New Mexico

[Bigfish502]

@Sassy13 welcome. I bought 25 Cream Legbar chicks from Privett Hatchery and have been fairly pleased (no deformities to speak of). I have a few Cockerels left over if you are interested.

 

[Peep_Show]

Hi there, Sassy13!

Once the Covid stuff recedes a bit, the poultry swaps will resume (although I think the one out in Edgewood does pop-ups). There are two that I know of: Edgewood and Belen, and then the occasional one at Millers Feed. If you're on FB, there's a New Mexico Poultry Swap page that lists all the birds, goats, pigs, etc., that folks have for sale.

I hatch out in Corrales. My Easter hatch sold out, but I have 28 eggs of Black Copper Marans and Olive Eggers scheduled for 5/24.

Hatchery birds are, well, hatchery birds. The gene pool there is pretty inbred, so a higher risk of deformities. I've heard both good and bad about Privett, who happens to supply most of the local feed stores with their chicks.

There's lots of good coop ideas (in fact, hundreds of examples) on one of the BYC pages that deals with coops. It's divided into Small, Medium and Large sizes...most all are homemade.

Welcome to the world of chicken raising! You'll learn about chicken TV and chicken math. BYC is full of enablers!

 

[Bigfish502]

@Sassy13 if you're looking for a good local store to buy quality chicks I'd look into ordering through Quality Baits & Pond Fish. The owner there is willing to do small orders (something you can't do at large hatcheries) as long as he's able to slip them in with one of his regular shipments from a hatchery he speaks very highly of but won't tell anyone the name of. Might be too late to order this season (most feed stores have quit ordering chicks by now) but for next season hit him up.

 

[CSAchook]

@Sassy13 if you're looking for a good local store to buy quality chicks I'd look into ordering through Quality Baits & Pond Fish. The owner there is willing to do small orders (something you can't do at large hatcheries) as long as he's able to slip them in with one of his regular shipments from a hatchery he speaks very highly of but won't tell anyone the name of. Might be too late to order this season (most feed stores have quit ordering chicks by now) but for next season hit him up.

I second the recommendation on Quality Bates. Don't let the name fool you! They sell all manner of stuff including eggs, chicks, ducklings, and I believe some older birds as well. And they are FAR MORE knowledgeable than folks at a big box feed store like TSC. They take great care of their birds. They are located in the South Valley.

 

[Sadness Child]

If you have a garden you can look at the "Chicken Moat" I live in Los Ranchos and I only experienced Coyotes and Hawks only the Coyotes were ever successful and have gone through 10 of my chickens and I had to restart my flock

 

[Bigfish502]

Bird netting can also help protect crops from hungry chickens. If the crops are planted in decently high raised beds and the birds are on the heavier side you could also clip their wings (doesn't work all the time but some times it has successfully kept my girls out of the raised beds).

 

[Bigfish502]

Hey so while I'm at it I have 2 cream Legbar Cockerels I need gone in the next few weeks if anyone around the Albuquerque would like to buy 1 (currently selling at $20 but willing to go lower). They are just beginning to shows signs of typical rooster behavior.

 

[Alyssa-Bee]

Bigfish502, we are in that same
situation Lol! I think we have a 5 week old Blue laced red wyandotte roo and EE that we will probably have to rehome (unless we can convince our neighbors!) I'm also around abq.
I hope we both get good luck!

 

[Sassy13]

Thank you the suggestions. I will definitely look into them. We are still in the process of building our coop. We would like the coop ready to go before we decide on the chickens.
I did join NM Poultry Swaps and I have been doing of a lot of late night ready!

 

[Sassy13]

If you have a garden you can look at the "Chicken Moat" I live in Los Ranchos and I only experienced Coyotes and Hawks only the Coyotes were ever successful and have gone through 10 of my chickens and I had to restart my flock

Yes we do have a garden. I spoke today to one of my neighbors in north valley who lost all her chickens to coyotes. So definitely going to make my run predator safe.