new breeds to add to our flock?

[chickenmomma1108]

Hey everyone,
update is we're getting new chicks this week! We're getting 2 Black Australorps and 2 Americanas (yes, I know they're technically EEs if they're not spelled "Ameraucana" but they didn't have Speckled Sussex or Crested Cream Legbar coming at the same time - maybe a week later or in March?). Since we wanted a small number of chicks (4-5) it was easiest to find a local hatchery place and ask for 2 Black Australorps and 2 Americanas. Hoping to pick some chicks that have beards! Miss seeing the funny feathered cheeks on chickens. Growing up I remember my family's laying hens were either Ameraucanas or just black hens (no feathered faces or legs), but that was some time ago (20 some years back). Made sure to get all chick brooder stuff cleaned and ready, have chick food and chick grit as well.
Thank you to all who have suggested Wyandotte, Speckled Sussex, Crested Cream Legbar, French Black Copper Maran, Icelandic, Silkie chickens and any others I forgot!!! This worked best to get these chicks at one time and one never knows when "chicken math" might hit again

 

[chickenmomma1108]

I know a farm in Columbus that hatches cream legbars and Icelandics. Travel north closer to Norfolk for Bielefelder. Disadvantage for you is that all local farms only sell straight run, so you need a plan for rooster chicks.

For hatchery chicks, the sweetest birds I ever got were a white sex link (I think called Amberlink) I got at Tractor Supply. They were the NICEST, friendliest birds. The problem was they weren't very hardy and all became egg bound during their second year of laying.

I have updated my thread here - we're getting 2 BAs and 2 Americanas this week from a local hatchery

I wanted to ask if you mind sharing which farms these are with the CCLs and Icelandics & Bielefelder? We are still very interested in CCL and it'd be nice to have chicken people/farms to be able to contact locally. If you want to keep the names private you can always message me
The Icelandics and Bielefelders are such gorgeous birds, too!
If I'm correct with looking up the CCL - they are auto sexing? as chicks of course.. idk, new to chickens after 20 years and learning something every day!
thanks

 

[BlueShadow]

I have updated my thread here - we're getting 2 BAs and 2 Americanas this week from a local hatchery

I wanted to ask if you mind sharing which farms these are with the CCLs and Icelandics & Bielefelder? We are still very interested in CCL and it'd be nice to have chicken people/farms to be able to contact locally. If you want to keep the names private you can always message me
The Icelandics and Bielefelders are such gorgeous birds, too!
If I'm correct with looking up the CCL - they are auto sexing? as chicks of course.. idk, new to chickens after 20 years and learning something every day!
thanks

CCL and Bielefelder are both autosexing breeds.

I feel comfortable sharing Tarbox Hollow Poultry, they have a publicly searchable website where they sell hatching eggs and chicks. They are in Dixon. They have Orpingtons and other fancy breeds.

I will PM you the other farms

 

[chickenmomma1108]

CCL and Bielefelder are both autosexing breeds.

I feel comfortable sharing Tarbox Hollow Poultry, they have a publicly searchable website where they sell hatching eggs and chicks. They are in Dixon. They have Orpingtons and other fancy breeds.

I will PM you the other farms

Thanks for these! Nice to know of some local places.
And 'm happy both CCL & Bielefelder are autosexing, it would help from hatch for us to figure what to do with boys I'm happy our 2 roosters get along, but want to make sure they have enough ladies to go around and would hopefully be able to find homes (not freezer camp) if there were some extra roos...there are a few neighbors we could ask!

 

[McChooky]

Hey,
Just wondered about any suggestions here for possible breeds of chicks to add to our flock this spring?

First let me share what we have currently: 2 roosters, 18 hens, 2 chicken tenders (DH and myself)
At 3-4 (??) years old Lavender Orpington hen

At 2 years old: Black Australorp rooster and Black Australorp hen
Rhode Island rooster and Rhode Island hens (x2)

At 1 year old: California White (x2)
Calico Princess (x4)
Buff Brahma (x2)
Buff Plymouth Rock (x1), Barred Plymouth Rock (x2)
Sapphire Gem (x3)

We're in east central Nebraska and are interested in these breeds:

Buff Orpington (the Buff Plymouth Rock was supposed to be a Buff Orp from a store, and we love her all the same! She had yellow legs & somewhat bigger comb/wattles versus our other chick with white/pink legs...we lost the Buff Orpington this last fall, and liked her personality)

Speckled Sussex (pretty chicken and docile temperament?)

Wyandotte (not sure about heat hardiness + humidity in NE?)

Jubilee Orpington or Black Australorp (love our BA - sweet & chatty)

Honestly, we know to keep our addition small with how many we currently have...we're talking 4 chicks in total. We lost a Golden Comet & RIR to a weasel in spring (fixed our "old coop" for that issue), my favorite BA in summer (? heat or unknown/sudden death), and the Buff Orp in fall (reproductive issue - lash egg). We obviously have a mix of breeds, but since these birds are so much our PETS - I don't mind if we stick to the heritage breeds and the more docile ones and yes, I know any breed can obviously have issues like the Buff Orp -- was thinking I'd have to watch the Golden Comet when she got older for reproductive issues, not have her & RIR killed by a stinking weasel
We're assuming most of these breeds would be at our local farm stores (Bomgaars, TSC, Buchheit), but if you know of any breeders say within 3-4 hour drive of Omaha, NE we are definitely up for a road trip for chicks! We live in the country, so giving Omaha as a major point of reference


Let me know your thoughts on these breeds, and sharey some ere that you like/own!

By keeping just 3 different heritage breed hens that lay 3 diff colors eggs in a breeding pen with my crested cream legbar roosters I can separate the fertile eggs by color and know which breeds laid them. I can also predict the color of eggs their chicks will lay by the color of the eggs I select

 

[chickenmomma1108]

By keeping just 3 different heritage breed hens that lay 3 diff colors eggs in a breeding pen with my crested cream legbar roosters I can separate the fertile eggs by color and know which breeds laid them. I can also predict the color of eggs their chicks will lay by the color of the eggs I select

Oh, that is really neat! I’m always intrigued with chicken breeds & how their genetics/breeding work. Definitely like to hear that you can predict egg color of the offspring with heritage breeds like the CCL rooster & hens (laying different colored eggs), that is super cool. For now, we’re enjoying a mixed flock…but someday we may focus on the heritage breeds to do something like this