Colorado

[coloradogal]

Above are some of my eggs. These are the pretty ones though. Not that they all aren't pretty. I have the dark brown ones which are laid by my marans. If you look really close, you'll see their speckles on some of them. I have the light blue in the top left corner. I have the light olive in the bottom left. On the other side I have the blues and I have one that is light, light green with white speckles. The lighter ones, for comparison, are the color typically of the production brown egg layers. The colors do not show very well in this picture. But the eggs are beautiful.

Adam, I agree with everyone else. Figure out what you want and then build your flock around that. Most new people to chickens are always amazed at the huge variations that exist in the breeds and egg colors. I also believe that the temperament of chickens have much to do with how much handling and love they are given. I've never had a mean RIR and 4 of the foundation birds in my flock are RIRs because they were just so sweet and the Roo was protective and nice.

edit: I have had mean speckled sussex and cuckoo marans roosters though. they are no loner with me and they are not the birdy daddy's of any of my first generation chicks. i have a gentle black marans rooster now that is just gorgeous.

 

[Adam7]

Above are some of my eggs. These are the pretty ones though. Not that they all aren't pretty. I have the dark brown ones which are laid by my marans. If you look really close, you'll see their speckles on some of them. I have the light blue in the top left corner. I have the light olive in the bottom left. On the other side I have the blues and I have one that is light, light green with white speckles. The lighter ones, for comparison, are the color typically of the production brown egg layers. The colors do not show very well in this picture. But the eggs are beautiful.

Adam, I agree with everyone else. Figure out what you want and then build your flock around that. Most new people to chickens are always amazed at the huge variations that exist in the breeds and egg colors. I also believe that the temperament of chickens have much to do with how much handling and love they are given. I've never had a mean RIR and 4 of the foundation birds in my flock are RIRs because they were just so sweet and the Roo was protective and nice.

edit: I have had mean speckled sussex and cuckoo marans roosters though. they are no loner with me and they are not the birdy daddy's of any of my first generation chicks. i have a gentle black marans rooster now that is just gorgeous.

Those eggs are amazing! I really like the dark brown ones/the olive one/and especially the orangish one with dark speckles! what bird laid that one? I think most important to me is egg color and production. I have a large family and I know they will all want fresh eggs and I want them to be something the kids will talk about when they see them I think 6 sounds like a good number to start with. I am thinking 2 australorps 2 easter eggers and 2 Black Copper Marans... I really want some DARK brown eggs.

Now to put my A list together...

I think either day old chicks or pullets would be easiest for me to raise/obtain. I'm not sure if I could do the egg thing just yet. Not meaning I wouldn't try it if it is my only option to obtaining the chickens I want. Is there any reputable places I can order from that might have all of these in? This leads to another question: How hard is it to do the whole mailing chickens thing. Would I need to order extra in case some die in transit? I don't mind spending a little extra money if it means I end up with the chickens I want. I don't want to be forced into getting whatever chicken is most easily obtainable.

Thanks everyone for all of your advice. I am REALLY glad to see that I have so many knowledgeable and passionate chicken owners right here around me! I think this is really going to be a fun experience.

 

[coloradogal]

Those eggs are amazing! I really like the dark brown ones/the olive one/and especially the orangish one with dark speckles! what bird laid that one? I think most important to me is egg color and production. I have a large family and I know they will all want fresh eggs and I want them to be something the kids will talk about when they see them I think 6 sounds like a good number to start with. I am thinking 2 australorps 2 easter eggers and 2 Black Copper Marans... I really want some DARK brown eggs.

Now to put my A list together...

I think either day old chicks or pullets would be easiest for me to raise/obtain. I'm not sure if I could do the egg thing just yet. Not meaning I wouldn't try it if it is my only option to obtaining the chickens I want. Is there any reputable places I can order from that might have all of these in? This leads to another question: How hard is it to do the whole mailing chickens thing. Would I need to order extra in case some die in transit? I don't mind spending a little extra money if it means I end up with the chickens I want. I don't want to be forced into getting whatever chicken is most easily obtainable.

Thanks everyone for all of your advice. I am REALLY glad to see that I have so many knowledgeable and passionate chicken owners right here around me! I think this is really going to be a fun experience.

The dark chocolate eggs come from marans/welsummers/pendascas. Mine come from marans but welsummers and pendescas also lay very dark eggs. The downside is that marans do not lay as frequently as production birds. Speckled brown eggs can come from any brown egg layer. That particular egg comes from one of my mutt chickens, not from my flock but from some eggs given to me last year that were pretty. The olive eggs come from green/blue egg layers mixed with something like a marans.

