best hatchery?

[dirt4life]

So, I am not sure where i should ask this. I did just ask this in the duck area but i also looking for more chickens
we are looking to replace some of our older chickens who are pretty much done laying. Where would you recommend getting some chickens at? we live in Iowa so the weather pretty much is never stable so we need some birds that can handle weather changes.

Thanks

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

I have used mypetchicken.com and Meyer (via a feed store). I had one EE from mypetchicken die of tumors in her reproductive organs but the other birds have all been perfectly healthy. The Australorp I got from Meyer is BIG, especially when compared to my EEs. I would suggest ordering through a local feed store. We have one here that starts putting together orders in February. It's a win/win. They find out what breeds people are looking for and you don't have to worry about one of your chicks dying enroute. Heck, they had presold every chick ordered in two of the three breeds I ordered.

 

[dirt4life]

Thanks, only place we really have around here is a Thesiens, though there is a blains farm and fleet about 40 miles from here. Might have to look into that.

 

[Hillschicks]

We also used meyer hatchery to get our buff brahma roo and 2 female barred rocks... They came the day they said they would happy and healthy... Has only been 2 months but they seem to be doing fine...

 

[LaynaDon95]

I use Ideal. That is mostly because I live in Texas, only a few hours away from Ideal, actually, so I get free shipping. My Grandmother and I (we share orders sometimes) have talked about going to pick up our girls sometime. I think that would be a neat experience. But anyways, I had a good experience with Ideal. I do think they should do something with they Silkie breeders, because I got one with an extra toe (like an extra, extra toe. I know all Silkies have 10 toes, but this girl had 11) and another one has curled feet so that she walked on her "tippy toes". I called and had her credited though, so she was free, and I was able to tape her feet and couldn't pick her out from the other after about a week. The others were fine and beautiful. I will be ordering some more pullets and some meat birds in the spring from Ideal.
Ta-da!

 

[featheredmom]

I personally would recommend MMcM especially because of where you live. Murray McMurray is in Iowa too!

I had a great experience with Murray, I have 40 little peeplings that are all doing great! Customer service is amazing. You will have to wait for spring though(some others are still shipping now).

BTW-mypetchicken is a drop shipper for Meyer(mostly).

LaynaDon-Are you sure that is a silkie? Silkies should have black skin(even on their feet). Mine all have black feet & beaks...the black one always looks like he/she is in "stealth mode" with all that black ;-)

 

[debid]

I personally would recommend MMcM especially because of where you live. Murray McMurray is in Iowa too!

...

Ditto this -- buy from the closest hatchery when possible to minimize shipping stress. You might even be able to go on a road trip and pick them up so they can ride home in your warm car!

 

[LaynaDon95]

LaynaDon-Are you sure that is a silkie? Silkies should have black skin(even on their feet). Mine all have black feet & beaks...the black one always looks like he/she is in "stealth mode" with all that black ;-)

Ummm... Yes. lol This is what they look like now. Their feet have gotten darker.

 

[featheredmom]

Wow! Mine all had black feet from the start(not that I'm an expert)...was just curious. They turned out to be pretty girls!

 

[LaynaDon95]

Wow! Mine all had black feet from the start(not that I'm an expert)...was just curious. They turned out to be pretty girls!

lol I know next to nothing about silkies, so I didn't know about black skin.

I know they are cute, lay tiny eggs, have extra toes, and make good broody mamas. That's about it. Everyone keeps saying the first one if a girl, and I know NOTHING about sexing silkies. Like at all. But it came up to me this morning and did that sideways walk that roosters do. And it's comb has gotten bigger since that pic. Still not an egg or a crow. (Well, maybe an egg. I did find a small bantam egg laying in the yard, but it was was white-ish. What color eggs do silkies lay?)