Need help ordering chicks.

[chickenboy95]

Ok everyone I was wondering if you all could help me. I am planning on buying chicks from Meyer Hatchery and I don't know what I should get. I want to bring my order to 40 chicks. I would like chickens with good personalitys, good laying, and broodiness. I want these to be standards. For the bantams I would like to get very light breeds that can fly well to escape from predators.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

- Cole

 

[cdeans]

For laying I really like the Red Stars, Black Stars, RIR, and Barred Rocks.. they are all Brown egg layers. If you like white eggs the Pearl-White LegHorns are good.

 

[Judymae]

My favorite standard is the speckled sussex. They are really sweet. Lay good too. I'm not sure about the banty that would be good for you. I like silkies but don't know how well they could fly from predators. My silkies are kinda "dumb" and not scared of anything!!!

 

[chickenboy95]

ok thanks. i was thinking about Red Stars, Black Stars, and RIR's to and for the bantams i was looking though my catalog..i thought that the sebrights, japanese, and oeg looked fairly light and could fly well. what do you think??

 

[cdeans]

I have not had either breed, but just google the breeds and it should give you a lot of info on them. Learn as much as you can before they get there.

 

[Mahonri]

OK... here would be my order of 40 from Meyer. (All pullets, excluding the straight run bantams)

2 Light Brown Leghorns
2 White Leghorns
4 Blue Andalusians
2 Easter Eggers
2 Salmon Faverolles
2 Wellsumers
2 Buff Orpintons
2 Delawares
2 Golden Buffs (Meyer's Red Sex Link)
2 Speckled Sussex
2 Black Stars
2 White Rocks
2 Barred Rocks
2 Silver Laced Wyandottes
2 Golden Laced Wyandottes
2 Rhode Island Reds
2 Black Jersey Giants
4 Old English Creole Bantams

Remember, variety is the spice of life.

 

[chickenboy95]

i like that that sounds like a nice variety

 

[cdeans]

Yeah its a good mix. Good Luck!

 

[Daycare Mom]

Quote:
What a beautiful flock that would be running around my yard! I can't order chicks, but if I could that would be an awesome order!

 

[TexasVet]

I had Seabrights and Black-tailed white Japanese, and didn't like either of them. The roosters are meaner than heck and attacked me every time I entered the pen. They're pretty birds, but a real pain to deal with.

The Old English are great. Best setters I've ever had, and great personalities. My last OE hatched three batches of chicks in one year and probably would have hatched a fourth if a coon hadn't gotten to her. Haven't had an OE roo, so can't comment on them.

In addition to some of the other birds recommended, I'd add a couple of Brahmas. I've been very pleased with mine, and they lay a nice sized brown egg.

Kathy in Texas