Some EEs lay great, others don't. The same is true of marans... the darker the egg, the longer it takes to lay it. If you are seeking eggs, stick to production breeds with consistently high egg production. The pretty eggs are nice but they are just pretty eggs. The eggs taste the same.

There are many places in the Spring that has eggs. Elizabeth County store always has a huge, huge selection of chicks. You can also special order baby chicks from Falcon Feed, behind the Big R. They take small orders.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Those eggs are amazing!  I really like the dark brown ones/the olive one/and especially the orangish one with dark speckles!  what bird laid that one?  I think most important to me is egg color and production.  I have a large family and I know they will all want fresh eggs and I want them to be something the kids will talk about when they see them  I think 6 sounds like a good number to start with.  I am thinking 2 australorps 2 easter eggers and 2 Black Copper Marans... I really want some DARK brown eggs.

 Now to put my A list together...

I think either day old chicks or pullets would be easiest for me to raise/obtain.  I'm not sure if I could do the egg thing just yet.  Not meaning I wouldn't try it if it is my only option to obtaining the chickens I want.  Is there any reputable places I can order from that might have all of these in?  This leads to another question:  How hard is it to do the whole mailing chickens thing.  Would I need to order extra in case some die in transit?  I don't mind spending a little extra money if it means I end up with the chickens I want.  I don't want to be forced into getting whatever chicken is most easily obtainable.

Thanks everyone for all of your advice.  I am REALLY glad to see that I have so many knowledgeable and passionate chicken owners right here around me!  I think this is really going to be a fun experience.

Your biggest problem if you are set on those numbers and breeds would be getting them all at once or somehow breaking it into two seperate orders. Locally you would be hard pressed to find the same person hatching all those breeds at once or more people hatching them within a week of each other. Easiest way would be to go through a mail order with a hatchery. Hatchery birds can be nice (my EEs for example) but they have a higher rate of issues than breeder birds. You would have to go to a hatchery with 'small order specials' as most won't ship less than 15 or 20 at a time. Mail ordering chicks isn't hard. Just research your hatchery choice thoroughly before placing your order. One or two seem to be having some Very Unhappy Customers lately. Focus on customer service reviews along with bird quality. It doesn't matter if they have the most beautiful Australorps if they never send them. And, yes, there was a BYCer who posted such an issue a few weeks ago. She ordered a rare egg layer assortment and they failed to ship twice. Her order was downgraded (without her knowledge until after delivery) to a rainbow layer assortment with a lower price adjustment because they had to use this years prices. And what they gave her wasn't a refund of the difference, it was a store credit she will never touch.

Your other option could be to find a breed or two available locally and then get the other birds through a feed store. The Elizabeth feed store (Elizabeth country corner, I think) will allow you to preorder a few chicks, so if you find a breeder who is hatching on X week you can see how close Elizabeth's next batch will be and try and supplement in the breeds you couldn't find. And if you end up doing two groups, you can get a pair from Elizabeth.

You just don't want mix chicks that are too far apart age wise in the same brooder and you should have at least 2 chicks at any time so they don't get lonely.


Sorry if I got a bit rambly, I shouldn't stay up this late. Off to bed...

 

[Adam7]

The dark chocolate eggs come from marans/welsummers/pendascas. Mine come from marans but welsummers and pendescas also lay very dark eggs. The downside is that marans do not lay as frequently as production birds. Speckled brown eggs can come from any brown egg layer. That particular egg comes from one of my mutt chickens, not from my flock but from some eggs given to me last year that were pretty. The olive eggs come from green/blue egg layers mixed with something like a marans.

Some EEs lay great, others don't. The same is true of marans... the darker the egg, the longer it takes to lay it. If you are seeking eggs, stick to production breeds with consistently high egg production. The pretty eggs are nice but they are just pretty eggs. The eggs taste the same.

There are many places in the Spring that has eggs. Elizabeth County store always has a huge, huge selection of chicks. You can also special order baby chicks from Falcon Feed, behind the Big R. They take small orders.

I did a quick google search for the Elizabeth County store with out much luck... Where is this place? And thanks for the tip on Falcon Feed, I might give them a call tomorrow and see what they can get their hands on. I did find a website that had most of what I wanted but they require a 25 chick minimum purchase. Whitmore farm is what its called. IT would cost me about $200 to get 25 chicks. I think I would go for 8 marans 8 wellsummer 8 ameraucana 1 breeders pick. After they are old enough to tell what they are I could either cull the rest or trade them off. Unless any one else might be interested in picking some of these up? They also offer Delaware and Ancona. I would be happy with 2 maran 2 wellsummer and 2 ameraucana for my flock. Given that I'm not sure how man might die during shipping and how many might be roos this isnt really that man chicks. How long does it take to be able to sex chicks? I dont use my garage and it could be a dedicated place for them until they are of age.

