Meyer Hatchery Chicken pics anyone??

[Finnie]

I think my three babies are boys! No! How could this happen twice? Both hatches, three eggs hatch, all three boys. Ugh!
I'll have to get some pics, but combs are turning pinkish at 5 weeks. Very suspicious.

Aw, that's too bad! Stranger things have happened. Right now I have a clutch of 9 baby parakeets, and I'm pretty sure only one of them is a boy. Such lopsided numbers are just not what you would expect.

 

[christine9]

I was really hoping to keep one of the girls to help my ratio. Peppy is really roughing them up. I thought a few more girls might keep him busy and let them grow all their feathers in. Oh well! Guess I might have to put together a small order for next year

 

[autumnhearth]

I was really hoping to keep one of the girls to help my ratio. Peppy is really roughing them up. I thought a few more girls might keep him busy and let them grow all their feathers in. Oh well! Guess I might have to put together a small order for next year

:/ boo on the cockerels, yay on ordering more chicks. Personally I think you should get some Favaucanas from MPC or make your own with a Faverolles so I can live viacariously through you but I'm sure you have your own wishlist.

 

[TiaRC]

About 4 days ago I got in a Leanns adopt me assortment from Meyer and in it were 2 polish. At the time I thought they were 2 white crested blues. Turns out, I have 1 white crested blue and a white crested white?!? Is this possible from Meyer? Total accident or what

 

[christine9]

:/ boo on the cockerels, yay on ordering more chicks. Personally I think you should get some Favaucanas from MPC or make your own with a Faverolles so I can live viacariously through you but I'm sure you have your own wishlist.

I thought I'd have a hard time coming up with different breeds. LOL! It was easy! BLRW, silver penciled rock, and exchequer leghorn have been on my list for a long time. Then I wouldn't mind an olive egger, Easter egger, or cream crested legbar. Then I think I might like a polish or a spitzhauben. Either way, I have to narrow down my list. Hoping to sell these three buggers at a swap next month. It will be my first swap. Maybe by then I will be able to tell if any are pullets!

 

[christine9]

About 4 days ago I got in a Leanns adopt me assortment from Meyer and in it were 2 polish. At the time I thought they were 2 white crested blues. Turns out, I have 1 white crested blue and a white crested white?!? Is this possible from Meyer? Total accident or what

Could have breed out something weird. Maybe it's a splash? I'm pretty sure the blues can produce black and splash. That would be cute. I just love the splashes!

 

[autumnhearth]

I thought I'd have a hard time coming up with different breeds. LOL! It was easy! BLRW, silver penciled rock, and exchequer leghorn have been on my list for a long time. Then I wouldn't mind an olive egger, Easter egger, or cream crested legbar. Then I think I might like a polish or a spitzhauben. Either way, I have to narrow down my list. Hoping to sell these three buggers at a swap next month. It will be my first swap. Maybe by then I will be able to tell if any are pullets!

Nice BLRW and Silver Penciled Rocks are on my wish list too, but I would really like to get a Partridge Plymouth Rock at the same time as the Silver Penciled just be extra careful with your bio-security attending swaps and bringing birds home, what with this avian influenza.

Could have breed out something weird. Maybe it's a splash? I'm pretty sure the blues can produce black and splash. That would be cute. I just love the splashes!

That was my first thought as well, a very pale splash, which are my favorite kind. Then again could be white or pale buff laced?

 

[TiaRC]

Nice BLRW and Silver Penciled Rocks are on my wish list too, but I would really like to get a Partridge Plymouth Rock at the same time as the Silver Penciled just be extra careful with your bio-security attending swaps and bringing birds home, what with this avian influenza.
That was my first thought as well, a very pale splash, which are my favorite kind. Then again could be white or pale buff laced?

I shall wait and see looks just a white as the leghorns that are feathering. Should be interesting.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I'm sure there's already pictures, probably a lot of pictures even, in this thread but I don't feel like going all the way back right now to find them sooooo....

Does anyone have any pictures of Black Australorp, Buff Orpington, Barred Rock, Silver Laced Wyandotte (or any Wyandotte), and/or Easter Egger chicks or adults from here? Also possibly Speckled Sussex or Welsummer. And info on their personalities and/or this places stock would be great too.

