MARYLAND THREAD!

[dheltzel]

Hi fellow Marylanders! I just joined - I live in Boonsboro, but work in Westminster so I'm going to get my peeps at Bowman's on Monday. So excited! Is anyone in the Boonsboro area hatching Welsummers before the end of March ? I'd love to get my hands on one but they aren't available at Bowman's until May.

For Welsummers (and Marans, Ameraucanas, and Delawares) I highly recommend Whitmore Farm in Thurmont. Wil is a local breeder and his stock is far, far better quality than the hatchery chicks you get at Bowmans (or any feedstore). The hatchery stock may lay better, but likely not very dark in color and that is why most people want Welsummers in the first place. One potential problem is that they are straight run, not sexed, but if you read the "fine print", the feed stores don't guarantee the sexing either, the hatcheries generally get it right 90 - 95% of the time, but some cockerels always slip through. The only way to be certain is to get sexlinked hybrids or autosexing breeds.

Also, Whitemore might already be sold out for the season. They only hatch limited numbers and the demand for their stock is high.

 

[ChickityChina]

Hi ChickityChina (Barenaked Ladies reference???

) I've heard great things about Bowman's, one of my staff gets her chicks there. For sure I'm getting Barred Rocks, Golden Laced Wyandottes and Rhode Island Reds. The plan was to get two each... but I also want to try the Golden Comet, Speckled Sussex and Buff Orpington so maybe it will be a mixed flock. Our coop will hold 6 comfortably but it has a covered run and they will have plenty of free range time so I may try for 8. In any case, the Orp's aren't available until March 28 - I will be picking up 5 Monday for sure - so excited!!!

Hahaha you got it! - I am a big BNL fan

That sounds like a really pretty flock in the making! I was going to get a RIR, but when I went to Bowman's on Feb 29 (first day) they had sold out of RIRs within an hour and a half of opening!! I ended up with a third EE instead. My suggestion is to get there as early as possible, or if you can't make it till later in the day, have a backup breed or two chosen for your selection. Can't wait to hear about your chicks (and maybe see some pics?).

 

[lizbeth120]

For Welsummers (and Marans, Ameraucanas, and Delawares) I highly recommend Whitmore Farm in Thurmont. Wil is a local breeder and his stock is far, far better quality than the hatchery chicks you get at Bowmans (or any feedstore). The hatchery stock may lay better, but likely not very dark in color and that is why most people want Welsummers in the first place. One potential problem is that they are straight run, not sexed, but if you read the "fine print", the feed stores don't guarantee the sexing either, the hatcheries generally get it right 90 - 95% of the time, but some cockerels always slip through. The only way to be certain is to get sexlinked hybrids or autosexing breeds.

Also, Whitemore might already be sold out for the season. They only hatch limited numbers and the demand for their stock is high.

Thanks! Good to know, but it looks like they have a minimum purchase of 6

Maybe when the flock is due for a refresher I'll get my next batch from Whitmore.

I see you're in Pottstown - my dad lives in Telford and my cousins grew up in Boyertown so I'm pretty familiar with the area from childhood

 

[dheltzel]

Thanks! Good to know, but it looks like they have a minimum purchase of 6

Maybe when the flock is due for a refresher I'll get my next batch from Whitmore.

I see you're in Pottstown - my dad lives in Telford and my cousins grew up in Boyertown so I'm pretty familiar with the area from childhood

Yup, lots of chicken people up in this area too. If you ever get up here, contact me for chicks. I don't have a minimum and have Welsummers (from Whitmore stock) hatching most of the time (they are very popular around here).

 

[greenfeathers]

Hi fellow Marylanders! I just joined - I live in Boonsboro, but work in Westminster so I'm going to get my peeps at Bowman's on Monday. So excited! Is anyone in the Boonsboro area hatching Welsummers before the end of March ? I'd love to get my hands on one but they aren't available at Bowman's until May.

I'm just down the road in Keedysville.

If you're in the town of boonsboro I thought I had read chickens were not allowed.

 

[lizbeth120]

I'm just down the road in Keedysville.

If you're in the town of boonsboro I thought I had read chickens were not allowed.

Nope, I'm on the mountain

 

[hbhoffman]

Thanks! Good to know, but it looks like they have a minimum purchase of 6

Maybe when the flock is due for a refresher I'll get my next batch from Whitmore.

I see you're in Pottstown - my dad lives in Telford and my cousins grew up in Boyertown so I'm pretty familiar with the area from childhood

I second Whitmore Farms!! But a little known fact is you can email him and for only $25 ( Great deal!), you can get a hen. So if you want 1 Welsummer, one Wheaten Ameracauna, one OE you can get them. No waiting for chicks to grow up to lay eggs! If you add the cost of 3 chicks at $6, 3 bags of feed and misc. items The cost of 3 hens is a little less. Not to mention the cost of eggs being bought while you are waiting! I will be getting from Whitmore 2 hens and hatching chicks. That will stagger the age of my flock.
Hope that helps someone.

 

[GardenNut]

Hi Fellow Marylanders!

I just joined BYC and get my 4 Buff Orpington chicks hopefully around 24 March! I'm very excited and have found this site to be a wealth of information. I haven't had chickens since I left home many years ago.

 

[ChickityChina]

Hi Fellow Marylanders!

I just joined BYC and get my 4 Buff Orpington chicks hopefully around 24 March! I'm very excited and have found this site to be a wealth of information. I haven't had chickens since I left home many years ago.

Hi there! and

This site is wonderful. I found it about a year ago and was lurking around reading articles and such until recently joining myself. Like you said, it is a wealth of info and the "old-timers" are super helpful when it comes to all the questions I have about my first time raising chicks. I have experience with keeping chickens, but this is my first set of chicks. I got 6 of a mixed flock (3 easter eggers, 2 australorps, and one golden comet).
Are you waiting on a shipment to get your chicks in or is there a local feed store getting a shipment in? Do you have a coop built yet? My husband and I are about halfway finished building our coop and it is really getting exciting to see it come together. I think it is helping to have the deadline in mind of the chicks getting too big for their interim brooder. It certainly keeps us from procrastinating lol.

Glad to have ya here!

 

[Loc20chick]

If anyone is interested in a barnyard mix chicks I have some I hatched on the 26th now just over two weeks old and out of the really critical age. My clock is a mix of black and red star with black Australop rooster and RIR/buff orp and Delaware