➡I accidentally bought Balut eggs: 2 live ducks! Now a Chat Thread!

[CrazyCrttr75]

I say go with Meyer and get all the breeds you want But I am biased since I can’t get all the ones I want and am living vicariously through you and cause mine are from there

 

[ShrekDawg]

Leghorns are good, solid layers with intelligence. Didn't like sex links. Or Wyandottes. Though it sounds like your priorities are more eye candy, in which case, go for it. Get the pretty ones.

Yeah, it definitely is tbh But I would also like at least decent layers and not total freeloaders lol but my current flock is so boooooorrriiiingggggg lol I love them but definitely need to add some eye candy in currently I have 1 Barred Rock, 2 Black Australorps, 2 Buff Orpingtons (used to have 3), and 2 Easter Eggers. So my flock is basically all orange and black! I need to add some variety lol the EEs are black laced, one an orangey red color similar to the Orps but darker and one is white (but rapidly turning more reddish), so they add color as do the stripes on the BR, but I need some super stunning contrasty ones lol plus it’s easier to tell them apart being different breeds

But that’s also part of why I am iffy on the NHRs, sexlinks, buckeyes, etc. because I already have sooo many red/orange birds lol buckeyes are a bit darker but still.

I'm a bit of a sucker for breeder-quality NHs. They're so beautiful and stately in shape.

Maybe I should find a NH breeder around here! I bet they are nicer birds too.

 

[ShrekDawg]

The other option is to wait and get them from TSC during chick days or from another local feed store that usually has more variety and I think gets their birds from Murray McMurray. But they have a minimum of 3 per hatch date. You can mix and match breeds but they have different breeds at different times and most of the ones I want are all on different dates.

 

[Sara L]

Thanks. I was thinking similar except I’ve wanted to try Speckled Sussex and Wyandotte for a very long time. But I have heard Wyandottes can be mean to other hens? And I am sick of having bullies in a flock. Although maybe the young ones would not bully the older ones? And I have heard Speckled Sussex aren’t very good layers? But I love their coloring and have heard they are very sweet birds. But both birds are also massive and probably not the best foragers and/or pretty expensive to feed? Which is kind of a pain. Idk. I was thinking Speckled Sussex, Partridge Rock, and maybe Wyandottes or NHR. But idk. Was thinking maybe I should get a sex link or leghorn for the eggs too but idk.

My family got speckled Sussex and one is a great mother. Without fail she sneaks off at least once per year and hatches a bunch of chicks. They are good foragers.

 

[ShrekDawg]

They’re awesome! I love mine! So friendly and good layers. And pretty.

 

[ShrekDawg]

My family got speckled Sussex and one is a great mother. Without fail she sneaks off at least once per year and hatches a bunch of chicks. They are good foragers.

Awww that’s awesome!! We don’t have a rooster so she wouldn’t be able to hatch anything but that’s good to hear because I was also considering adding a Cochin, Brahma, or Silkie for the broodiness factor in case I ever wanted to hatch chicks but they’re not the greatest layers and expensive to feed so great to hear a breed I want anyway could do it. And great to hear they are good foragers too because I want to start letting my birds free range more often and we have a lot of different, varied areas for them to forage in cause we have almost 3 acres so we have a large yard complete with clover, dandelions, etc., and overgrown/weedy areas, and a lot of woods/forest floor, and under bushes in the garden, compost pile, etc. so they could find a lot of food for themselves if they put in the effort and were let out long enough.

 

[CSAchook]

My family got speckled Sussex and one is a great mother. Without fail she sneaks off at least once per year and hatches a bunch of chicks. They are good foragers.

X2 on SS being good foragers. Very outgoing, curious, and friendly. Pretty too! Although mine is a mediocre layer...

ETA mine did go broody once last year and I am hoping to let her hatch this year

 

[ShrekDawg]

X2 on SS being good foragers. Very outgoing, curious, and friendly. Pretty too! Although mine is a mediocre layer...

They sound like great birds!! Except for the mediocre layer part. But maybe if I get some super good layers it could make up for it.

 

[ShrekDawg]

X2 on SS being good foragers. Very outgoing, curious, and friendly. Pretty too! Although mine is a mediocre layer...

ETA mine did go broody once last year and I am hoping to let her hatch this year

I think having a broody and letting them hatch chicks would be so cool!

 

[CSAchook]

I think having a broody and letting them hatch chicks would be so cool!

I let one of my Cochins hatch last year and it was soooo fun! I want to do it again! Lol