Hello everyone!
I have had/raised chickens since I was very little. We took in all sorts of strays and had all types until our flock was picked off, one by one, by a pair of hatchling hawks one spring.
After the sadness of losing our entire flock, I kind of fell out of chicken keeping but have always missed it. It has been around 5-6 years since I last had them and am now fixing up a new, hawk-proof run for them to keep them safe while we are not home to watch them.
I am interested in Polish chickens, as our previous birds were from out local feed store. They had a "pick 12" deal one year and I spotted these funny little chicks in the massive bin that stuck out from the rest. At first I thought it was a genetic deformity and they would need special attention, lol! At the time I was a teenager and had no idea what a Polish chicken was.
They grew into my favorite two birds and now I am convinced that I want an entire flock of them! I loved their friendly nature, gave them silly names, and trimmed their crests so they could see better.
Since they are a bit more rare, my neighbor told me to look online and purchase from a hatchery. She told me Ideal but some of the colors I want are not available at the time she is placing her order. I then found McMurray Hatchery. Are they good/bad? Why? I wasn't intending on purchasing 25 (their mim order for warmth) but now I'm reconsidering.
Their buff laced, golden, white, and silver laced are all supposed to be standard size while their white crested blacks are bantam size. I could possibly grab more of the bantam size to fill the order (I had originally wanted about 10-15). Any local breeders on here? I might consider buying them in person over shipping just because of the stress on the little guys. I would love a variety of colors, preferably 2-3 of each variety.
I live on a rural 5 acres and my current livestock are just a bunch of fat, sassy goats and my 3 dogs (+1 rescue). I planned to give them a large run + a huge shed and then free range while I am home. I am not looking for show quality but the thought intrigues me! I wouldn't mind 1-2 roosters but am specifically looking for hens. I plan to feed organically with treats of fruit/veg I don't use from my primal lifestyle choice. We used to save the wilted lettuce, spinach, bruised fruits, and other fun bits to give to our previous chickens and I was hoping to do the same for these guys.
If anyone has any advice or help, that would be great!
I have had/raised chickens since I was very little. We took in all sorts of strays and had all types until our flock was picked off, one by one, by a pair of hatchling hawks one spring.
After the sadness of losing our entire flock, I kind of fell out of chicken keeping but have always missed it. It has been around 5-6 years since I last had them and am now fixing up a new, hawk-proof run for them to keep them safe while we are not home to watch them.I am interested in Polish chickens, as our previous birds were from out local feed store. They had a "pick 12" deal one year and I spotted these funny little chicks in the massive bin that stuck out from the rest. At first I thought it was a genetic deformity and they would need special attention, lol! At the time I was a teenager and had no idea what a Polish chicken was.
They grew into my favorite two birds and now I am convinced that I want an entire flock of them! I loved their friendly nature, gave them silly names, and trimmed their crests so they could see better.Since they are a bit more rare, my neighbor told me to look online and purchase from a hatchery. She told me Ideal but some of the colors I want are not available at the time she is placing her order. I then found McMurray Hatchery. Are they good/bad? Why? I wasn't intending on purchasing 25 (their mim order for warmth) but now I'm reconsidering.
Their buff laced, golden, white, and silver laced are all supposed to be standard size while their white crested blacks are bantam size. I could possibly grab more of the bantam size to fill the order (I had originally wanted about 10-15). Any local breeders on here? I might consider buying them in person over shipping just because of the stress on the little guys. I would love a variety of colors, preferably 2-3 of each variety.
I live on a rural 5 acres and my current livestock are just a bunch of fat, sassy goats and my 3 dogs (+1 rescue). I planned to give them a large run + a huge shed and then free range while I am home. I am not looking for show quality but the thought intrigues me! I wouldn't mind 1-2 roosters but am specifically looking for hens. I plan to feed organically with treats of fruit/veg I don't use from my primal lifestyle choice. We used to save the wilted lettuce, spinach, bruised fruits, and other fun bits to give to our previous chickens and I was hoping to do the same for these guys.
If anyone has any advice or help, that would be great!
