BYC members in Massachusetts?

[BLT79]

I am requesting a dozen Leghorn and a dozen mixed variety of Bantam Barred Rock, Bantam Americaunas, Bantam Buff Cochin, and Bantam Silkies. I am getting the eggs from UConn http://animalscience.uconn.edu/poultry/poultryFarm.php through a 4H project partnered with UMass Amherst.

Ok! I hope you have a successful hatch. I really can't take any bantam because my already existing flock are standard size. But I thank you! Good luck! !

 

[Malibu99]

I want a Silkie so bad... But I can't add just 1 to a flock of standard sized birds :/

 

[liljunie]

I had a bad experience. Orpington killed my Silkie hen. I only keep bantams now

 

[Malibu99]

how sad. Sorry for your loss.

 

[maija4]

Hello! I am new to the forum and new to chicken raising. We would like to start raising chickens and this website has been very helpful. I would like to find someone local who is selling chickens. I can have five without a permit in our town. I would like a vairety for colorful eggs. Right now I am thinking either Cuckoo Morans or Black Copper Morans, Amerecauns or Araucanas, Austrolorpe, Leghorns, or Rhode Island Reds. I am looking to bring the chicks home the first week in April and would like all female chickens (we promised out neighbors there would be no rooster noise). Does anyone know of anyone within an hour drive of Lexington that will have day old chicks around that time? Thank you so much!

 

[Curlyginger]

Talk to a local Agway about when they will place their chick orders. They might be able to special order for you..

 

[backyardflock1]

Dodge Grain is in NH, they get chicks shipped to them, but it is over an hour drive. You can see what they are getting in here: http://www.dodgegrain.biz/#!poultry/cf0k Good luck on raising chickens! They are great! If you want colored eggs I recommend easter eggers which can lay a variety of colors, and marans lay dark chocolate colored eggs. Are you mainly doing it for eggs or would friendliness be a factor as well?

 

[maija4]

Thank you so much! Dodge Grain looks perfect for us. It is actually only about 35 minutes from my house. They have the varieties I want around the time I want. Thank you for taking the time to provide me with this information. I am looking for eggs and nice chickens. My girls love animals. I can see them spending a lot of time with the chickens.

 

[backyardflock1]

You will find the BYC community is the best when it comes to knowledgable people! I would recommend a buff orphington, barred plymouth rock, easter egger, australorp, Rhode Island Reds, Faverolles, sussex. These breeds lay 4-5 eggs per week and are pretty docile, and are decently cold hardy (because obviously up here in MA, winters get pretty cold, lol). I also really like silkies, but they don't lay as well. If you want smaller birds, you can get these in bantam size. Silkies are already bantam in the US by default. Just do some research and you'll eventually find the breeds that are right for you! My flock is prioritized to be friendly, and the eggs are a plus. The key to making the chickens friendly are handling them every day since they were chicks. If you need any advice on breeds or chickens in general, just let me know! I hope more people in MA get some chickens, because chickens are great!

 

[maija4]

Thank you. Any thoughts on marans or Americanas?