Here's my wishlist - which hatchery?

[hencrazy]

Next spring I want to order some black and white Jersey Giants, buff cornish, white laced red cornish, and whichever sex link lays huge brown eggs. I know this is asking a lot, but if anyone could post pics of these particular birds including which hatchery they are from, age, weight, and egg pics/size (JG and sex links) it would be greatly appreciated. I have been searching these forums for the last 3 months and have been to all the hatcheries web sites and I still can't decide where to order from.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[Illia]

Buff Cornish - No hatchery has them, it's a false claim. You'd have to look for breeders.

Sex Links w/ huge eggs - All of them. But I'd recommend any red or golden colored sex link more, as they have Leghorn behind them.

White Laced Red Cornish - Most hatcheries do, but don't expect them to actually look like white LACED red Cornish.

Most hatcheries also have Jersey Giants. Murray McMurray, I believe Ideal and Cackle as well. But to have Giants get from breeders. My boys and girls were from stock in which the main rooster was 14 lbs.

 

[hencrazy]

I do understand that breeders are the best place to get chickens, but unfortunately I can't afford to do so. I would just like to know which hatcheries have the best representations of these breeds. These will not be used for showing as I have no interest whatsoever in that.

 

[michickenwrangler]

What Illia means is that hatchery stock usually just had standard colors for most breeds. And among the breeds they have, they are not "true to type." A Jersey Giant from a breeder will be the tall, hefty bird it was meant to be. A Jersey giant from a hatchery will just be a fairly tall black bird.

A red-laced white Cornish from a hatchery will not look like a true Cornish, it won't be as upright or meaty.

For different varieties of a breed, your best bet is a breeder.

Though you say you cannot afford to buy from a breeder, you usually don't need the 25 minimum. I bought 6 cochin chicks from a breeder last spring. If I wanted to order from a hatchery, I would have had to buy 15-25 birds, not six.

You have time until spring, ask around here for breeders in your area or post a want ad on www.bestfarmbuys.com

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

check with a breeder for chicks. I sell chicks from my show birds and get $3-$4 a peice which is not much more than a hatchery gets, plus like its already been said you dont need to get 25, but most breeders do not sex there birds keep that in mind to if you do go with a breeder.

 

[Illia]

One big misconception about breeders is expense. Most breeds out there, if sold as chicks, are only 1-3 dollars above chick price. Even at that, a lot of people sell hatchery chicks for just the same.

And, hatching eggs are only expensive if you're looking at breeds like Marans.

Breeds from hatcheries like Buff Cornish are one of those things that, despite your opinion on hatcheries vs breeders, it is best to go with breeders - Because the hatchery stuff is actually production type Buff Orpingtons. BIG difference.

 

[hencrazy]

I don't have an incubator and not a single hen I have has ever gone broody - so hatching eggs is out of the question. I have yet to ever get a response from any breeder in Minnesota - they tell me they have what I need and we agree on price and quantity and then I never hear from them again. Every other breeder that I've looked into has required too large of an order or the price is completely insane.

As for numbers of chickens I'm hoping for at least 8-10 cornish and around 6-8 JG - what I really wanted was blue JG but they are crazy expensive. I do plan on getting a few other breeds such as Marans, plymouth rocks (probably barred), sussex, faverolles, welsummers, and EE's (would love to get true Americaunas). I pretty much plan on replacing my entire flock. The cornish I plan on breeding, if it works out, and using the extras for dinner. I may also get a couple buffs or cochins for broody hens.

Sorry I sound whiney, but I'm starting to get a little frustrated. I went through all of this last year with no results and just ended up keeping the birds I had. Don't get me wrong - my dream would be to have quality birds - but it's just not working out.

Man I sound like a complainer - I'm even annoying myself.

 

[BarredBuff]

You could try Sandhill. They have most of those varieties, albeit some of them are a little high in price. And they also dont sex their chicks, they are located in Iowa. They have several varieties of all the birds you listed, JG, true Ameracaunas, Marans, several Sussex types.

 

[hencrazy]

Did a search here about Sandhill and found out that a lot of the birds in Storey's Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds are from them. I was fairly impressed until I ran across a few birds in the book that obviously have leg mites - especially the La Fleche to the point of bleeding. This is a little disturbing to me. I know the chicks from them wouldn't have mites since they are hatched artificially. Am I overreacting?

 

[Firearia]

I know with the breeders in my area there was no minimum, you could get two chicks if that's all you wanted. I suggest you talk with the people who have poultry swaps in your area or fairs, that usually gives a lead.