Frustrated with all the options

[kurby22]

I am having similar issues OP! I want the chickens I want, I don’t really want to go thru big hatcheries, I want to get females, and I also don’t know what all I want! There are too many choices and all of them have major drawbacks and it’s very annoying! I will say the current flock I have suffered a very bad case of fowl pox this winter and I lost 4 of my babies to wet pox, and 80% of the others got dry pox. The chickens that were purchased from local breeders whose own chickens laid eggs and hatched them (vs someone who bought eggs from someone somewhere and then hatched and sold them) were the only chickens to stay totally healthy. I see this as a great benefit to buying from local breeders, instead of hatcheries. Especially if you can only have 6…they will be more acclimated to both your climate and diseases.

I hope you are able to get what you want!! Good luck!

 

[Aunt Angus]

No, my friends think I’m a crazy chicken lady now. None of them have chickens That’s sad to hear that your babies didn’t make it! I have yet to buy from a hatchery and that’s another one of my fears. I spend a crazy amount for them, get attached and they don’t make it. Shipping alone is $55 plus the cost of 9 pullet chicks! There are just very few options locally that sell sexed bantams, and even fewer Mille Fleur breeders from what I can tell. I definitely think paying more for a for sure girl is worth it…but yikes! Would be like $200 and I don’t have room for 9 chicks haha. I might see if anyone local is looking to get some chicks…since I have no chicken friends I really enjoy raising them from day olds…

I went halvsies on an order with a gal from work who I knew had chickens - not really a friend at the time. Now she's one of my favorite people!!!

I agree that raising them from day olds is the best (I'd love to hatch, but I don't want any more roosters). And knowing you likely have pullets from the get-go makes things much easier.

I wonder if you could sell the extras or find a feed store that would be willing to order them with you. Idk. Just throwing out ideas.

I just spent over $100 on a 2 gosling order, so I feel your pain. The worst part is that they are being shipped from a hatchery that is about 3 hours from here, but they stopped doing pick up orders because of COVID. Boo.

 

[kurby22]

I went halvsies on an order with a gal from work who I knew had chickens - not really a friend at the time. Now she's one of my favorite people!!!

I agree that raising them from day olds is the best (I'd love to hatch, but I don't want any more roosters). And knowing you likely have pullets from the get-go makes things much easier.

I wonder if you could sell the extras or find a feed store that would be willing to order them with you. Idk. Just throwing out ideas.

I just spent over $100 on a 2 gosling order, so I feel your pain. The worst part is that they are being shipped from a hatchery that is about 3 hours from here, but they stopped doing pick up orders because of COVID. Boo.

Yeah I feel like d’Uccles are something more people might be interested in buying—especially if they are for sure a female. I may ask someone in our little 4-H group, only three kids are doing a poultry project though haha. I am going to the Poultry show in Lodi this Saturday so I will see if I make it home without chickens and then decide

That is a bummer that you can’t do pick ups! I get it I suppose, but not totally That’s a definite BOO.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Yeah I feel like d’Uccles are something more people might be interested in buying—especially if they are for sure a female. I may ask someone in our little 4-H group, only three kids are doing a poultry project though haha. I am going to the Poultry show in Lodi this Saturday so I will see if I make it home without chickens and then decide

That is a bummer that you can’t do pick ups! I get it I suppose, but not totally That’s a definite BOO.

Hey! You're in Sac, right? We're practically neighbors! If I weren't adding geese, I'd be willing to go in on an order for a couple of birds - maybe next year if you can wait that long? I wouldn't mind a d'Uccles or a Polish or Cochin bantam (or all 3).

 

[kurby22]

Hey! You're in Sac, right? We're practically neighbors! If I weren't adding geese, I'd be willing to go in on an order for a couple of birds - maybe next year if you can wait that long? I wouldn't mind a d'Uccles or a Polish or Cochin bantam (or all 3).

I am! That would be super! I could probably wait that long! :-D Will give me something to look forward to next spring! Well sweet! Let’s plan on that

 

[Aunt Angus]

I am! That would be super! I could probably wait that long! :-D Will give me something to look forward to next spring! Well sweet! Let’s plan on that

SWEET! I *might* be able to do so sooner, but I don't want to get your hopes up. It depends on how my new coop build goes. Next season FOR SURE. Sac is about an hour from me. Anything south of Downtown is more like 2 hours away, depending on traffic- haha! I'm in Nevada County (Nevada City, Grass Valley area). But I am DEF interested! I was planning on adding chicks next year, anyway. I was thinking large breeds, but there are a few bantam on my breed wish list! And i DON'T need 9, either!

Ok. I'm getting a little excited now....

 

[Florida Backyard Chickens]

I live in Minnesota, so I need cold hardy. Planning on a woods style coop 6x10 with a 60 sq ft outdoor run. I’d love friendly, quiet(ish), hardy birds. I think Orpington’s look nice, I love the coloring choices of Wyandotte’s. Green/blue egg layers would be fun too. I would like decent layers. Pet quality is fine, since I don’t think we would show. Thanks!

I ordered some ameracaunas and welsummers from deer run farm last summer and they have been great. I just ordered some more welsummers from them, to get a rooster and hopefully some olive eggers this summer/fall. The ameracaunas are straight run but the welsummers are auto sexing. I love egg colors, as you can tell

 

[AntiqueB]

I live in north NJ, and have an Orpington, 2 EEs, and a Speckled Sussex. They are all hatchery quality, which in no way affects their friendliness or egg laying. I only wanted pets, so I love them.

I, too, stressed about breeds, but I ended up making a quick order, and getting what MPC had. My advice would be to choose a few breeds that have what you want (hardiness, eggs, friendliness, etc) and then just get a variety. You will love them all.

 

[andreacbs]

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

I have two Welsummers, neither makes a sound. They lay big beautiful eggs. Their tail feathers are symmetrical and lovely. My loudest bird by far is a Delaware.

 

[saysfaa]

... The problem is if you grow your flock up to 50 and you realize you wish you started with different breeds, that is a mistake i made.

What did you start with and what do you wish you had?