WANTED: Laying hens/or started pullets

[SLHoutz56841]

Hi All, We are trying to find some new laying hens and/or started pullets ... we would prefer sex-linked varieties as they seem to be hardy layers ... but are open to other brown egg layers other than Rhode Island Reds ... we had bad experience with them once ... found them to be a little overly aggressive ... we live in Central Pennsylvania and could drive to pick up ... if no one has what we need does anyone know where I could purchase some (mail order)? I have tried seaching hatcheries and most of them only sell peeps and we are not set up to care for peeps ...

Thanks so much!

Sandra Houtz
[email protected]

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

this is a comment about Rhode Island reds, if the reds you had where hatchery stock that could be why they where nasty, I've got 'real' RIR's and they are very friendly, so you might not want to give up on them. where they came from can make a difference.

 

[rubyrogue]

mcmurrays has started red sexlinks available now, limited quantities also white leghorns
http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/red_started_pullets.html

 

[SLHoutz56841]

Thanks for the link to Murry McMurry ... I will check them out next ... as for the RIR ... they were from an Amish farm ... they sat (or one hen sat) a nest and the other hens killed the peeps ... it was nasty ... we have a hen now with 3 peeps and the rest of the chickens are penned out ... we want to wait until the peeps are bigger as we don't want a repeat of the last time ... it was awful to watch ... I really didn't think the other hens would go after peeps ... but I do know they have a pecking order to maintain ...

 

[SLHoutz56841]

Just checked out MuMcMurry ... too expensive for us ... at $12.95 per bird and $230 in shipping costs ... OUCH ...

 

[rubyrogue]

Yea thats why i didnt go that route. check eggbid too but again you will have shipping. also post wanted ads at your local livestock stores thats what i did and i ended up getting 28 layers

 

[Cynthia12]

Quote:
Ahh, come on out to Utah..I have several pullets..even black sex links, and yes they are great layers..so are the Australorp if you are looking for a great egg layer. J/K about coming out, unless you really want to.

 

[SLHoutz56841]

Thanks for the suggestion on eggbid ... I had never heard of them ... I'll check it out ... thanks

 

[Straubby]

not sure how far you are from ohio but there are at least 2 auctions a month here in my area where you can buy just about anything you want. one near lima the second weekend of the month one in degraff the first weekend each month. average is probably between $2-$4 a bird for hens.sometimes as little a a buck.

 

[fowlmamma]

i go to middleburg livestock auction you can definitly get what your looking for there. its on tuesday at noon and they have farmers market and flea market i go every other tues its about 2 hours away from me and its so much fun. i dont buy birds but i buy all the fertile eggs up and cages.