The Hinestead

10/29/2024

It’s giving…spooky. 🧡🎃🖤

There is nothing better than a cloudy, cool, fall day with all the leaves turning and falling.

10/23/2024

Lots of scammers out there yall.

10/11/2024

Finally caught the G4 storm! How beautiful ❤️ Made it all the way down to North Carolina again, for the second time this year. Maybe we will finally get some snow 🫣😜 Happy Friday yall!

10/07/2024

Look at these adorable little olive eggers I hatched out. I’m just obsessed!
I’ve still got a couple available if anyone is local to Moore county NC.
I wouldn’t mind keeping a few if I’m being honest but don’t tell my husband 🫣😂

09/21/2024

I’ve got babies coming soon 😁 Black copper maranta, multi-gen olives, and BBS Ameraucanas!
This will be the only fall hatch I do so if you’re local to Moore county, NC and you want some spring layers to add to your rainbow baskets, I’ll have em!

08/15/2024

10/10 recommend! Our group chat is top tier and the information she gives is even better ☺️

08/14/2024

I know I’ve been MIA the last couple months, but this is what I’ve been up too. 💚
All my pullets from spring hatch are finally starting to lay and both breeding pens are done. Just waiting on everyone to grow up a little more and I’ll be offering hatching eggs and chicks…and possibly even shipping 👀 in the spring.
Stay tuned

06/11/2024

I’ve been a little MIA lately, I know.
I’ve had a lot going on with school but here is an update on the garden.
It’s absolutely exploding, I am so excited about this season!
I think I’ll actually have enough to start canning with before the season is over with 💚

04/29/2024

Pretty neat!

Good example photo of the difference between wheaten, blue wheaten and splash wheaten Ameraucana females via the color in the tail (the black color reflects wheaten, the blue/grey color reflects blue wheaten, and the white reflects splash wheaten).

04/29/2024

Get ready for this WAFFLE y’all, it’s for a great cause, a fellow chicken breeder lost most of her coops and structures, and lost years of work with her birds.
And look at all the fun prizes!

04/13/2024

Copied from Odd Duck Farm but this is so true yall. Please read this if you’re in the market for laying hens but wondering why everything is so expensive. Its expensive for ALL of us.

I am seeing a LOT of "looking for a laying hen" but here's some things you, as a buyer, need to realize.

This is OUR season. We raised these hens. We hatched them, fed them, kept them alive, doctored them when they didn't feel good, and housed them for 6-12 months to get that first egg.
An AVERAGE hatchery stock bird costs $5 anymore. A NON hatchery is easily $7-12. At birth.
Feed is $25/50lbs on the medium grade quality stuff. A chick should be free fed until nearly 4 months old. That feed bag doesn't last as long as you think. Nor does the bedding at $8/bale.
Lice/mite treatment, worming, viatims/stress meds, none of those are free. Housing, not free. Upkeep and repairs, not free.
Layer pellets of medium quality, $22/40lbs
Supplemental lighting to get optimal egg laying, not free.

So no- we aren't being greedy when a LAYING HEN of known bloodline/breeding and known health is $35++ we are probably not breaking even on her.
We can't sell you that hen for $10 that's not realistic. It wasn't realistic 5 years ago and it's certainly not now.

We are a SMALL operation. We don't cut corners. If you want $10/hens go to an auction and pick up sick birds and then do the work yourself. Or raise them yourself instead of cutting corners and then whining about crazy farmers pricing.

No, I'm not talking to the people looking for eggs. You're not my target audience here. You are willing to pay what they're worth after it's explained. I'm talking to the old man that just wants a cheap pretty hen to flip at swap next weekend. The one in bib overalls scoffing about "in MY DAY". That's fine. This is MY DAY now. Hens aren't $10 anymore. If they are, you get what you paid for.

Rant over.

03/31/2024

Happy Easter everyone! 💚💛

03/26/2024

She was OVER me taking pictures 🤣
How cute is this little splash Ameraucana baby though!?
And no, I don’t know if it’s a cockeral or a pullet but everything is a she until proven otherwise 😅

03/18/2024

We have so many babies! All of my Ameraucana came out blue and splash, which is perfect because I already have theee black Ameraucana hens, so they will eventually go in a breeding pen together.
We have 23 in the brooder with one strangler still trying to hatch in the incubator.
I’ll see how he’s doing when I get home but 23 out of 30 is fine with me!
I’m kind of scared 🤣 I have SO MANY chicks now 🤣🤣
Chicken math at its finest 😉

03/16/2024

Ya it’s happening, we have pips! 😁
Oh and my apple trees are blooming!
I just love the Spring time 💚

03/14/2024

It’s happening!
My BCM and BBS Ameraucana have made it to lockdown.
27 out of 30 have made it to this point and I’m super excited, a little scared 🤣
I’ve never hatched out more than a dozen chicks at a time. But I need to get my Black Copper Marans up to par with SOP, as close as I can atleast, and I love BBS Ameraucanas, so this is a big step towards my goals for my breeding program.
I’ll post pictures when everyone starts hatching 😁
Happy Thursday everyone!

03/08/2024

Egg collection time is my favorite 😍