Chicken Buyers Remorse

[Dinoroar]

I'll never buy another 'production red' type of bird. Ever.
They have such a sweet nature to them that you fall in love, but sadly the breeding stock here in Panama is very poor and most of the pullets are born with reproductive disorders, many dying within just a month or two after starting to lay and some never even manage to successfully lay their first egg. It's quite the investment in time, money, labor, and love to lose them before their first birthday (regularly).

This is so sad they need to stop selling those birds. So much work and heart break.

omehow, though, we're really going to miss her when she gets rehomed

I think you hit on really the worst thing about them. So awful and annoying in so many ways but they get under your skin and carve out a place for their bad selves.

 

[McChooky]

He is a bronze, raised by broody hen. He has been mad at me ever since I butchered his chicken siblings.

They're smarter than we give them credit for.

 

[asam320]

I purchased Black Australorps last year & love them. They are excellent layers and are very gentle. I have bought Buff Orphentons, barred rock and golden comets but never again.

 

[leslielbk]

People are putting up lists of chicken breeds they want I wanted to get peoples opinions of breeds they may have been excited about, but now they are over it.

I have 2 blue andelusians. One I like, she is blue. One is a splash. I am not crazy about the splash. I am not going to rehome anyone. but I think I am done with the BA.

I also have AC. They are pretty and I would never give them up. But as far as buying more, I don't think I will. Their eggs are small and they are so busy brooding they have not time for eggs.
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My birds are just for pets though.

Which chickens do you think you are no longer interested in and why?

Delaware. Loud and bullies.

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

For me it would be easier to say which are my favorite breeds because I have raised almost every breed known to man lol. First I love my Ameraucana's from Cackle. They are laid back and friendly, and the black lay deep blue eggs, the lavenders laid green consistently, the offspring from those lay olive eggs. IDK why but I get pretty hens and pretty eggs. Next is my Mottled Java, which are gorgeous and big and friendly. I just love them. Someone gave me two little leghorns that crack me up. I still can't figure out how those little things lay such ginormous eggs! They are lefty and righty which explains their comb angle lol. And I love my Speckled Sussex. They are gorgeous, friendly, curious, and I love them! I wish I could keep more, but these breeds never quit laying this winter. I have never had that happen. So we get an average of 4 to 12 eggs every day and it's just the two of us. So we give them away to neighbors. I plan on crossing my Java rooster (Arnold Schwarzenpecker, who is huge) over the Sussex and Leghorns this year. my Java's hens get very broody, and so do my Ameraucana's.

Past favorites I wish I had more room for are Buff Orpingtons and Deleware. Sweet natured but not total dingbats, and good layers.

Past breeds I will never have again are first and foremost Silkies. I paid a lot of money for show quality Silkies, and they were gorgeous. But in all my years and all my breeds they died left and right no matter what I did. It was horrible, so the few remaining I gave away to 4-H kids. I also did not like the Brahma's, Barred rocks, Wyandottes, and many others that laid poorly or were mean and flighty and this included splash Ameraucana's.

I ordered meat birds this year from Murray McMurray hatchery for the first time and I ended up with what I think is a black Cochin surprise chick. Hope it's not a rooster lol.

Can I see your Java's? (I'm getting 5 Mottled pullets. They will be about 7 months old when they get here.)

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

Maybe try buying them from another source?
Different breeders or hatcheries might have lines with different temperaments.

Agree. Especially since a lot of breeders select for disposition, as well as other things.

 

[Chick-n-duck mom]

I do not have enough experience or enough chickens to have buyers remorse yet.

We currently have Amberlinks, what we were told were RIR, but are low quality high production reds, barred rock and easter egger roosters. We are currently giving away two of our easter eggers (I sat out and talked to them and am so sad about it, but there are too many roos to hens).

The lady we are giving the Easter Egger roosters too is giving us one of her young, just started laying, pullets in exchange (I didn't ask for it, she just wanted to because she said she felt like she was getting something she needed for nothing and it didn't feel right to her). I don't know what she will be yet.

We are getting Amerucaunas pullets (did I put the "u"s in the right places?) from a local hatchery in May and day old olive egger chicks then as well.

We have decided to double our run and add a 4x8 house on the other end of it for additional birds and a storage space that will double as a quarantine area! I fought my husband for years on getting chickens. I didn't think I would like it, but I love my birds and I can't stay off of these forums.

I started talking to him yesterday about hatching eggs next year. What are you all doing to me??

Welcome to the dark side! LOL