful, putting stress on their kidneys and increasing ammonia in their droppings, which can lead to other problems in the coop.

The point is ; Don’t panic!
As long as your flock is eating well and behaving normally, they’re just going through a natural process.

Keep an eye on the naughty feather peckers who can't resist on pin feathers (there is always one or two). Use purple centrigen / antipecking bitter spray or keep it separately for a few weeks if required.

Want to give them a little boost?
A handful of extra mealworms, black soldier fly larvae, or an occasional can of sardines makes a great high-protein treat in moderation. Always remember: their feed has to be the main diet.

Most importantly,
Don't forget to let your chooks know how emotionally devastated you will be buying eggs laid by other chickens like other average "Chickenless people" for a while.🤣👌
ℹ️ More info on moulting:
https://www.pipandgrow.com.au/feathers-everywhere-chicken-moulting/
📷 -At the Manor

16/01/2025

We currently have a good range of "feathered therapeutic goods" listed on our website.

Off-Heat Pullets
Some didn’t meet our cut for breeding but still perfect backyard mates. Mischievous youngsters ready to move into your coop.

Hens
A great option for those with an existing flock looking to introduce new birds. These hens still have many productive laying years ahead and possess stronger immune systems. Introducing mature birds is often easier and safer than adding younger ones.

Cockerels
A few promising young lads that are surplus to our needs. We have already culled those that didn’t meet our basic standards—these are with potential.

Full details and individual information can be found on our website:
https://www.pipandgrow.com.au/chook

💉 All birds are vaccinated by us on-site for:
Marek's Disease and Coccidiosis at hatch
Mycoplasma MS & MG
Infectious Coryza 1st and *2nd dose
ILT A20 and *SA2
(*depending on the bird's age)

ℹ️ Our bird pricing reflects the extra care, vaccinations, and effort we provide.
Interstate transport can be arranged—please refer to our website for more details.

Japanese Quails
- Dayold quails : require heat for 2-3weeks
- Female quails Currently laying 12 wks old

https://www.pipandgrow.com.au/japquail/
📷 - Littlehampton HQ
Open by appointment on any day until late

10/01/2025

"Cream" Legbar

Through our research, we've found that imported Cream Legbar lines are closer to the APS standard but still exhibit some known flaws, such as comb shape and Cotswold Legbar line throwbacks (possible gold leakage), as noted by breeders who sourced birds directly from importers. Since their release in 2016, many breeders have been working to refine these flocks to achieve the true "Cream" Legbar standard.

From here, our pick will be
1. Cream
2. Cream split : Considered only if the bird has other desirable traits and strictly paired with a cream rooster.

Although the "Gold" bird is healthy and beautiful, she won’t be included in our Cream Legbar breeding program, as our goal is to maintain and refine the true cream.

All of our current breeding birds are "Cream," which we are pleased with, though we remain mindful that some may carry the recessive white egg gene. A hen hatched from a blue egg doesn’t necessarily guarantee she will lay blue eggs, yet this trait is essential for the Cream Legbar. We’re patiently waiting for this season’s pullets to start laying to confirm egg color and adjust our plans accordingly. To prepare, we got another line this season, though it came with a hint of gold.

Breeding is never perfect—you gain some traits and may risk of lose others if we are not careful. From here, selection depends entirely on each breeder’s knowledge and individual goals. For us, this will be a long-term journey, and we’re taking it one season at a time.

We thought we’d share this image as a great example of the color variation that can appear within a single line.

*** Edit ***
We received feedback from an experienced breeder that the term "cream split" maybe incorrect.
The cream gene is recessive and requires two copies to be expressed. A bird carrying only one copy ("split") will not show cream. The bird we labeled as cream split may/may not be cream but could carry another underlying color. We sincerely thank Brendon, Gemma & Andrew for sharing their thoughts.
ℹ️ These birds were hatched from purchased "import line" fertile eggs to help improve and refine our own Cream Legbar line. The gold bird pictured is 3 weeks younger, which explains its slightly smaller size.
📷

09/01/2025

*** Buff Partridge Orpington 6-Week Update ***
- Hatched from our Buff Standard Orpingtons, showing genetic throwbacks -

Bird 3 (Blue Band):
This chick hatched with the faintest markings. Initially s*xed as male, but we are currently changing our minds 30 times a day! It has a more developed, colored comb compared to the other two (Yellow& Red Band), which are confirmed pullets. However, its comb is still smaller than the Buff male from the same hatch. It might be a second-rank male within the group....? 🤔

Bird 1 (Red Band):
This chick has the darkest and most pronounced markings.

All other chicks from this hatch have the usual clean Buff coloration with no markings at all.

These unique bunch may molt and turn into full Buffs over time—or they may retain their special markings. Time will tell.

We’ll be keeping this group for a few more weeks before offering them. If anyone is interested in investing in these genetic throwbacks (potentially develop your own partridge line) and taking over this group, feel free to reach out.
*video in comment
Related post
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14oaiab29V/
📷 Pip & Grow

07/01/2025

*** laced Polish s*xing tips around 6 weeks old ***

Laced Polish with beards do not develop wattles (the dangling part under the beak). Even as mature birds, they either have no wattles or very minimal ones. The best way to determine their s*x at young is by observing the color and development of the comb and the area where wattles would normally form.

Non-laced Polish (without beards) develop well-defined wattles, making them a bit easier to s*x.

Lastly, pom shape (rounded for females vs. Mohawk-like for males) is not always a reliable indicator. In our experience, we’ve had females with Mohawk-style poms and males with rounded poms.
📷 Pip & Grow
*xing *xing *xing

03/01/2025

*** Pick up day ***
🏡 Saturday 4th January 2025 from 9am until late
💉 Marek's disease & Coccidiosis 4 strains



https://www.pipandgrow.com.au/product/4jan/

- Sexed female welsummer
-Maran x Legbar *chance of olive egger
- Salmon Faverolles * this will be the last decent number of chicks for the season
- Speckled Suss*x
- Araucana
- Choc bantam orpington
- The odd bunch

&

https://www.pipandgrow.com.au/chook/

All details and info on the website or flick us a message if we missed any. 😊
📷

31/12/2024

Whether you've dealt with us directly or simply followed along, we’re so grateful to have had you as part of our journey this year.

No year is ever perfect, and 2024 was no exception. But as we reflect, even the challenging moments helped shape who we are today.

As 2025 begins, we wish you joy, good health, and endless motivation to chase your dreams.

Thank you for being here with us, and here’s to an amazing year ahead.

Happy New Year to you, our lovely humans & 🐓🐔🐥!
📷 Chocolate bantam orpington young cockerel bred this season. He is such a sweet boy.

30/12/2024

*** Feathering Pattern on Chicks***

A "fully feathered chick" can also be male. Variations can occur even within the same hatch, much like how human siblings can be quite different despite having the same parents.

📷 Pip & Grow
These chicks are about 5 weeks old and are from the same hatch.
*xing

22/12/2024

We candled a batch of fertile eggs we purchased last night, including one that turned out to be a 'quitter'—likely stopping development at the start of the second week of incubation.

Over the years, we’ve candled countless eggs, but this one was especially fascinating. You can even see the tiny little foot inside.

Sharing this as a learning moment for anyone interested. We’ll add a video in the comments for those curious to see more.

©️ Image taken by Pip & Grow

21/12/2024

One more moult to go until those beautiful full spots bloom. Fingers crossed these two make it into the breeding pen next season.
📷 Pekin Black Mottled 2024 bred pullets, continuing the legacy of Venessa - Chirpy Chicken Poultry line