It's so hard to decide, I'm planning on adding 3-5 chicks next spring as I don't think I'll be able to convince the husband to add any pullets this fall. I have a list of pros and cons of over 15 breeds, egg color and feather color being the major factors as I've already narrowed for hardiness and docility, but those are often at odds. Some are available from Meyer, some from a local breeder, others I would have to seek out.
Like I would really like a RIR/PR from Meyer to have a solid red hen to balance out our solid Black Marans and Buff Orpington, (the other girls have more varied coats) and while she would add a higher quantity of eggs, they wouldn't add a unique color to the egg basket since we have a Golden Buff (sex-link) and the Marans egg probably won't be/stay all that dark. I also avoided this breed initially as I heard they can pick on others, but as a younger pullet coming into an established flock this may be less likely, especially if raised by a broody. On the other hand I would like a Sussex for the light pink eggs, but I don't really think a Speckled Sussex would look all that great in our small flock, even though I think they are THE cutest chicks. A breeder near us does have Light, Silver and Coronation Sussex, I think I like the silver best. It's a similar issue with Wyandottes, I love the lacing, but I would want a few at once and of course I really want the elusive Buff Laced. Sigh.
I am pretty set on getting a Welsummer, love the coat color and eggs, fingers crossed for speckling of course. But I'm on the fence about getting a Cream Legbar, Ameraucana or another Easter Egger. There is the cost with the Legbar, plus they have a very similar coloring to our Silver Grey Dorking, which might be okay as she's the one that sticks out and I know they would look different enough. When it comes to Ameraucana's I really love the Blue Wheaten, especially Splash Wheaten, but they are hard to find. And of course EE are a mixed bag, I would really love a white EE with black flecks like a snowy owl or light hawk to go opposite Clara, but that would have to be a started pullet I could pick out from a bunch, yeah...
I also can't get over my desire for a Salmon Faverolles, their creamy tinted eggs are just so gorgeous and I like off white better than stark white in plumage, but there's the noise and the potential to be picked on, so I know I should wait to have three when we have more land. It's silly but, I would also love an Amber Star/Link, same issue with the egg color as the PR, but I just love the color coat and she would be the opposite of Amelia, but I'm definitely not ordering from Mt. Healthy. Then there are Brahmas, I do not like the Buff, the Light are okay but I prefer the Dark, which Meyer doesn't have, Ideal does. The breeder near us has Silver Penciled Rocks which are gorgeous as well.
Then there is the question of how we should get them/brood them. Two or three Kindergarten teachers (out of eight!) at my son's school hatch and raise chicks in the classroom. Rowan's preschool teacher said she would try but couldn't promise to get him into one of those classes. I have no idea where they get their eggs from, what breeds, how long they keep them and what happen to the chicks after, but I could possibly help influence that, getting Legbar eggs from the breeder would be cheaper than buying chicks. I don't really want to hatch in an incubator yet, though using a broody is appealing, since we can't keep roos it might just be better to get day old chicks from Meyer and *if* one of our girls was broody we could sneak the chicks under her and she could raise them in a separate pen or little coop, I've heard that integration can be easier this way. If we didn't have a broody of course we are all set up to brood chicks again. So yeah...
Anyone still with me? Of course in addition to lists I have collages of both hens and eggs.
I have no self control. 