I'm considering ordering some very soon.

Also, I could use info deciding on the exact breeds hahah

A few months ago I wanted around 10, even up to 15, but now I'm thinking 8 is a better number but I have no clue on the exact breeds or numbers.

It's so hard because I want to give each breed a fair shot in case they end up being my favorite or one dies, you know? But then I also don't want to end up with 20 birds or something.

I do know that I for sure want Black Australorps and Buff Orpingtons though.

So at first I was thinking of each of those, 2 barred rocks, and then one each of a random breed, like maybe a Wyandotte and a Welsummer. But then I heard Welsummer can be mean to other birds? So they're out. And the rocks always get sucj mixed reviews about being bossy or not I was worried so thought maybe I should only get 1 and get 2 Wyandottes. So 2 BA, 2 BO, 1 BR, 2 SLW, and then a meal maker or other random breed. But then just a little while ago I remembered the Easter Eggers and they seem great, as do Speckled Sussex. So then I thought maybe 2 EEs too but it's so hard. But maybe I could just go back to 10 birds and have it be 2 BO, 2 BA, 2 BR, 2 EE, and 2 SLW? Or just not include EE? But they have great reviews. Or leave out the rocks? It's always so hard to decide.

I think the coop plan is really only ideally suited for 8 birds though but it's easy enough to make bigger plus I have a small dog house I am fixing up anyways that could maybe fit 2-3 more if they don't all fit. But the run is big too and they'll be free range on almost 3 acres, including a large yard and woods. If that makes it less of an issue?

I don't want to start out with tight quarters before chicken math even takes it's toll but I also don't want to leave a great breed out

Sorry, this got a bit long, but I just figured maybe people who have gotten birds from this hatchery could help me narrow it down because I've read a lot of reviews but it's always good to hear direct from people who have also ordered from the same place and may know what's true or not of these specific birds.

Thanks

 

[autumnhearth]

Does anyone have any pictures of Black Australorp, Buff Orpington, Barred Rock, Silver Laced Wyandotte (or any Wyandotte), and/or Easter Egger chicks or adults from here? Also possibly Speckled Sussex or Welsummer. And info on their personalities and/or this places stock would be great too.

I do know that I for sure want Black Australorps and Buff Orpingtons though.

So at first I was thinking of each of those, 2 barred rocks, and then one each of a random breed, like maybe a Wyandotte and a Welsummer. But then I heard Welsummer can be mean to other birds? So they're out. And the rocks always get sucj mixed reviews about being bossy or not I was worried so thought maybe I should only get 1 and get 2 Wyandottes. So 2 BA, 2 BO, 1 BR, 2 SLW, and then a meal maker or other random breed. But then just a little while ago I remembered the Easter Eggers and they seem great, as do Speckled Sussex. So then I thought maybe 2 EEs too but it's so hard. But maybe I could just go back to 10 birds and have it be 2 BO, 2 BA, 2 BR, 2 EE, and 2 SLW? Or just not include EE? But they have great reviews. Or leave out the rocks? It's always so hard to decide.

Oh man you sound like me a year and a half ago, my heart goes out for your poor conflicted mind lol! Okay first off great choice with the Orpingtons and Australorps. We have a Buff Orp and I couldn't imagine our flock without her. She's a great big snuggled monster, such a personality and a good layer. For pics and info on her personality, go to the bottom of my post and under my signature there are three links with pics the third is all about Miss Baby Buff. She's also my pofile picture but I will post two pics below. Black Australorps are at the very top of my list for next year, everyone seems to love them and they are fantastic layers. Last year when we got our first flock I had to decide between an Austra and Black Copper Marans and chose the BCM for the chocolate eggs, she wasn't the friendliest hen, loved to complain and I only got a few weeks of those eggs before she got sick (likely reproductive issues), we put her down at just over a year old. So next year I will be getting a BA.


One of my favorite pics, Baby at 10 days old and Baby earlier this week. She is 13 months old and it still hard to get a picture of her because she always wants to be in my lap.
If you want a snuggle chicken, get a Buff Orp. Then if you want more snuggle chickens try Dorkings and Brahmas lol!

