Greenfire Farms "Collections"

[ChickenCanoe]

Would those be the black Penedesencas?

Yes, that they would be.

Are you interested in certain breeds, or interested in ordering from Greenfire due to their reputation (which, I’m not familiar with)?
... Well, all 26 chicks arrived dead (poor USPS handling). ... But, I’m still interested in exploring breeds, so I’ve already ordered several breeds from elsewhere, hoping to hone our focus a little more with some more experience. At this point, I would not invest that much (per your post) into chickens unless I had more experience or was into the show aspect or was looking to breed my own line, where high quality stock really matters.
...

Wow! That's awful about an entire shipment dead. That doesn't happen often. Usually the USPS only handles the boxes when they accept them at the originating zip and at the destination zip. They usually contract with a secondary vendor who handles the air travel. When I used to have chicks shipped here, I would call the PO sorting room about 5 AM to make sure they arrived. Then I'd bring a camera when I picked them up just in case there were casualties.
It's wise not to invest a great deal until you settle on your favorite breed/s. I'm glad I got the autumn special from Sandhill. It exposed me to a bunch of breeds at once. There were Mediterranean, Continental, Asiatic, American and English classification breeds - DP and egg type as well as some in the 'other' and miscellaneous categories.
In my life, I've had over 30 breeds. I've never had bantams or games.
To learn about Greenfire, I refer you to their "What You Should Expect" statement at the bottom of the Terms and Conditions page. It's the last paragraph.
https://greenfirefarms.com/terms-and-conditions.html
Sandhill Preservation is a different animal as well. I admire what they do but I think they try to do too much with too few people. Besides all types of poultry they also preserve unique potatoes, Maize and other vegetables. They're a 'no kill' hatchery so all birds are straight run.
I think they only answer the phone one day a week.
You send a check and IF you are getting birds, they cash the check when they ship them.
For the most part, I was happy with what I got but there were a few issues. I got a couple breeds not on the list and all the Buttercups had slipped tendons.

I've seen your Penedesencas. They are beautiful. I've thought about getting some.

I want something that will lay well that isn't a leghorn or production red. I would like them to look nice as well.... My Dark Cornish and Cochins are pretty good for meat, but crap for eggs, especially if I'm hatching them.

Thank you.
These are among the best layers I've had and I've had a few varieties of leghorns, minorcas, anconas and jaerhons. They will take a winter break but lay like gangbusters most of the year. If you like calm lap pets, these aren't the bird for you. But there is much to like and my favorite breed I've ever owned.
They are easy keepers if you don't want to hold and kiss your chickens. Very respectful of fences, they can fly but they just don't. I've kept flocks of roosters inside 2' fences. Most of my fences are 3' and 4' high. I turn them out in the morning, mostly free range and lock them up at dusk with no daytime predator worries.
One of only two breeds in the world with a carnation comb. brown egg layers with white earlobes.
One of the darkest egg layers.
Famous in Spain for the flavor of their meat with their own festival, the weekend before Christmas where people go and pay $50 for a rooster on the hoof for their Christmas dinner. Fira del Gall or Festival of the Rooster.
This is an old ad but with pictures. Prices will be going up this year.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/black-penedesenca-hatching-eggs.1235753/#post-19829873

 

[Acre4Me]

I want something that will lay well that isn't a leghorn

By my experience, this is a good choice! My Dark Brown Leghorns are 44 weeks old. I have 3 of them. I have supplemental light in my coop (15 hours/day). All my other 5 breeds have been laying since 18-24 weeks of age. But, 2 of the DBL have NEVER laid an egg, and the third one started around 38 weeks. So far, the eggs from the one DBL laying are unimpressive (small compared to other eggs).

My EE's are reliable layers of green eggs, and my Black Australorps are good layers, but one has been broody 2x so far, which is not ideal. My one female Black Jersey Giant is also reliable, lays pretty large eggs, but being large, she likely eats more feed due to her size. And our Barred Rocks seem to lay every day, nice sized brown eggs!

