Frustrated about the availability of chicks

[FrostRanger]

The production blue chicken actually lays a brown egg just so you know. They are a pretty blue colored bird but definitely lay brown eggs.

Hmm, I think it depends. From my research it seems that some places use the term to refer to a blue colored production bird and others use it to refer to a birds that are prolific layers of blue eggs

All in all the term is confusing so one should take care to read what production blue means to the hatchery they're buying from

 

[SweetieChicken234]

UPDATE: I ordered chicks online today from MyPetChickens.com. They should ship in 2 weeks. So excited! Didn’t get the exact birds I had researched and settled on originally, but I got different breeds with the same qualities as I wanted before. I had selected California Grey for lots of large white eggs. I got, Austra Whites for lots of large cream colored eggs! I had selected Production Blue for lots of large blue eggs. I got “Bountiful Blue Egg Layers” which is what this hatchery is calling the blue layer mutt they created. Supposedly lots of large blue eggs (with a 1/16th chance of brown.). Bottom line — I am happy.

For the record, you guys totally talked me into the Delaware breed and I had my cart full of them yesterday. But I hesitated and they were gone when I went back today. I will consider that breed again later as needed. And I will go to the country fair to talk about and research the rooster idea. Still haven’t ruled it out, but I am not ready to take that leap just yet.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! For BYC in general. For this thread and to the community for ALL of your help! Y’all are the best!!

Ohh no you lost out on the Delawares!! Those are the absolute best ones. Never hesitate a Delaware! Hah just kidding..there are many great breeds but I am just.. Delaware. Only Delaware. Did you know Delawares have less dense feathering than most breeds? Helps with plucking. Also makes them great for warm states. Unfortunately all of my Delawares still prefer colder weather. The only thing that helps in Florida is air conditioning.

 

[OphyliaOrpington]

The production blue chicken actually lays a brown egg just so you know. They are a pretty blue colored bird but definitely lay brown eggs

Ohh no you lost out on the Delawares!! Those are the absolute best ones. Never hesitate a Delaware! Hah just kidding..there are many great breeds but I am just.. Delaware. Only Delaware. Did you know Delawares have less dense feathering than most breeds? Helps with plucking. Also makes them great for warm states. Unfortunately all of my Delawares still prefer colder weather. The only thing that helps in Florida is air conditioning.

I’m in Tennessee. We have all 4 seasons. (Sometimes on the same day!)

I really wanted the Delaware. Seemed like my perfect package: Lots of large eggs and good meat birds. Plus, I liked the idea of supporting a rare heritage breed.

But I would have had to wait until September or something. Too cold here by then for brand new babies. (At least I thought so? I raise the chicks in a brooder in the garage. But then put them out as soon as feathered. I have to introduce to an existing flock for the first time. I don’t want cold weather to wrestle with too. Maybe it would have been possible. But I thought I needed like 65 degrees or something. Can’t promise that in a Tennessee September. Maybe I’m just so ready for more chickens I couldn’t wait long enough to do more research. lol.)

 

[SweetieChicken234]

I’m in Tennessee. We have all 4 seasons. (Sometimes on the same day!)

I really wanted the Delaware. Seemed like my perfect package: Lots of large eggs and good meat birds. Plus, I liked the idea of supporting a rare heritage breed.

But I would have had to wait until September or something. Too cold here by then for brand new babies. (At least I thought so? I raise the chicks in a brooder in the garage. But then put them out as soon as feathered. I have to introduce to an existing flock for the first time. I don’t want cold weather to wrestle with too. Maybe it would have been possible. But I thought I needed like 65 degrees or something. Can’t promise that in a Tennessee September. Maybe I’m just so ready for more chickens I couldn’t wait long enough to do more research. lol.)

I used to live in TN. Sevier county to be exact. Met my husband there. He grew up in Hardin Valley. I much prefer that weather because there's actually cold and snow. I miss the mountains. It does get hot sometimes in the summer just like FL but it's not as extensive of a summer. It would be ideal for my Delawares. We are going to move back up there after my parents pass and my daughter finishes school. My husband's mom has moved a few times. She lived in Fairfield Glade and moved to McMinnville. Probably going to be dragging my Delawares up around McMinnville area. I intend to keep breeding this line from the breeder.
This shipment of Delawares I got preferred colder brooder temps. They were very fussy with heat. I kept it around 68 in the brooder and they all ran under the heat plate to warm up as needed.

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Thoughts on the flyer mockup? And is there a vector-based header graphic?

View attachment 4081252

I'm shooting you a PM

 

[MROO]

When the "Egg Crisis" got serious, any extra eggs went to other family members instead of to work. A few of my coworkers joined the ranks of chicken-tenders. I lost count of how many comments of "How hard can it be; they eat your scraps, right?" It takes every bit of self control I can muster to keep from rolling on the floor when they start fussing about the cost of their "free eggs!" They can't say they weren't warned!

In their defense, though, most have given in to the addiction. One gal says that when her husband complains, she fixes him an omelet (or bakes something scrumptious) and he's back on board for the next round of upgrades!

 

[akroberts1085]

I just think it's BS that people are just jumping in head first without testing the water. I don't know if everyone understands that phrase. I found a woman on Craigslist that's taking names for some chicks that she's hatching so I put in my order for 6. 6 chicks for 20$, better than the store. I started doing research on raising chickens and then I found BYC and OH my goodness it's been awesome. I allow my girls to free range but I am going out to check on them during the day. I had a good area for them but the rain took it out so now I have to get some more supplies to get it done. I just hope that this nonsense will end preferably without the idiots just abandoning their birds.

 

[McChooky]

Things You'll Need or Wish You Had:

A brooder with light,heater and feeders,waterers and temp gauges
A chick 'playpen' to let the babies out during the day to get sunshine
A coop and run with roosts,nest boxes,feeders,waterers and grit
A coop and run for the broody with chicks with feeders and waterers
A quarantine coop and run to isolate new, injured or sick chickens
A pullet coop n run to separate any young pullets until laying age
A coop and run for all those roosters you never found a home for

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

I'm shooting you a PM

I got it!

 

[TexasBlues]

Hmm, I think it depends. From my research it seems that some places use the term to refer to a blue colored production bird and others use it to refer to a birds that are prolific layers of blue eggs

All in all the term is confusing so one should take care to read what production blue means to the hatchery they're buying from

Yeah that’s confusing.
Generally a high production blue is a cross of homozygous blue layer like ameruacana or whiting true blue or CClegbar crossed with a high production white egg layer like leghorn. The offspring are heterozygous for blue.