You said you were worried about a couple breeds being mean and picking on the others. The two breeds that I hear that the most about are Rhode Island Reds which I see you're not considering and Barred Rocks, which you are. Now every individual chicken is different and some people love their RIRs and BRs, they are both supposed to be very friendly and curious birds. I would like a RIR one day for their coloring but have been warned by several folks on this thread that their personalities are not worth it. The nursery near us that orders chicks and started pullets from Meyer gave a backyard chicken keeping class and the owner said he didn't like the Barred Rocks because their mean. What is it about the BRs that you like? Is it their laying ability or their stripes? One of my good friends and chicken mentor's favorite hen is a Domique another barred breed with a lovely personality.

I have never heard of Welsummers being mean on here or elsewhere, but I'm sure there are reviews on almost every chicken breed with a few people that had a bad experience. The folks with the adult Wellsummers will have to weigh in here as my Wellie is only 10 weeks old but I decided on her last year after hearing all good things I have occasionally heard that Wyandottes can be a bit mean, especially to new chicks, but not from Meyer people so again, others on here will have to weigh in, they are so pretty and I want the laced in every color.


Good excuse to post a pic of Cornelia from yesterday, I lover her coloring and day one when she walked right into my hand.
There was a period of maybe 2 or 3 weeks when she didn't want to be picked up or held because she was growing in her feathers, but she's back to being sweet and friendly

I see you are debating about getting an Easter Egger, stop debating and get one! Lol seriously everyone on here loves their EEs! They are such a fun mix, it's a surprise as to what color you are going to get (which for me was a downside as I am a control freak but I was really happy with ours). They lay colorful eggs, mostly green or blue-green though you will occasionally get one that lays pink, brown or cream. They tend to lay early and they lay well. Our EE was my son's pick, she is a little on the skiddish side but that's compared to others in our flock who are very friendly, she still comes over and says hi once a day, comes for treats and will squat, though she's a bit nervous when I pick her up. I now several folks on this thread have four or more EEs in their flocks that are very friendly. She was the first of our pullets to lay, beating out our Golden Buff by almost a week and while she doesn't lay every single day like our GB, I can expect 4-6 eggs a week from.


Clara our EE chick day 1. Light brown with darker brown markings and white chipmunk stripes down the back


10 days old, she was the first to get wings and they were the biggest.


6 weeks, little hawk and this week at 13 months

I have heard wonderfully things about Speckled Sussex and would really like one. My husband doesn't love the speckled look and we have limited space, we only got three chicks this year and I chose a Welsummer. But I will definitely be getting one down the road. I think they are some of the sweetest looking chicks, they are supposed to be very friendly and I want their creamy pink eggs! I will probably get one the same year I get Wyandottes, I think they look cool together.

So here is my advice and it all hinges on chicken math which I see you have heard of. I would start out with one of each of the breeds you want the most. I know some people like to get two or three of each, birds of a feather flock together and it is awfully cute to see two of a kind, but for just starting out with such limited space I like to try out each breed and be able to easily tell everyone apart, monitor who has layed for the day and do an easy head count. But most importantly you need to and I mean NEED to leave room for more chicks next year. Because not only will the chicken math hit you hard but there is also a very good practical reason to get more chicks each spring. Your hens will molt each year at around 15 months, this is generally the following fall for spring chickens, but your might be in the winter if you get summer chicks. I wish someone had told me this before starting. Mind you I had read about molting but the book I got kept stressing to get as many as your thought you would want for a few years because introducing new flock members is stressful. It's true it is, but everyone wants to get more chicks each year and unless they have great self restraint or ordinances that say they can only have so many, they end up getting more within a year. I just looked to see where abouts you live, climate wise and just noticed you've been on BYCs for 7 years and I've been talking to you like these are for first chickens, so unless you've been lurking on here for that long, my apologies.

Anywho yes, you need to leave room for more chickens. Looks like 10 is your max, 8 is your comfortable capacity so I would get maybe 6 this year. One Buff Orp, one Black Australorp, one Easter Egger, one or two Wyandottes (if they are different colors) a Speckled Sussex and/or a Welsummer, unless you really want that barring in your flock then substitute one. Or just plan on expanding your coop! Best of luck in your decision making and welcome to the Meyer thread!