Frustrated with all the options

[Tonyroo]

Welsummers are known to be noisy. Just letting you know.

 

[Tonyroo]

I think it's important to prioritize what you want in a chicken before getting them.

I did that when I was in your shoes.

My priority was:

1. Strong health.
2. Dual purpose.
3. Has to be pretty, lol
4. Good size eggs.

After a couple of months researching different breeds I settled on Swedish Flower hen.

Now that it's been a couple of years, I have zero regrets, I'm totally impressed by them. I can't imagine getting any other breed.

 

[chickmamato7]

Thanks iluveggers. I had an order at Meyer ready to go, but didn’t place it. I’m also still waiting to hear from a MN breeder here on BYC. Right now I’m leaning towards Papa’s Poultry. He had a variety pack of auto sex chicks and mentions that sex link Orpington’s might be included.

What are the thoughts on the cream leg bars, 55 flowery hens, golden cuckoo marans, rhodebars, etc.

I’ve even considered hatching eggs, but that would probably guarantee culling.

I got hatching eggs from Papa's Poultry and his Isabelle Laced Lavender English Orpingtons are gorgeous. She is my quietest and best mannered bird... also a great layer. I just love her!

 

[Tonyroo]

I got hatching eggs from Papa's Poultry and his Isabelle Laced Lavender English Orpingtons are gorgeous. She is my quietest and best mannered bird... also a great layer. I just love her!

How many hatched out and survived?

 

[Wolfie307]

T

I think it's important to prioritize what you want in a chicken before getting them.

I did that when I was in your shoes.

My priority was:

1. Strong health.
2. Dual purpose.
3. Has to be pretty, lol
4. Good size eggs.

After a couple of months researching different breeds I settled on Swedish Flower hen.

Now that it's been a couple of years, I have zero regrets, I'm totally impressed by them. I can't imagine getting any other breed.

The Swedish flower hens are very high on my list. How chatty are they? It seems they are quite friendly overall. I was looking at greenfire farms as a source for them.

 

[Banana01]

Have you thought about adopting from someone that is having to rehome their hens? Thats not ideal to give you what you want right away, but you can always have time to raise your own from scratch too later.

 

[joydix]

roosters are part of life..at some point U will have some and have to deal with it. I don’t cull. I just can’t. I get attached. Our feed store will take a few if they have room. They even pay a few $. I have tried keeping one once in awhile but never works out very well. I have rehomed a few…seems like the cuter name I give them and a story someone willl take him. I tame them first. Then I cry …hard to give up.
If I were you I’d go with feed store chicks …maybe get 3….then get 3 more next winter/spring and introduce slowly. That way they won’t age out at the same time. You will lose one, one might be a Roo and so it goes. I wanted 6…I have 23I hatch and sell, go in with others and order fromhatcheries and local breeders and fertile eggs from eBay. Sometimes I’m lucky, sometimes not so much. It’s so much fun and so rewarding…I love banties and originally got fancy chickens…now I’m just loving the gold standards like a barred rock, an Australorp…..cuckoo marans. An EE…welsommer…I have some fun breeds too…brabanters…huge white eggs and curious and fun birds! Silkies…seramas…Banty Wyandotte (silver penciled), frizzle banty Cochin…d’anver…
Have fun and let us know what you choose!

 

[Tonyroo]

There not noisy, except when they call out there egg song. I have two roosters that are fairly quiet, father and son, they do a couple of crows in the morning, afternoon, and evening.

When I walk out to my yard I freak out cause it's dead silent and think oh no predators, lol.

 

[joydix]

T

The Swedish flower hens are very high on my list. How chatty are they? It seems they are quite friendly overall. I was looking at greenfire farms as a source for them.

Love Swedish flower and also basque hens…

 

[chickmamato7]

I only ordered 2 eggs for a broody hen, but "Papa" sent 2 free extras. All developed to some degree, but only 2 hatched. The broody was inexperienced and trampled the first chick (an obvious male at hatch). I got lucky that the lone survivor was a pullet