Here is an article for choosing the right breed for you. Check out resource links inside for breeders and hatcheries. There is also a breed chart inside to download and view choosing most common breeds. The top ten most picked. Pick ones that thrive in your area such as cold hardy if in cold place and heat tolerant if hot summers. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/choosing-the-right-breed-for-you.74446/ Welcome to BYC! Have fun! I love Meyer Hatchery for quality and price. I could also choose to vaccinate against Mareks. Very important. But you may do fine with one close to you as reduces travel stress.
Hi, welcome to BYC! Many of us buy chicks from our local feed store or places like Tractor Supply Company... where we can get sexed chicks that are "pullets" which means 90% guarantee of no roosters in the mix. I have several local stores and they often order/carry different breeds weekly. There are so many breeds to choose from! Here are a couple comparison charts of different breeds... https://livestockconservancy.org/images/uploads/docs/pickachicken.pdf http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html If want the most eggs possible go with something like a Leghorn or Rhode Island Red. Want blue eggs about every other day, Easter Eggers are fantastic fun chickens. While sex links offer a zero chance of roosters, assuming they weren't mislabeled or mixed up... I personally avoid them as they are known to have much shorter life spans often getting reproductive issues around 2 years old. And don't forget chick will need warmth for a while. My pet Chicken also has a breed selection tool. All the feed stores get their chicks from one hatchery or another. I also like Meyer's best so far. Adding your general location to your profile can help peep make the best suggestions possible at a glance. Happy Easter!
I love my Barred Rock, Speckled Sussex so friendly, and Golden Buffs. Large brown egg layers. I would want a white egg layer like a White Leghorn and blue layer like a Cream Legbar in my future to make a colorful basket. For your family three standard size hens can produce a dozen a week so good choice and ordering three is great as frequently that is the shipment minimum in the spring. I have four and they produce 2 dozen a week.
So many factors, I'd start by prioritizing what you want from your chickens. Eggs, meat, entertainment, yard ornaments, etc. I ordered a wide variety which won't be the most productive but should give me several different egg colors, beauty, and entertainment, with some also being meat possibilities although that's not my goal. If you order from a hatchery, many will have minimum order size so you might want to find someone to split an order, or some will ship just a few but will add a "small order fee." My local feed store can't sell fewer than 6, but again you can split them with someone. I think my feed stores are also just about done with their spring chick days. Cackle has a special that might be of interest to you: https://www.cacklehatchery.com/city-town-female-special-3.html I'm sure others have something similar but I just noticed that one the other day. Have fun!
Tractor Supply is a good place to get your chicks. You can buy 1 or 10+ and can mix and match the ones you want. Many other places you have to buy 5 -15. Depending on the climate of the area you live in, egg color you want and hardiness and if you want strictly and egg layer or dual ( meat and eggs) I buy heritage breed, brown layers and cold hardy. Heritage breeds mature slower, general live longer ( producing more eggs overall ) and are better at foraging. This site has good information on the breeds. Good luck!
The sign at TSC said 6 minimum. FYI I hatched some White leghorns a lady that purchased them said my 2 day old chicks were that same size as her 1 1/2 weeks old chicks she purchased at TSC. Not all things are created equal. I would recommend purchasing from breeders not feed stores.
The minimum at TSC seems to be location specific... maybe what state your in as they have different laws. Here in Ca there is is no minimum or limit. You take a MUCH larger risk of bringing in parasites and disease of you buy from "breeders" if they are not simply back yarders. You MUST use lots of discernment. Yes, my home hatched chicks are always in better condition than store bought hatchery chicks... they didn't have to go through shipping stress... in addition to my breeding stock get higher quality feed than typical "layer"... and my line has the qualities I select for. Also purchasing "breeder" chicks pretty much guarantees half will be male... unless you just happen to be lucky or buy from some one with auto sexing breeds. After raising hundreds of birds... I also like these breeds.