WMassforestflock
Chirping
Hello!
We received our chicks from Cackle five months ago. I am obsessed, as is my eight-year-old. She is out taking chicken photos as I write. We live in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts.
After some planned chick giveaways and two early losses to predators, we have a happy little flock of six chickens including Speckled Sussex, Black Laced Red Wyandotte, Easter Egger, Cinnamon Queen (brown sex linked), and Buff Orpington. Our Buff Orpington was the first to start laying, at 4.5 months. These six hens are very much pets; they all have names and obvious personalities. We chose breeds that were supposed to be friendly and love that they come to greet us. They are pastured in our back yard with an electric fence.
We hope to add three more chicks next year, and really like having a variety of breeds to make the girls readily distinguishable and (soon) the eggs varied. The issue that brought me to these forums is the puzzle of how to try to acquire three chicks of different breeds. It seems that all the hatcheries have a three-per-breed minimum order (other than cockerels). Most of the stores that supply chicks have pretty boring breed offerings. The one I've found in central New England that sells a wide range of breeds (Cheshire Horse in Swanzey, NH) has over a dozen delivery dates with each breed delivering only once, and a minimum order of four chicks per delivery date.
The best solution I've thought of would be to find another backyard farmer in my area who has similar interests and share a delivery date or two at Cheshire Horse. Are there other options?
There may be advice that doesn't require greater detail, but at this time we are interested in Mottled Houdans, Silkies, Bielefelders, Light Brahmas, Black Copper Marans, and Whiting True Blues/Greens. This list changes regularly and will probably be quite different come spring. We would be willing to drive around central New England/eastern NY to make this work.
Nice to meet y'all! I look forward to learning from your wisdom.
We received our chicks from Cackle five months ago. I am obsessed, as is my eight-year-old. She is out taking chicken photos as I write. We live in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts.
After some planned chick giveaways and two early losses to predators, we have a happy little flock of six chickens including Speckled Sussex, Black Laced Red Wyandotte, Easter Egger, Cinnamon Queen (brown sex linked), and Buff Orpington. Our Buff Orpington was the first to start laying, at 4.5 months. These six hens are very much pets; they all have names and obvious personalities. We chose breeds that were supposed to be friendly and love that they come to greet us. They are pastured in our back yard with an electric fence.
We hope to add three more chicks next year, and really like having a variety of breeds to make the girls readily distinguishable and (soon) the eggs varied. The issue that brought me to these forums is the puzzle of how to try to acquire three chicks of different breeds. It seems that all the hatcheries have a three-per-breed minimum order (other than cockerels). Most of the stores that supply chicks have pretty boring breed offerings. The one I've found in central New England that sells a wide range of breeds (Cheshire Horse in Swanzey, NH) has over a dozen delivery dates with each breed delivering only once, and a minimum order of four chicks per delivery date.
The best solution I've thought of would be to find another backyard farmer in my area who has similar interests and share a delivery date or two at Cheshire Horse. Are there other options?
There may be advice that doesn't require greater detail, but at this time we are interested in Mottled Houdans, Silkies, Bielefelders, Light Brahmas, Black Copper Marans, and Whiting True Blues/Greens. This list changes regularly and will probably be quite different come spring. We would be willing to drive around central New England/eastern NY to make this work.
Nice to meet y'all! I look forward to learning from your wisdom.
We are glad you joined our flock!
Welcome to BYC!
