Looking for Flock Recommendations: Barnevelders, Basques or Swedish Flowers?

[My Three Chicks]

What did you end up getting?? I have an order coming from Meyer in May that includes a SFH!

 

[Winderdear]

What did you end up getting?? I have an order coming from Meyer in May that includes a SFH!

Oh, that’s great! I’d love to see pictures of your bird when they get older!

Unfortunately, I’m going to have to wait at least a year before we add to our flock. My husband permits no chicken math, lol, and our plan was always to go 2-3 years between orders. I’m just constantly dreaming of getting more chickens, and I’m trying to plan my flock in advance just in case one day my husband suddenly decides we need more eggs. The second he does, I’ll be ordering!

 

[My Three Chicks]

Oh, that’s great! I’d love to see pictures of your bird when they get older!

Unfortunately, I’m going to have to wait at least a year before we add to our flock. My husband permits no chicken math, lol, and our plan was always to go 2-3 years between orders. I’m just constantly dreaming of getting more chickens, and I’m trying to plan my flock in advance just in case one day my husband suddenly decides we need more eggs. The second he does, I’ll be ordering!

I actually had the same plan...wait 2 years between orders. Since I can only have 8 total here and I got my last batch of 3 girls last year (and now have a total of 6 girls.) So I should wait til next year so the spacing is better. But I have bad spring chicken fever! And I have no hubby to keep me in check

 

[Winderdear]

I actually had the same plan...wait 2 years between orders. Since I can only have 8 total here and I got my last batch of 3 girls last year (and now have a total of 6 girls.) So I should wait til next year so the spacing is better. But I have bad spring chicken fever! And I have no hubby to keep me in check

I’m right there with you on spring chick fever, lol. It’s so hard to wait!

 

[Winderdear]

Thanks, I didn't know of this tendency either till you mentioned it. I'll watch for it. And you're absolutely right, having to put a chicken down is very hard. Only being able to tell myself it is the kindest option has enabled me to do it at all, and fortunately, it's been rare. In full disclosure though, I do have to say that we do eat our chickens, but we pay to have them processed. This is only because we did try doing it ourselves once, only to discover that we are absolutely incompetent at it (we're older and I for one am a city girl and he also has no experience at it). Best, for us, to let an experienced professional do it.

Somehow I completely missed this message, I’m sorry! I would also have to have a professional do any killing for me, it’s hard enough to know you have to say goodbye to them.

I recently lost my lovely Welsummer, and so am probably going to order some chicks this year. It’s still too recent to make a decision as we’re still grieving. However, my flock is down to three now, and it feels like whether when roosting or foraging there’s always a third wheel. They used to always be in pairs, and I loved that.

I’m considering an order of 1 more Welsummer and Dominique, 1 Penedesenca and 1 SFH. Meyer isn’t going to have Double Laced Silver Barnevelders until fall this year, and I think I’ll likely order for late spring. My husband wants a Salmon Faverolle though, so we may hold off on the SFH until next order.

 

[Winderdear]

Well, best laid plans and all that…

Meyer is out of every breed I was looking for until autumn except Welsummers and Dominiques. I ended up getting a Splash Marans and a Splash Ameraucana (they say these are actually Ameraucanas, not EEs) as well, chosen by my husband. I confirmed with their customer service that the Ameraucanas don’t have the predisposition for cross beak that their EEs have (though obviously there’s always a rare chance with any breed).

I’ll have to hold off on Barnevelders, Penedesenca and Swedish Flowers until my next order, sadly. But, I am happy to know there will be chicks arriving in June. They’ll hatch just before my current flock has their first birthday

 

[sunnie7]

I’ve have so many different breeds over the years and now I’m on year 3 of breeding Barnevelders and I’m so glad I chose them! They are by far my favorite.