I'm starting to get excited

 

[coloradogal]

I did a quick google search for the Elizabeth County store with out much luck... Where is this place? And thanks for the tip on Falcon Feed, I might give them a call tomorrow and see what they can get their hands on. I did find a website that had most of what I wanted but they require a 25 chick minimum purchase. Whitmore farm is what its called. IT would cost me about $200 to get 25 chicks. I think I would go for 8 marans 8 wellsummer 8 ameraucana 1 breeders pick. After they are old enough to tell what they are I could either cull the rest or trade them off. Unless any one else might be interested in picking some of these up? They also offer Delaware and Ancona. I would be happy with 2 maran 2 wellsummer and 2 ameraucana for my flock. Given that I'm not sure how man might die during shipping and how many might be roos this isnt really that man chicks. How long does it take to be able to sex chicks? I dont use my garage and it could be a dedicated place for them until they are of age.

I'm starting to get excited

http://www.elizabethcountrycorner.com//index.cfm?action=DisplayMain Elizabeth Country Store

Falcon Feed will special order what you want. I believe they get theirs from Ideal. I have ordered as few as 2 there in the past. http://www.facebook.com/falconfeed facebook page

Elizabeth has a huge selection of chicks that come in. Falcon Feed will do special orders from Ideal. If you only want 6, there are many ways to get only what you want. As far as sexting chicks, it depends on the breed. Wendell (WSmith) will be able to tell sex of his dominiques from hatch as they are sex linked. Dominiques really are a nice breed. I have 2 and one of them lays a pink egg (not pink throughout but brown with a white bloom that makes it pink).

edit: Elizabeth poultry prices 2012 http://www.elizabethcountrycorner.com//index.cfm?Page=docs/Poultry Prices 2012.htm to give an idea of the varieties that they have.

 

[Adam7]

http://www.elizabethcountrycorner.com//index.cfm?action=DisplayMain Elizabeth Country Store

Falcon Feed will special order what you want. I believe they get theirs from Ideal. I have ordered as few as 2 there in the past. http://www.facebook.com/falconfeed facebook page

Elizabeth has a huge selection of chicks that come in. Falcon Feed will do special orders from Ideal. If you only want 6, there are many ways to get only what you want. As far as sexting chicks, it depends on the breed. Wendell (WSmith) will be able to tell sex of his dominiques from hatch as they are sex linked. Dominiques really are a nice breed. I have 2 and one of them lays a pink egg (not pink throughout but brown with a white bloom that makes it pink).

edit: Elizabeth poultry prices 2012 http://www.elizabethcountrycorner.com//index.cfm?Page=docs/Poultry Prices 2012.htm to give an idea of the varieties that they have.

Wow the list the elizabeth feed store has is crazy long! Do they usually have different chicks on their list at different times or are they all in around the same time? They have everything I want with the exception of the Copper Marans.. I could substitute them for Welsummer instead though. I could get 2 amaraucana 2 welsummer and 2 australorp for a grand total of... $23.10! Though now I'm torn between getting 2 australorp or 2 Dominiques after hearing all of your good reviews on them I should have built a bigger coop!!!!

 

[dennarahl]

OH YAY! All three girls laid an egg today! I think there was no perm damage, just stress! Thankfully! Thought I'd share.

Yay!

 

[dennarahl]

Wow the list the elizabeth feed store has is crazy long! Do they usually have different chicks on their list at different times or are they all in around the same time? They have everything I want with the exception of the Copper Marans.. I could substitute them for Welsummer instead though. I could get 2 amaraucana 2 welsummer and 2 australorp for a grand total of... $23.10! Though now I'm torn between getting 2 australorp or 2 Dominiques after hearing all of your good reviews on them I should have built a bigger coop!!!!

They get them in at different times in their weekly deliveries. I got my silver laced wyandottes, barred rocks, cuckoo maran, silkies, cochins and geese through them. If you do at least pairs, and try to make sure they're within a week or two from each then everything should work out fine to raise them together. If I remember right, they were willing to do special order added onto an already scheduled delivery but I'd call and ask. Any time now they should be posting a list on the website of their planned deliveries.

 

[Chesterchook]

Lol, gotta love chicken math. If you do end up ordering from Whitmore let me know, I've read great things about their Welsummers