For our 2019 order, I have Marans on there, among others, so I'm interested to how they are, and the color of the eggs! They will be straight run, so hopefully I get half or more as female.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Thank you.
These are among the best layers I've had and I've had a few varieties of leghorns, minorcas, anconas and jaerhons. They will take a winter break but lay like gangbusters most of the year. If you like calm lap pets, these aren't the bird for you. But there is much to like and my favorite breed I've ever owned.
They are easy keepers if you don't want to hold and kiss your chickens. Very respectful of fences, they can fly but they just don't. I've kept flocks of roosters inside 2' fences. Most of my fences are 3' and 4' high. I turn them out in the morning, mostly free range and lock them up at dusk with no daytime predator worries.
One of only two breeds in the world with a carnation comb. brown egg layers with white earlobes.
One of the darkest egg layers.
Famous in Spain for the flavor of their meat with their own festival, the weekend before Christmas where people go and pay $50 for a rooster on the hoof for their Christmas dinner. Fira del Gall or Festival of the Rooster.
This is an old ad but with pictures. Prices will be going up this year.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/black-penedesenca-hatching-eggs.1235753/#post-19829873

I’ll keep that in mind. I’m not looking to get any at the moment. I’m just realizing that the breeds I have aren’t the best for eggs. Although, next year I’ll be going only hatching for 2-3 months rather than half the year because I’m expecting and don’t want to deal with a newborn and chicks.

 

[Acre4Me]

Wow! That's awful about an entire shipment dead. That doesn't happen often. Usually the USPS only handles the boxes when they accept them at the originating zip and at the destination zip. They usually contract with a secondary vendor who handles the air travel. When I used to have chicks shipped here, I would call the PO sorting room about 5 AM to make sure they arrived. Then I'd bring a camera when I picked them up just in case there were casualties.

We ordered from on Ohio hatchery, about 3 hours from us. They left the distribution center nearest the hatchery within a few short hours. Then they spent 36 hours without any updates. The chicks were warm when arrived, but dead. Few poops and the excelsior was barely stirred up, leading me to think suffocation in some manner (dry ice/air holes blocked). We opened them up at the PO, saw they were dead, took a few pics, and refused shipment. Hatchery refunded me, but were also baffled why it took so long as they say usually OH addresses receives their chicks by the next day.

Sandhill Preservation is a different animal as well. I admire what they do but I think they try to do too much with too few people.

I put in an order with them for next year for a variety of selected breeds - for the experience of other breeds while we hone our focus. Prices were decent for less common breeds, but they are straight run. From looking at their updates on their website, looks like 2018 was a hard year due to a long, drawn out unexpected illness/hospitalization of the wife. But, now on the road to recovery and at home, so that is good.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

I’ve got my eye on 3 auto sexing breeds from Greenfire Farm for spring. At $29 for a known pullet that’s a deal for me. Local breeders here charge $60 for a pullet easy. Shipping from Greenfire is the same for 6 to 20 birds.... just sayin’

 

[Curnow]

I recently noticed Greenfire mixed batches of hatching eggs on Ebay. I'm considering that if they keep it up into warmer weather.

 

[cmfarm]

Try rare breed auctions. Greenfire farms auctions chicks there daily and you can get them for a very reduced price.

 

[aart]

I recently noticed Greenfire mixed batches of hatching eggs on Ebay. I'm considering that if they keep it up into warmer weather.

Try rare breed auctions. Greenfire farms auctions chicks there daily and you can get them for a very reduced price.

Wonders if these are actually the company Greenfire Farms auctioning stuff or 'resellers' using the name for birds and eggs that may have come from GF who know how many generations ago? Buyer Beware.

 

[cmfarm]

Wonders if these are actually the company Greenfire Farms auctioning stuff or 'resellers' using the name for birds and eggs that may have come from GF who know how many generations ago? Buyer Beware.

No, it is actually Greenfire farms that sells them. There are other sellers as well, many of which also sell Greenfire line chicks, myself included.

 

[Curnow]

Wonders if these are actually the company Greenfire Farms auctioning stuff or 'resellers' using the name for birds and eggs that may have come from GF who know how many generations ago? Buyer Beware.

No, it is actually Greenfire farms that sells them. There are other sellers as well, many of which also sell Greenfire line chicks, myself included.

The ones I have seen are just like cmfarm says. There are direct from Greenfire and those that sell from certain lines. The onse I've looked at have been very clear about what they have. They don't appear to be trying to run scams.