Tiny flock selection

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Thank you for all the help. If there is not a great threat of bullying, I think I would like to get 4 different breeds (of the same general size as a RIR), that maybe lay different colored eggs so I can tell who is laying, and who is not. I will definitely get a Rhode Island Red. So do the Orpingtons and Austrlorps lay brown eggs the exact same color as the RIR's? Even if there is only a slight variation in egg color, that would be ok. Any other suggestions would be very much appreciated.

I am doing my research this time and I am going to get it right. In early spring of this year I purchased 5 chicks from a local breeder, hoping to get 3 hens. I ended up with 4 roosters and one hen. My small town does not allow me to have roosters, so I had to get rid of them. I gave the hen away to a sweet family that lost their favorite hen to a fox just the night before. Their little boys were devastated, but happy to have a replacement that looked exactly like her (so at least the hen had a happy ending.)

I absolutely loved having those baby chicks in the house to play with and hold every day until they were old enough to go outside to the coop, but I do not want roosters next year. Can you purchase chicks that are sure to be hens, or is it always a crapshoot? I have heard of somewhere that you can order them thru the mail, but is that safe?

I am so glad I joined this forum. I just know you guys will give me good advice and set me on the right path.

Thanks in advance!
 
It is always nice to have different breeds in your flock. If you add to your flock later, always introduce new birds slowly from a cage or behind a fenced off area but within the flock at all times. You can't just throw new birds into an existing flock without utter chaos. So keep the new birds separated but in view of the flock for 3 to 4 weeks. Everybody sees, nobody touches. After a month you can mix them in. Always watch them closely for a few weeks to make sure nobody is bullying the others and always intervene if it turns bloody. And add more food and water stations as the original flock can guard these areas and starve out the new birds.

Some feed stores will sell pullets only. And some sell them as "straight runs". The latter will have roosters. My feed store only carries pullets and if they are coming from a reliable hatchery, the chick sexers are usually pretty darn good and sexing them to be pullets only. I have never ordered through the mail, however many many people here on BYC have. You can order pullets only. Just make sure to order them well after your winter is long past as chicks can die from exposure on the road in the cold. Order enough so that they can keep each other warm and of course should one or two of them not make the journey, you will still have enough chicks. So don't be afraid to order then through the mail if your feed store doesn't sell pullets only.

Here is a page from our archives on the different hatcheries and others experiences with them. You can read through some of these threads...https://www.backyardchickens.com/newsearch?search=best+hatcheries

My feed store orders from Privett Hatchery here in New Mexico and my chicks have always be very happy and healthy birds. The feed store says that they are a very good hatchery to order from and deal with.

Good luck!
 
I think it's good to have a variety of breeds. You may find out the breed you wanted most is difficult to live with. While one at the bottom of your list may turn out to be your favorite breed. If you buy pullets, you wouldn't have much trouble selling ones you don't want to someone who does. Welcome to Backyard chickens.
 
Thanks for all the great suggestions and for welcoming me to byc. As winter drolls on, I am getting more and more anxious for spring to come and to re-start my flock. I live in the Wichita, KS area and I am looking for someone who will ship me only 4 chicks. Most of the websites I have visited have a large shipping limit. I won't ship them until spring. Is there anyone who does this? I am only allowed to have 4 hens per my city ordinance.

Thanks!
 
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dana hanson said:
Thanks for all the great suggestions and for welcoming me to byc. As winter drolls on, I am getting more and more anxious for spring to come and to re-start my flock. I live in the Wichita, KS area and I am looking for someone who will ship me only 4 chicks. Most of the websites I have visited have a large shipping limit. I won't ship them until spring. Is there anyone who does this? I am only allowed to have 4 hens per my city ordinance.

Thanks!
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Mypetchicken sells as few as 3, I think the minimum depends on your zip code. Here is the web address if you want to check them out:
http://www.mypetchicken.com/
There are probably other places that do that too, that's just the one I know about (but haven't ever ordered from them). Have you tried googling breeders in the Wichita area? Also, some feed stores will order chicks for you when they place their order.
 
Welcome to the BYC coop!There's a lot of good peeps here to help you out. I have found that it's easier and less stressful to raise them up together. Instead of add them in later. My first girls had it in for my new girls from the start. The silkie boys didn't have a prayer. They were so vastly different patterned or feathered. If you want different species that are feathered and patterned. Raise them up together as chicks. Chickens tend to pick at what the don't know. That's why my silkie boys are now in door chickens or they would be bald chickens. That's just my humble opinion.
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Good luck!
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