Gino’s Little Acres

02/11/2025

Just a friendly reminder for those new to poultry, or those that haven’t grasped how the economy has caused an increase in the cost of ALL livestock over the last 5- 10 years. Chickens included!

You won’t find a quality pullet or laying hen for
$8-$20 per head nowadays, the way you could years ago. If you do happen to find that on a rare
occurrence (excluding literal hatchery birds)
then the seller is doing you a huge service, and not even cutting anywhere near “even” on their sale.

Be kind to breeders who are out of your budget!
Many of us have thousands invested into our birds, travel all across the states to source them, and spend hundreds just to get them shipped to us as well. Just because it’s not in your price range doesn’t mean it’s over priced. 🫶🏻✨

You get what you pay for basically. It's up to you to do your own research and find yourself a reputable and honest breeder or hatchery. There's many out there for a fast buck and not for the integrity of maintaining health or breed standards with their flocks.

Shared from Q's Quirky Cluckers
Thanks for writing this post!

02/08/2025

Please support your local chicken farms! I will have chicks and hatching eggs! And so will some other local friends!
Simply Feathered Acres
The Back 40 Acres, LLC
White Oak Acres Homestead
Ben’s Hens

Most people know Tractor Supply purchases from Hoovers Hatchery. With egg shortages on the rise the influx of people wanting chickens is increasing. With chick sales increasing from the big stores it’s going to cause feed to eventually increase as well. In turn that will cause our own egg sales to go up and we DON’T want that.

Now would be a great time to support local breeders, small farms, or any backyard chicken owners you know instead of the big box stores for any of your eggs and chicks this year.

We have no reason to increase our egg sale prices (unless the price of feed goes up), the support you receive after your purchase is unmatched because we care, the health and quality of the chicks you receive won’t be hatchery quality. Most breeders breed for resistance meaning healthy quality birds that are easier on the eyes pecking around the yard. 💁🏼‍♀️

I can’t think of a better time to shop small and support local ♥️

02/08/2025

Chick season is starting! I will be offering BCM, OE and some barnyard mixes.
I will have hatching eggs available as well.
Barnyard mix is 40 covered by my BCM rooster. I will also Include BCM eggs the mix.
Once the fertility Is where I want It on the BCM, I will be posting 1/2 dozen for your consideration.

02/08/2025

EGG COLOR BREEDING & EXPECTIONS

Have you ever had what you thought was a green layer only to have the disappointment of it laying brown? Olive Eggers (OE) are a bit complex because they aren't a breed on their own but a cross. What a hen lays depends on how that cross was made.
F1, multigen, backcross are all terms used to describe OE.
Understanding what they mean helps you know what to expect.

An F1 OE is a cross between a brown layer & a blue layer. Their offspring will always lay green. The shade of green depends on how dark the shell of the brown layer is.

Multigen is a term used to describe various generations of OE. This does not always mean that their offspring will lay green.

Backcrosses (BC) are OE crossed back to a brown or blue egg laying parent. This can be done for multiple generations to get the shades you want.
BC to brown makes richer shades & darker olives.... however offspring have a 50/50 chance of green or brown.
BC to blue can make brighter shades with aqua undertones.

As a buyer, there is absolutely nothing wrong with asking for clarification on what you're getting when purchasing OE. It's not reasonable to expect breeders to give away their "trade secrets", BUT...it is fair to ask what percentage of offspring are expected to lay green.

Speckling is a trait that can be selected for & passed down to offspring. However the amount of speckling can vary a ton between birds. Hens with the exact same parents may lay completely different eggs. It can also vary from day to day & as the season goes on. Even when breeding for it, the amount of speckling isn't guaranteed. The same goes for bloom.

Breeders invested in these projects may have spend years, growing out generation after generation, to achieve the colors/speckles you see.

As well as various F1 & BC, I also use an OE rooster with multi gen hens. I know that the offspring in that particular group have a 75% chance of laying green & a 25% chance of brown. This gives me the most variety...which makes it fun!

***Pic of eggs from new layers last January 2024

01/22/2025

We are chicken tenders in the freezing 🥶 cold temps and in steaming 🥵 hot days! No rest for us!

01/17/2025

FINALLY!! This lady has not laid an egg since October! Yes, you read that right! OCTOBER!! And then I get this beauty this morning! I absolutely love my BCM girls!

01/17/2025

I love the color eggs we have been getting lately! Some do not lay daily! But when they do! I’m in love!

01/15/2025

I love the color variations!! My hands are so cold 🥶 from the ❄️ snow! But I had to get a photo!

01/09/2025

New blue layer! I love it! I am loving my basket with all the color variations in it!

01/03/2025

I finally got a blue egg today! I was so happy, and this little blue egg made my day!
I believe it was from my cream leg bar I purchased from The Back 40 Acres, LLC

12/31/2024

If anyone is interested, I have 3-4 pure black Ameraucana chicks available! They hatched from ermine lines.
They hatched 11/15. Adorable little fluff balls with gorgeous beards and muffs coming in! They are straight run!!! Too hard to tell what s*x they are!

I cannot ship, and would not ship due to their age!

Local pick up, will deliver with a fee if you are further than 30 minutes.

Will post updated photos later.
Photos posted are old, but they show how cute they are!

10.00 per chick. Again these are true Ameraucana.
But now, and hopefully have layers by spring!

12/30/2024

Oh this rain can stop! We need it to freeze or just get warm! Mother nature please choose a side here!!!
I have a mini pond by my chicken run! My ducks 🦆 are loving it, they are swimming their little hearts out! 😂

12/16/2024

This spring we will be offering;

🤎 🥚 Black copper marans BCM
💚 🥚 Olive eggers (multi generational)
🩵 🥚 Ermine Ameracuana

Hopefully some Ayam Cemani and FibroCana! 🤞

All chicks will be straight run, same price and the eggs will be priced accordingly.

Chick prices 10.00 per chick
Egg prices 70 a dozen, 1/2 dozen will be 35.00.

🖤 Ayam Cemani will be 20.00 per chick straight run. 90 for a dozen, 1/2 dozen will be 55.00

Shipping will be a flat rate or 30.00. This will cover packing supplies and shipping.

Sales will depend on fertility, and how well the girls are laying once I move them around! 🐓 🥚

My NPIP testing is completed, once I have my certification I will 🚢 eggs!
But until then I will be offering within Michigan!

We will still have farm fresh eggs for eating available as well!

Dozen eating eggs - 5.00
18 pack - 8.00
Duck eggs - 5.00

12/11/2024

I love this pretty speckled egg that was laid today. And I had to add a photo of my Christmas 🎄 chicken 🐓

12/03/2024

This poor 🦆 ducky’s butt must have hurt! She out did herself this morning!!

12/03/2024

I was left a present 🎁 on my 🥚 today! I love butt feathers!! And can you say eggs galore! Anyone need eggs? 😂

11/25/2024

I cannot wait to see how this little one glams up! Love it!!

11/25/2024

The bloom on this BCM egg was amazing yesterday! She definitely lays some nice 🥚!