never order form a hatchery before advice please

[ninny]

how does rirs, wyandotte,rocks, sound?

 

[Mrs MIA]

Those are all good layers. The number of eggs you get is dependent on weather, light, feed, and most of all, the hens themselves. I have 18 hens, and I only get 7-8 eggs a day, but our days are still sort of short and it's still cold. I can tell you right now that the ones that ARE laying are the RIR, the black Australorp, the barred rocks and the white leghorns. I even got a silkie egg yesterday.

I would start with fresh pullets, and add as you need to. For best egg production, you may want to think about new birds every 2-3 years, because their production drops off after a few years. Otherwise, just keep adding new birds. Or adopt out the older ones.
Good luck!

 

[ninny]

wish my silkies would get going on the egg business.

my problem is that since im free ranging i need patterns so they dont get eaten as much.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
You do know that Silkies (bantams) lay eggs about half the size of storebought eggs, right?

Our boys like them, because they're "their size", but I'm guessing most people won't buy them for eating.

 

[ole-crone]

I have all sorts of chickens. I've noticed the following with ours:
Sex links - doesn't matter what kind - most likely to nip at me when I'm gathering eggs.
Rhode Island Reds/New Hampshire Reds - most likely to be the guilty party whenever I find eggs with holes in them or eaten eggs. They even attack the basket as I walk to the house.

Now, as for ordering from a hatchery.... I decided to put in another order this past weekend and was disappointed at the varieties available almost anywhere. I have a feeling that heads rolled at MM - they don't have all the breeds offered as in the past - just look at that availability chart!

I decided to wait a while to see if things get back to normal in a few weeks. I've ordered when the pickings were slim before (from Ideal) and I'm still not happy with the results. Seems like when the hatchery has more for them to choose from, you get better looking chicks and not just what they had handy.

 

[LeeLeesFarm]

__________


My Pet Chicken has a minimum of just THREE chicks ... they say they have a new system to keep them warm, which allows small quantities to be shipped. And they will also sell just girls or just boys.

Their LINK:
http://www.mypetchicken.com/



I've never ordered from them, so can't give a "thumbs up" ......


Lee

___________

 

[plfreitag]

Quote:
I ordered from Cackle and had to wait a couple weeks but got what I wanted with no problem. We're driving to get them tomorrow, in rotten weather, when we could have had them shipped, for just one reason....outside of work, hubby wouldn't ever leave this place unless he had to. I need to get out and looking at something besides the 4 and a floor.

Trisha in MO

 

[hungryhensfarm]

I love Ideal Poultry. They are out of Cameron, Texas but they ship. My chicks arrived a week and a half ago. All 12 arrived alive and healthy. They are progressing wonderfully.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I have had great success with Meyer Hatchery.

Ideal was all right but some of my stock from them never grew up to be big birds while others in the same shipment did really well. Happened several times so I won't use them again.

Welp is pretty good but recently messed up an order pretty badly by changing the ship dates on me so it is going to take 2 months longer to get my order filled.

I will never, ever order from Xtreme Hatchery again. Half of my order turned out to be roos when I ordered all pullets and they didn't make it right. Then a lot got sick and died. Worse place ever I have ordered from. I seldom have chicks die like that.

My Pet Chicken was okay but not great. The chicks have not grown much and the ones I hatched at the same time from my (same breed) flock are out growing them like crazy. I lost 3 MPC and none of my hatched chicks.

Support a breeder. Buy local!

 

[TipsyDog]

I just ordered from Meyers. I am very happy so far. They have a small order program with a minimum of 3. When I called on Monday (5/18) they had leghorns, Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks and many others available to ship.

My chicks came the next day and were kept warm with a heating pad. They look great so far!