Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[rnchick74]

friend of mine LOVES her buff orphingtons. I'm putting them on my next order. Let us know

We got both a BO and BA in our first batch of chicks. Our BO was mean! She would peck your hand really hard when you tried to feed her and she chased all the little ones and pecked them hard. We rehomed her with a friend and she is fine there (they don't hand feed). Our BA is very nice and a great layer. We have a little BO now (5 weeks?) and she is very sweet, follows me all over the coop. I don't think you can go wrong with either of these breeds overall (there are always bad apples in every breed). Just depends on what color you want. I love our BA's green shine.

I've heard lots of good things about Orps, Wyandottes, as well as BAs. I'm already getting a Blue Orp. and a GLW. If a BLRW comes available, decision is made...but I'm kind of doubting they will.

My thought about the BA is that they are both heat and cold hardy and are excellent layers in all conditions, where the Orps don't tolerate the heat as well. Here in KY, we have a hot summer and can have a cold winter. I need gentle, friendly breeds due to my Silkie(s), as well as my small human. As far as color, the flock is leaning pretty dark generally...but the Silkie(s) is/are buff and the Cream LB are on the lighter scale. So either way, buff or black is going to be "boring" according to my son.

 

[trsturself]

I've heard lots of good things about Orps, Wyandottes, as well as BAs. I'm already getting a Blue Orp. and a GLW. If a BLRW comes available, decision is made...but I'm kind of doubting they will.

My thought about the BA is that they are both heat and cold hardy and are excellent layers in all conditions, where the Orps don't tolerate the heat as well. Here in KY, we have a hot summer and can have a cold winter. I need gentle, friendly breeds due to my Silkie(s), as well as my small human. As far as color, the flock is leaning pretty dark generally...but the Silkie(s) is/are buff and the Cream LB are on the lighter scale. So either way, buff or black is going to be "boring" according to my son.

I don't remember what you already have on your order but my 2 cents...
If you are looking for more color go with an EE. You'll get color in flock and egg basket. Our EE lays regularly and has tolerated both the heat and cold of CO (95+ in the summer down to -10 last winter). If you already have one on your list add another anyway, they'll most likely be different colors and lay different color eggs.
Or if you want more of a heavy breed, go for a BR. That will add a little different color variation and a good layer. Our BR is top of the flock but comes running when she sees us and will happily eat out of our hand.

 

[christine9]

I know some of you sell eggs. Does anyone sell chicks? I'm thinking of starting this next spring. I've heard of a candling class that is necessary to sell eggs off of private property in my area. Has anyone taken one? Did you need a small business license? I think I will. Any input in this area would be appreciated. I pretty much am looking for a better job. I'm hoping this will also allow me to attend my local farmers market to sell veggies and eggs. I have a very near by hardware/farm supply store where I'm hoping to sell chicks.

 

[rnchick74]

I don't remember what you already have on your order but my 2 cents...
If you are looking for more color go with an EE. You'll get color in flock and egg basket. Our EE lays regularly and has tolerated both the heat and cold of CO (95+ in the summer down to -10 last winter). If you already have one on your list add another anyway, they'll most likely be different colors and lay different color eggs.
Or if you want more of a heavy breed, go for a BR. That will add a little different color variation and a good layer. Our BR is top of the flock but comes running when she sees us and will happily eat out of our hand.

I currently have:
2 buff silkies, 1 of which may be a roo & will go live at a friend's farm

I'm picking up 2 female crested cream legbars from the breeder this Sunday

From Meyer's, I'm getting:
1 - Golden Laced Polish Standard Female
1 - Silver Laced Polish Standard Female
1 - Golden Laced Wyandotte Female
1 - Blue Orpington Female
1 - Black Copper Maran Female

For some reason, I do not like EE or olive eggers - I think it's the muff. I have the blue egg & dark brown egg covered. I've looked at BR & they are pretty, but I have a lot of stripes & laces going on! I've also heard they can be bullies to Silkies.

 

[christine9]

Gosh...all this figuring about what other chickens to get is messing up my chicken math!
I have:
1 Delaware
1 buff brahma
1 RIR
1 Black Ameraucana roo

August's order:
1 BCM
1 lt brahma
1 EE
1 lav orp
1 leghorn

Still "need":
AM girls
BLRW
Barred rock
And maybe a speckled Sussex

That should be it LOL. but since I'll need to expand the coop/run anyway....

 

[NotableNancy]

I was so excited that Belle went from laying a 42g egg (just made it from Peewee to Small) to laying a 56g egg (almost large!) the next day.



Once I cracked it open, I realized why...



Today's egg will probably be small. The interesting thing is that I think this egg was fertile. It looks like a bullseye to me.




She must have been kept with a rooster before she was shipped to me. I could get another week of fertile eggs. Too bad I am not prepared to try to hatch them!

Triple yolker!! Never had that... so cool!!

Oh wow, you're going to have a lot of different ages. Hopefully the integration will improve soon.

The white leghorns are great, I wish we still had Snow. She was a great chicken and was so majestic looking. She really was only loud when she first started laying. Once she laid regularly she would get to the highest spot and announce that she laid an egg and that was it. She got along with all the other chickens and laid a lot. Great breed!

Rocky my PR was the worst broody and 3 times now! She would fight me when trying to get her out of the nest box. She would spread her wings and straighten her legs so it was difficult to remove her and she would also have a fit when she was in her cage. The other broodies were not as crazy. I guess some are just more determined then others.

