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A couple of things--
If you want hatchery birds, get hatchery birds. There's nothing wrong with them. They're not show quality and probably won't live 8-10 years like a good heritage breed bird, but they'll lay for 4 or so years and up (depending on breed and other conditions, of course) and I've known people with hatchery birds that lived 7+ years in their yards and were wonderful additions to their flock. I have a couple of chickens that started out as hatchery chicks; and while, yes, I do see a difference between the chooks I get from people I know vs. those that come from hatcheries, I'm not looking for showbirds. I just want some nice chickens that'll lay some yummy, golden-yolked eggs and be nice pets. Sometimes they come from breeders, sometimes they come from hatcheries, and now I have an incubator and find eggs of the chooks I want and hatch 'em out myself!
Also, look in the section called "Where am I? Where are you?" and find a thread for people in your area. If one is not already there, start one and introduce yourself and ask if anyone in your area has any nice EE pullets for sale or trade. If you don't find what you're looking for, just go to the feed store and get you some "ameraucana" chicks. They're sold as ameraucanas but they are EEs and are excellent pet-quality birds. I have 2 EEs, and one lays a minty green egg and the other lays an almost GLOWING 2.3-2.4 ounce aqua blue egg. Both girls lay 5-6 eggs a week, though Bertha (the minty green egg layer) is in molt and not laying right now.
Good luck to you, whether you go with a hatchery or a local person! The most important thing of all is to have FUN with your chickens, regardless of what you get or where you get them.
Thank you so much...I have gotten a few replies, but yours seem to make the most sense to me...the issue is our feed store, never knows what they have! They have no idea of age or breed, and I like you just want the good pets, I have a 5 yr old with Down Syndrome that adores them, so I want friendly chicks...also the yummy eggs, I have friends collecting cartons for me! I will do some more investigating...I figure if I am going to do this, I may as well do it right...we have everything the chicks need...now I need to chicks I want....thanks again!
A couple of things--
If you want hatchery birds, get hatchery birds. There's nothing wrong with them. They're not show quality and probably won't live 8-10 years like a good heritage breed bird, but they'll lay for 4 or so years and up (depending on breed and other conditions, of course) and I've known people with hatchery birds that lived 7+ years in their yards and were wonderful additions to their flock. I have a couple of chickens that started out as hatchery chicks; and while, yes, I do see a difference between the chooks I get from people I know vs. those that come from hatcheries, I'm not looking for showbirds. I just want some nice chickens that'll lay some yummy, golden-yolked eggs and be nice pets. Sometimes they come from breeders, sometimes they come from hatcheries, and now I have an incubator and find eggs of the chooks I want and hatch 'em out myself!
Also, look in the section called "Where am I? Where are you?" and find a thread for people in your area. If one is not already there, start one and introduce yourself and ask if anyone in your area has any nice EE pullets for sale or trade. If you don't find what you're looking for, just go to the feed store and get you some "ameraucana" chicks. They're sold as ameraucanas but they are EEs and are excellent pet-quality birds. I have 2 EEs, and one lays a minty green egg and the other lays an almost GLOWING 2.3-2.4 ounce aqua blue egg. Both girls lay 5-6 eggs a week, though Bertha (the minty green egg layer) is in molt and not laying right now.
Good luck to you, whether you go with a hatchery or a local person! The most important thing of all is to have FUN with your chickens, regardless of what you get or where you get them.
Thank you so much...I have gotten a few replies, but yours seem to make the most sense to me...the issue is our feed store, never knows what they have! They have no idea of age or breed, and I like you just want the good pets, I have a 5 yr old with Down Syndrome that adores them, so I want friendly chicks...also the yummy eggs, I have friends collecting cartons for me! I will do some more investigating...I figure if I am going to do this, I may as well do it right...we have everything the chicks need...now I need to chicks I want....thanks again!
