Best Chicken

[AlabamaChickenHead]

Thats funny Lee, my wife used the opposite approach from me......I told her I wanted 30 chickens so she made me get 15.... LOL!

 

[TillinWithMyPeeps]

I really don't think I can have more than 4, 5 would be a squeeze. If I did get 6-8 and they all lived, I would have a problem.

Does anyone have experience with hatchery chicks, and the color of their eggs when grown?

Thanks!

 

[Indiana hens]

Another vote for Buff O's. They are the sweetest!
Black Giants are great , but I had a couple people complain that they were too loud when laying an egg.

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

i like Black Jersey Giants but they don't lay a ton...the personality is awesome though

oh and they have a darker shade of brown eggs, nice for variety...
don't forget Silver Laced Wyandottes are good egg layers, sweet too!!

I think all of their eggs are really pretty and i've only had hatchery chicks...the BO lay kinda pinkish brown, the red sex links a more even tone of brown, the SLW brown with the occasional speckle...and of course the EE give you a huge range of blue to green...

You know you really can't go wrong with any of the suggested birds, it's mostly what you want to look at!

 

[TillinWithMyPeeps]

BJGS?
SLWS?- Wyandottes?

 

[orcasislandchickens]

You're second set of choices sounds good to me. Do you have children? If you do not have children get at least 1 or 2 extra and plan on rehoming your least favourites.

Several things can go wrong.

Sexing is not always accurate, only a 90% reliability rate so you could wind up with 1 roo even if you get pullets.(Although the odds are in your favour.

Even though you have chosen quiet breeds with good temperments there is always ONE. In every group. If you know what I mean. With a such a small number of birds you realy should not have to live with one that picks mercilessly at the others, or is just plain noisy.

Chicks are fragile, there is the possibility you will lose one. Just because.

If you don't have children who will develop tender feelings for ALL of them, pullets are not usually hard to rehome, especially of the breeds you are considering. Also shipping charges being what they are, it is not the chicks that cost. DO NOT LET THE HATCHERY ADD ROOS FOR WARMTH and do not get streight run. Pay the extra for a heat pad and expedited shipping. Roosters are VERY hard to get rid of

 

[TillinWithMyPeeps]

orcasislandchickens, thanks for the advice. The number of hens that I want is 3, I was probably going to order 4, accounting for one death. Also, I have heard that with the My Pet Chicken small order program, for the extra shipping cost they include a heat pack. Also, with MPC, if they do include an extra chick for warmth, they make sure it is the same sex as the others that you ordered. Also, if one of the chickens is truly bad, and mean to the others, I will have no trouble rehoming it.

 

[TillinWithMyPeeps]

Also, thanks to Indiana Hens. It seems that people simply can't say enough nice things about Buff Orpingtons, they have definitely earned a spot in my future flock

 

[Lee]

Quote:
Well, Andy, it is our duty to try and enable you to get as many as you can stand.

And hatchery chicks grow up to be good layers. Otherwise how would the hatcheries get enuf eggs to hatch for us. Just my weird way of thinking. LOL

 

[vfem]

I vote for Silkies of course... but to me they meet the requirements to a T because those were my requirements.... I only had to give up on egg size... but they weren't as small as I thought they would be. I have to say, they are very quiet, and that makes me very happy!!!!

relatively good egg layers, friendly, cold hardy, and not especially loud​