Thank you. This is my second order Easter Egger. Silver Cuckoo Maran and a White Leghorn

WOW... those dark eggs are from a Meyers Marans??? Gorgeous!!! Birds are so cute too Is your Leghorn loud or a bully?

SOOO EXCITED!!!!!

I know this isn't Meyer related, BUT! I got a call from the Cream Legbar breeder...

His next clutch of eggs is hatching Saturday & he asked me if I wanted any from this one!!! I'm heading that way on Sunday with the small human and we are getting our pick of females!!!

WOOHOO!!!

They will be 2 weeks older than my Meyer's chicks, but I think that will be ok....

So excited. Yes, I think 2 weeks will be fine. I never thought they were that pretty from the pics I've seen on the computer but mine are 9 weeks now and I think they are feathering in so pretty. And they are my largest chicks... even bigger than my EE's and they're typically the fastest growers. I'm so pleased with mine!!

Now if Meyer's doesn't get an BLRW in for 7/14...I need to decide if I want an Australorp or a Buff Orp to add to my order to up the laying...or if I want to leave well enough alone.

Opinions?

I vote Buff Orp because you have a BCM already so they would look pretty similar. And could your Blue Orp end up being black? or are you guaranteed blue??
Are there any other choices? you don't seem 'sold' on one of these breeds. Maybe a Speckled Sussex? Or an all white chicken?
I have 2 BA. One is at the top of the pecking order but isn't a bully and the other is pretty passive. One lays very well the other not so much.

Gosh...all this figuring about what other chickens to get is messing up my chicken math!
I have:
1 Delaware
1 buff brahma
1 RIR
1 Black Ameraucana roo

August's order:
1 BCM
1 lt brahma
1 EE
1 lav orp
1 leghorn

Still "need":
AM girls
BLRW
Barred rock
And maybe a speckled Sussex

That should be it LOL. but since I'll need to expand the coop/run anyway....

LOL "that should be it???" I've heard that before.... there's always room for more

 

[wermnmnmnm]

Looks like my daughter's Easter Egger

 

[rnchick74]

Quote: Nancy - I hadn't thought about the Blue Orp not being guaranteed blue...but you are right! The description says "the color blue does not breed true. They can produce black and splash offspring as well as blue." So I take that to mean that I could get blue, black, or splash...right?

Being so new to chickens it is hard to know what I really want, other than very good with kids and other chickens. I do want this particular chicken to be a pretty good layer. My polish & silkes won't be the best. The legbars & marans won't be every day producers. My GLW and Orp will be my only 2 heavier producers...we go through a LOT of eggs at my house!.

My other chicken friends say cochins, buff orps, wyandottes, or BA.

I am a little concerned with the # of chickens I have that are known to go broody... talk about hormonal females! Right now I'm leaning toward a BO, but the broody aspect has me concerned. The Sussex isn't available for my hatch date, but it a viable option if one becomes available.

 

[NotableNancy]

Nancy - I hadn't thought about the Blue Orp not being guaranteed blue...but you are right! The description says "the color blue does not breed true. They can produce black and splash offspring as well as blue." So I take that to mean that I could get blue, black, or splash...right?

Being so new to chickens it is hard to know what I really want, other than very good with kids and other chickens. I do want this particular chicken to be a pretty good layer. My polish & silkes won't be the best. The legbars & marans won't be every day producers. My GLW and Orp will be my only 2 heavier producers...we go through a LOT of eggs at my house!.

My other chicken friends say cochins, buff orps, wyandottes, or BA.

I am a little concerned with the # of chickens I have that are known to go broody... talk about hormonal females! Right now I'm leaning toward a BO, but the broody aspect has me concerned. The Sussex isn't available for my hatch date, but it a viable option if one becomes available.

Yup, I think 50% are black, 25% blue and 25% splash but someone correct me if I'm wrong. So yes, you could get any color. My luck I'd get black.
How about Golden Buff? Great layer and supposedly nice quiet girls and pretty color since you have Buff already. Cochins aren't great layers if you are leaning toward that and yes, very broody!!
The breeder I got my legbars from said they lay well but I didn't ask how well. I was just so happy to get them!! My EE's are my best layers and happily 2 of the 3 lay green so I get 2 green eggs almost every day!! My RIR and one BA is up there too.
Such decisions!!! So hard isn't it???
Can you call them and get a list of what's available for your date? Maybe there's something that's not listed on the website yet??!!

 

[rnchick74]

Yup, I think 50% are black, 25% blue and 25% splash but someone correct me if I'm wrong. So yes, you could get any color. My luck I'd get black.
How about Golden Buff? Great layer and supposedly nice quiet girls and pretty color since you have Buff already. Cochins aren't great layers if you are leaning toward that and yes, very broody!!
The breeder I got my legbars from said they lay well but I didn't ask how well. I was just so happy to get them!! My EE's are my best layers and happily 2 of the 3 lay green so I get 2 green eggs almost every day!! My RIR and one BA is up there too.
Such decisions!!! So hard isn't it???
Can you call them and get a list of what's available for your date? Maybe there's something that's not listed on the website yet??!!

I did a chat today & they said my best bet is to wait until hatch day to make any decisions, then add whatever I want then. That's when they really know what they have. That's what I will do, but just trying to have a game plan of: if no this, order this, if no that, or that, order this... Because I'm only driving up there once

That's how I found out the chances of getting a BLRW are very low...