OHio ~ Come on Buckeyes, let me know your out there!

[Nkgates]

Looked them up last night. Sounds like my best bet. Online, they only advertise pricing for a minimum 15 hens. Surely I can go there and get 4...
Any downside or common problems with Rhode Island Reds? That what I've been looking at, or maybe Leghorns. I've got little kids and large seasonal
Temperature swings. Those are my two main concerns.

 

[daniellea2912]

Looked them up last night. Sounds like my best bet. Online, they only advertise pricing for a minimum 15 hens. Surely I can go there and get 4...
Any downside or common problems with Rhode Island Reds? That what I've been looking at, or maybe Leghorns. I've got little kids and large seasonal
Temperature swings. Those are my two main concerns.

I picked up from them last year, to place a pick up order you can't do it online- you have to call them. I believe the minimum order was 6, but I can't remember for sure. I had great luck with them, all 10 chicks I got were happy and healthy

 

[loveourbirds]

Looked them up last night. Sounds like my best bet. Online, they only advertise pricing for a minimum 15 hens. Surely I can go there and get 4...
Any downside or common problems with Rhode Island Reds? That what I've been looking at, or maybe Leghorns. I've got little kids and large seasonal
Temperature swings. Those are my two main concerns.

rhode island reds (heritage) are a little territorial. when you buy from pretty much any hatchery they arent real rhode island reds, but production reds (crosses of rhode island and new hampshire). just guessing in about 4 out of 10 cases the roosters will be aggressive towards other breeds, hens will be not as agressive - but sometimes ornery picking on other breeds - especially feather legged breeds.

leghorns are usually great layers with one of the best feed to egg ratios, they are typically flighty and one of the more noisy breeds in the coop.

both breeds are available as rose combs and straight combs, rose combs do better in Ohio climates.

with any breed of chickens, roosters can be aggressive. if you're planning on breeding i would get 4 or 5 roosters and select the best rooster with the best attitude.

 

[Nkgates]

Good to know. I am only looking for hens at this time. I'm really not set on those or
Any breed in particular. Those two just jumped out at me as possibilities.

A small amount of noise is no issue. I do have neighbors, but we're not piled on top
Of each other.

You say a cross of Rhode Island and New Hampshire.. Would straight New Hampshire Reds
Be a better route to take? I like the feed:egg ratio you mentioned with the Leghorn, too.

 

[ShayBaby]

Yep sure did! Looks like we got about the same breeds. I had two polish that were doa. Very sad, husband said why do the cutest ones always die. I think he likes the chicks. Lol. I'm not good at guessing breeds, so I guess time will tell.

I made a Rubbermaid tote into a brooder, works pretty well. I clip the light to the side of the tote. I don't use the 250 watt heat bulbs. I use 100 watt regular bulb and the chicks are kept in a spare bedroom until they are feathered out enough to go outside.

Little late here, but glad the rest of them made it safely! DH is right..it's always the cutest or favorites I swear.. Hopefully you got at least credit for the little polish.
The big totes are what I've always used for brooders, too. Cheap and easy.

 

[loveourbirds]

again im going by heritage birds, not the mixes that most hatcheries offer. rhode island reds are darker in color, typically smaller framed and a little better feed to egg ratio than the new hampshiers. overall yearly egg production is only different by 20 or so eggs, not that much of a difference at all. with the larger size of the new hampshiers they are usually lazier and dont fly as well. i have never seen a new hampshier red in a rosecomb- but they could exist?

maybe this is the best way to start, these breeds are known for aggressive roosters:
anything from gamefowl lines, rhode island reds, marans, wyandottes, easter eggers (depending on cross), olive eggers, orloffs, full blooded cornish (occasionally), and my buckeye roosters seem to be aggressive, but it could be the breeding.

docile breeds: cochins, silkies (not good layers), brahmas, plymouth rocks can go either way.

as a rule of thumb anything listed as a "broody breed" will usually be docile with exception of games. the smaller the breed, usually the more aggressive the roosters.

i keep listing games as aggressive, i love old english game bantams; for a chicken to be handled they are excellent if you start young. if you are going to keep 2 roosters together in old english you will have to raise them together. putting two adult roosters in a cage together will end in disaster.

 

[loveourbirds]

Quote: Little late here, but glad the rest of them made it safely! DH is right..it's always the cutest or favorites I swear.. Hopefully you got at least credit for the little polish.
The big totes are what I've always used for brooders, too. Cheap and easy.
i wanted to point out to you guys that polish, silkies, and brahmas are my worst "picked on" breeds. i put standard brahmas in with bantams and the bantams still killed them. silkies with extruded skull can be quite a challenge to raise, once pecked on the head they usually dont recover fully. i think all the other chickens are jealous of the polish "hair do", if you put them in a coop with other breeds, it seems like they always end up bald.

 

[Della D]

Little late here, but glad the rest of them made it safely! DH is right..it's always the cutest or favorites I swear.. Hopefully you got at least credit for the little polish.
The big totes are what I've always used for brooders, too. Cheap and easy.

Never asked for a credit. I ordered 26 and received 28 so I figure we are even. I've never had polish before so was kinda disappointed when neither one made it.

 

[big medicine]

i wanted to point out to you guys that polish, silkies, and brahmas are my worst "picked on" breeds. i put standard brahmas in with bantams and the bantams still killed them. silkies with extruded skull can be quite a challenge to raise, once pecked on the head they usually dont recover fully. i think all the other chickens are jealous of the polish "hair do", if you put them in a coop with other breeds, it seems like they always end up bald.

The moral of this story, to my way of thinking, is stick with the gentle giants, Brahmas, steer clear of these aggressive, troublesome breeds, and life is good.

 

[loveourbirds]

Quote: i did get approval to sell chicks, as long as they are hatched in the incubator. i do still have one pair of standard white crested blue polish, and should have a few chicks from them in mid to late spring if your still searching.