Splitting a hatchery order?

[dekel18042]

Last fall I made up an order for ten chicks, several breeds, to arrive in the spring. Unfortunetly one breed wanted wasn't available until July so I split my order into two. Six to arrive in April. 4 in July (four was the minimum order they would ship.)
Now I'm wondering for the sake of integrating into my existing flock would it be easier to have one order in April and the second in July? If combining I would probably have to make substitutions on at least one July breed. Just wondering how difficult combining with my existing flock will be.
I couldn't combine for a July shipping order because many of the April birds are sold out for the year.
I'm in a quandry over what to do. Leave as two orders or combine for one April shipping?
Any advice?

If this comes through twice I apologize. I was distracted while writing the first time, made a glitch, and not sure if I sent it.

 

[Alaskan]

Yes, it might be a bit more trouble but getting the breeds you want would be worth it.

Also, having four at a time is a big enough group that it won't be horrid when you integrate them.

So, what breeds did you pick?

 

[dekel18042]

April order:
3 Easter eggers
1 silver cuckoo marans
1 blue splash marans
1 welsummer

July Order:
2 Ameraucana (supposed to lay a blue egg as compared to the EE's probable greenish egg. They're the ones I really wanted)
1 Black copper marans
1 Buckeye
Can you tell my goal is a colorful egg basket and I want to try for olive eggers?
Hey, I hear Alaska is getting warmer weather than we are this year?????

 

[Alaskan]

Yep, no snow right now (we had snow, it all melted)

I should have two to four feet of snow.

My temps are getting cold again though, it looks like winter might show up.

That is a great choice of breeds!

You really need one white egg layer in there to brighten up the colors of the other eggs. (I am a chicken math enabler! )

 

[dekel18042]

Wish I could send you some of ours. We 're getting freezing slush and drizzle over the foot of snow we got yesterday.
hmmm, I have thought of getting one of the new austra whites.

Your recommendations on white egg layers?
You and my husband as far as enabling. He got me an incubator for Christmas. I wanted to wait til spring and he encouraged me to set some eggs I had. I now have nine peeps broodering in the sunroom until they can go out.
What kind of chickens do you have? How do they like the cold weather?

 

[Alaskan]

There are some wonderful white egg layers out there, just depends on what you want, and what characteristics are most important to you :

Cold hardy
Tiny combs so no frostbite
High production
Historical
Specific color or pattern
Cuddly
Gentle roosters
Egg size


All of my chickens were a panic order last spring..... So I didn't get anything super exciting. This year I am focusing on 1. Oodles of eggs, 2. Nothing that can get frostbite 3. Historical and 4. Colors I like / I gotta think it is pretty

I am going to get Golden Pencilled Hamburgs, Dominiques, Wheaten Ameraucana, and may e Rose Comb Brown Leghorns. I do have some French Black Copper Marans right now that I think I will keep. But I don't really like my rooster and that comb = frostbite!


To tempt you to get a white egg layer, since you like blue, what about Blue Andalusians? They are gorgeous! They can be blue with lovely lacing, and they lay white eggs.

 

[aart]

April order:
3 Easter eggers
1 silver cuckoo marans
1 blue splash marans
1 welsummer

July Order:
2 Ameraucana (supposed to lay a blue egg as compared to the EE's probable greenish egg. They're the ones I really wanted)
1 Black copper marans
1 Buckeye
Can you tell my goal is a colorful egg basket and I want to try for olive eggers?
Hey, I hear Alaska is getting warmer weather than we are this year?????

Where are you ordering real Ameraucana and BCM's from?