ISO Hatching eggs for 4H group

I really hope this is the correct place for this..if not, please let me know. My local 4H has a livestock group, and we (the poultry crazy) are branching off into a new "poultry club".. we are attempting to do our group activity on hatching some quality chicks so that next year we will have the ability to hatch our own chicks by the March deadline (don't have to be perfect specimens, but we are tired of the hatchery production birds passed off as pure this or that to the members).

No certain breed requirements, something purebred obviously, decent layer, but other than that we are wide open.

If there's anyone out there willing to sell a couple dozen hatching eggs at a reasonable price, we would greatly appreciate it.. the other leader and I are pretty experienced hatchers and will probably split the hatching duty by just dividing the eggs just in case something happens to one or the other, we still have a chance of getting enough chicks for each member to raise a couple chicks. We are only starting with 6 members , so figure a 50% hatch with shipped eggs, that's 2 chicks a member

Also looking for any old poultry books for them if anyone has extras they would like to part with.
TIA

I suggest you call your county extension agent if you haven’t. Since you are involved in 4H it seems you should be in regular contact with an agent. In Arkansas 4H kids can get free high-quality hatching eggs from a University Poultry Science professor through the extension service. I don’t know what you have in West Virginia but I think it is worth talking to your agent and see what they can do for you.

If your county or state has a fair where they show chickens try to find out who is in charge. There is an excellent chance they would know of someone with quality birds that might help you.

Play the kid card. 4H kids are hard to resist.

I've already tried all of those routes unfortunately. .up until we decided to branch off, the extension office has always ordered production reds from a hatchery and have had the kids convinced for years that they were RIRs.. that is what we are trying to get away from.
Poultry isn't real big in this area, so most locals have either barnyard mixes or "game" game birds and that is a route I'm definitely not trying or supporting in any way..
We've tried fliers at the all the local feed stores, gas stations, etc in the hopes that maybe there is an old timer hiding some nice flock of something or other in the woods out here, but no luck so far..lol

That's a shame. I looked at the West Virginia State fair and did not even see a chicken show for the general public. Our county has one at our fair.

How about another idea. I have no idea if it will work. Pick a few breeds and look up the national Organization, maybe from this list. See if you can get a contact of someone near you or talk to the national organization and tell them what you are trying to do, introduce the kids to quality birds. What does it hurt to ask? You might strike gold.

http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/BC_Links.htm

Thank you! That is one thing I hadn't thought of..yes, our state is sad when it comes to poultry imo.. poultry was banned at the county fair for everyone last year bc of the AI scare..I totally understood that..however, they decide back in November that it would also be banned this coming year as well.. kids can take in posters, pictures , etc of their project birds, but that's it ;(
So hoping if we get started with eggs now, by the time next year's fair and show rolls around, we will be ready to kick butt and take names ♡♡