what do I do?

[pixiedouglas]

I'm so sorry this is your first experience with chickens! It was very sweet of hubby to get you some chicks, I'm only sorry whoever he got them from didn't think to make sure he knew he was getting meat birds. It could have saved you all a lot of heartache if they'd simply said "did you want laying hens or meat birds"...

I know it's got to be painful, but I would follow the advice you've been given. It might help if you picked up your new chicks first so you have something to distract you when you sell or give away the others. I don't know if you have an option like this, but my local small scale zoo accepts extra rooster donations. You can take the rooster in and then they give your kids a tour to see the animals and you leave. Your kids don't have to know he's being culled to feed the tigers and the zoo tour distracts them from giving him away. If you could do something like that maybe you would feel a little better about it knowing that it was helping to feed another animal.

I did a lot of research on breeds before we got our chicks this spring so I can share my opinion, hopefully it helps. If you want sweet girls from a breed that will lay well for you I can tell you what my experience has been. My three sweetest girls are one of my red sex-links, one of my Buff Orpingtons, and one of my Delawares. I also have a pretty cute Barred Rock, but she doesn't tolerate petting as much as the other three. All of my girls follow me around though, once they know who the treat lady is they'll follow you! Easter Eggers (usually sold as Americauna) are also really fun if you have kids because they love to get the green eggs. My daughter and the little girl next door chat like little old ladies about their birds over the fence. Our girls don't lay yet, so when the neighbor collects her eggs she comes and shows them to my daughter and they were all excited yesterday about GREEN eggs!

If you have a local farm supply or feed store that's got chicks in go get some new babies! I would recommend any sex-linked breed to be honest, so you don't have to go through giving away your babies again. Black sex links and California Whites are also good birds. I have a CA White and she's a crack up, doesn't tolerate being held or petted like some of my other girls, but she follows me and talks to me. She's the first to fly, escape, and explore. If you decide on any breeds that aren't sex-linked make sure you ask for SEXED pullets, they are supposed to be 90% accurate as having been sexed as hens so it won't eliminate any chance of rooster, but it sure reduces it a lot more than buying straight run. If you buy any chicks that are listed as 'straight run' that means they haven't been sexed and you have as much chance of rooster as hen.

Good luck with your new babies!

 

[CMV]

I love my Jersey Giants. Great, friendly birds. Sex links are also great overall- lay like clockwork, friendly and tolerate confinement well. Barred rocks and Orpingtons are lovely, but not as friendly as the first two I mentioned. Wyandottes are a good choice for dependable laying and decent temperament, but they are a little stand-offish. EEs are a hoot and lay beautiful eggs, but a bit on the flighty side. I wouldn't recommend Rhode Island Reds. They can be a bit of a challenge behaviorally. I had a handful of them, but have since culled about half for behavior issues. The rest of the RIRs are good, but I wouldn't be able to recommend them as a breed because of the problems I've had with the others. I also just culled my neighbor's entire flock of RIRs for the same behavior problems, so I think the problems were not just related to my flock and my situation.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[schellie69]

So sorry this happened. I have a mixed flock I have orphingtons Barred rocks EE's red/black sex links and austrolorps I love all of them they each have their own personality. Right now most feed stores are having chick days. I would visit and see what they have. That way you can get an idea of what you might want. Good luck.