Ordering different breeds (pullets) online..? Any advice

[arabbie1]

Alexandrea33 & Mymilliefleur are spot on. I ordered from Meyer Hatchery & have been very pleased.
I ordered 8 chicks all different breeds, although mine arn't old enough yet to lay eggs, I have truly enjoyed each of them.
What ever you decide, enjoy them. Watching them sort things out, learn new things or the interaction between hens is entertaining.

 

[Alexandra33]

@Jlbern21 , Avalon has proved herself to be a fabulous layer. I have gotten countless beautiful little eggs within the last 2 weeks or so, and she's a great broody mommy whose instinct is to protect her "babies."

-Alex

 

[Jlbern21]

Wonderful! I will keep that on my list! I am so excited to add to my flock! I bought chickens last year without much research and took what our local TSC had which ended up being GLW, while they are beautiful I would like to add some variety... and hopefully I get a few more that will lay in the coop. My 4 year old eats 4 poached eggs for breakfast (along with sausage and toast at 37lbs!) and my 18 month old is following suit.. I need more eggs!! LOL!

 

[Alexandra33]

Wonderful! I will keep that on my list! I am so excited to add to my flock! I bought chickens last year without much research and took what our local TSC had which ended up being GLW, while they are beautiful I would like to add some variety... and hopefully I get a few more that will lay in the coop. My 4 year old eats 4 poached eggs for breakfast (along with sausage and toast at 37lbs!) and my 18 month old is following suit.. I need more eggs!! LOL!

I completely sympathize with you on the whole "variety" thing! GLWs are definitely stunning, but a large number of anything can tend to create a look that's a little too uniform for my tastes.

About needing more eggs, that used to be a common occurrence in our household. With two little brothers, one being a 2-year-old, and the other 3 months, only a boatload would be enough to feed everyone!

Thankfully, I get around 20 eggs a day with 11 more who haven't started to lay yet, so we have both enough to eat ourselves and to share with friends and relatives.

-Alex

 

[sophiaw00]

I ordered from My Pet Chicken, which actually is more of a middle man and gets their birds from Meyer. I completely agree that MPC or Meyer are great places to order birds. I have gotten ten from MPC and all of them were the correct breed and gender I wanted. They all came alive and healthy. Now at over 30 weeks, they are all friendly, healthy, happy, and lay beautiful eggs.

 

[Jlbern21]

What beautiful eggs sophiaw00! That is my dream someday....!

If I can get my girls to lay in their coop!!! They haven't been flying out of the pen, but I haven't had any eggs at all lately either (1 or 2 a day), so I am assuming the colder weather must be the cause. I have also introduced 4 red-stars to my flock (total of 12 birds now) that somebody needed to get rid of. Hoping once the dust settles I'll be the collector of nice dark eggs! (Have only had 3 since Thursday from the new girls 1 1/2 yrs old) Hoping to add EE's and a white leghorn to my flock this spring!! We added 4 more nesting boxes on top of the 4 we had hoping for some luck. It seems they all want the same box, so maybe that adds to the problem..? I guess I will find out!

 

[sophiaw00]

I recently rescued two red sex links (very similar if not the same thing as red stars) and one of them lays the biggest eggs I have seen so far!

 

[Jlbern21]

Well, I officially put my first online order for chickens in today through my pet chicken! I shortened my list quite a bit since I have recently gained 4 red stars to my flock from someone... I only have light brown egg layers and the red stars are a bit darker. I will have 2 white leghorns, 2 easter eggers, 1 speckled sussex and a barred rock coming in April!

 

[Alexandra33]

Congratulations! I have had all those breeds except White Leghorns, and I just know that you will love your birds. My personal favorite would without a doubt be Barred Rocks.....such a fun, interactive, lovable breed!

-Alex

 

[Jlbern21]

Any of you now have advice on mites?!? Ughhhhhhh!! Went to get an egg out of the nesting box and it had mites crawling on it! I think I'm going to die!