What is Your DREAM Flock? (And What's Realistic?)

[feathermaid]

My dream flock would need to come with a dream coop and runs. There's never enough space for everything I want. I pretty much have MOST of what I want now -- with the addition of 8 chicks this spring. I have already priced all the materials for the new coop I need to build ASAP; there are some small temporary spaces available that I use as infirmaries and quarantine spots. No one will be homeless while construction is under way.

My flock includes Buff Orpington, Salmon Faverolles, Iowa Blues, Sapphire Gems, Cochin Bantams (including a red frizzle), Blue-laced Red Wyandotte and the new girls. I would still like someone who lays blue -- perhaps one of my Easter Egger chicks will do so.

The other chicks are Buckeyes, a Welsummer, a Midnight Majesty Maran and the Speckled Sussex you've mentioned. The Sussex has been on my list for a couple of years.

As far as the Buttercup, one of my first hens was a Sicilian Buttercup -- her eggs weren't very big, but she was a gorgeous bird. Flighty, though. Also, she was smaller than the others and was at the bottom of the pecking order.

I NEED to quit reading about different breeds AND avoid the local farm store. Which will make it hard to buy feed ...

Where have I been?! I wish I saw this earlier!!!!

Yes, never enough space!!! That's awesome you're building a new coop... you should write an article and post it in the Article Contest they have going now.

So, you have Iowa Blues! That's a breed that has recently sparked my interest, maybe because I was born in Iowa (we moved away when I was 7 though). You must tell me more about those chickens. My feed store had a few in the tank the other day but they were all black. I thought they should have been chestnut or smokey colored? I know the original stock had lots of pretty lacing (penciling?) but most became infertile and the breed nearly died out. I just feel like if I were to get an Iowa blue I should participate in breeding since they're so rare, but I can't have roos. I love the light-colored feather patterns, but all black doesn't seem as pretty... there's so many other breeds of black chickens.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Buttercup. Sounds like you're building a beautiful flock! Have you considered Crested Cream Legbar for the blue egg layer? I just found out my local store just got in Color Packs, which is Cream legbar x copper marans. But I don't know how I feel about having so many hybrid varieties.

I'm not getting any work done around here, baby chickies are distracting!!

 

[feathermaid]

If you're looking for lacing, maybe a barnevelder. I think they are so pretty. I finally ordered a couple (hatchery stock) that'll be here in August. I'm with ya, love a pretty egg basket

Yes! They're on my list for sure! I've never seen any available nearby BUT, I was talking to my favorite gal at the feed store (who is extremely helpful and knowledgable UNLIKE MOST EMPLOYEES) and she suggested if there was something I was interested in, she could just ask the hatchery to add some "extras" for that week, or even make a request in advance. Something for me to keep in mind for next year, I think they're sold out for the season.

 

[Awtdaniel05]

Orpingtons ,sebrights , double silver laced barnvelders, all the brahmas, seramas, de,uccle bantams

 

[BantyChooks]

Tough one. There are many different flock configurations I could be equally happy with.
I guess I would like LF Partridge Chanteclers, LF Silver Ameraucanas, bantam Buff Chanteclers, and bantam White Ameraucanas. Something with OEGBs and Sumatras wouldn't be turned down either, or specializing in only the Buff Chanteclers, nothing else.

It could be realistic, but I currently have birds of other breeds I am unwilling to give up, and I need to produce enough eggs to pay the feed bill. The current (and most logical configuration) is mainly White Leghorns, with a few LF Ameraucanas and Chanteclers, and Buff Chantecler bantams for breeding to the Standard. I also have mutt bantams I am breeding purely for fun. They fit no breed standard but are tough and practical. I have ducks and quail as well, peafowl coming soon.

If I got more of my land cleared, I would have enough space for more coops.

 

[feathermaid]

About a few cayuga, kc, and ancona added to my flock. Definitely woodducks and maybe 2 mallards, and 2 roens. Some geese. And a pond with a stream for them. And NO MORE predators! hey, I'm allowed to dream, right?

I would LOVE to be able to have ducks someday. Have to wait til we move to the country again. I was thinking about Khaki Campbells as they seem to be the best layers. Though again, it would be nice to also have some runners (adorable and hilarious)... and Welsh Harlequinn, Cayuga and Swedish (so gorgeous)... rouens, pekins... and it never ends. Yes, a pond, a stream, no predators and a free servant to help me take care of my 100 birds!

 

[MinniesMomma]

Where have I been?! I wish I saw this earlier!!!!

Yes, never enough space!!! That's awesome you're building a new coop... you should write an article and post it in the Article Contest they have going now.

So, you have Iowa Blues! That's a breed that has recently sparked my interest, maybe because I was born in Iowa (we moved away when I was 7 though). You must tell me more about those chickens. My feed store had a few in the tank the other day but they were all black. I thought they should have been chestnut or smokey colored? I know the original stock had lots of pretty lacing (penciling?) but most became infertile and the breed nearly died out. I just feel like if I were to get an Iowa blue I should participate in breeding since they're so rare, but I can't have roos. I love the light-colored feather patterns, but all black doesn't seem as pretty... there's so many other breeds of black chickens.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Buttercup. Sounds like you're building a beautiful flock! Have you considered Crested Cream Legbar for the blue egg layer? I just found out my local store just got in Color Packs, which is Cream legbar x copper marans. But I don't know how I feel about having so many hybrid varieties.

I'm not getting any work done around here, baby chickies are distracting!!

I have five Iowa blue chicks right now and they all started out black! They are developing lighter feathers around their neck area already. I think that's just how they start out and when they molt the new feathers are the blue gray color.

 

[Callender Girl]

When we got our Iowa Blues, I was hoping for some of the lovely penciled birds; the breeders instead sold us a trio in which the hens were mostly black with a little bit of pretty coloring. The rooster, on the other hand, is BEAUTIFUL -- a fair amount of penciling on his chest, shiny green-black tail feathers and his front end features silvery white feathers, with some black and white laced ones.

Disposition-wise, they are the most standoffish of my chickens. Sir Henry the Loud was acquired as an adult; the two current girls are his daughters, so I won't let any babies come out of that group. The two original hens died last year, one from a tumor (mother of the two girls; she only hatched two of her six eggs) and one from a buffalo gnat invasion here in Iowa. They also weren't terribly friendly. BUT, I do feel good about having an Iowa breed here. And, they are decent egg layers.

Trust me, the coop I am going to build won't be article or photo worthy! I am not a carpenter by any means. And, I'm stealing the basic design from the book "Reinventing the Chicken Coop." If having to build another coop doesn't deter me from getting more birds, I don't know what will!!!

I have considered a Crested Cream Legbar; I haven't heard of the Color Packs, but like you, I already feel a bit guilty about having too many hybrids.

Where in Iowa were you originally from? I am truly a southern Iowa girl, stuck here in the flat, ugly, windy land of northern Iowa. I still miss landforms and trees. I am surrounded by fields of blowing (but rich) soil for much of the year.

 

[danceswithronin]

I want a Silver Sebright and a brown cuckoo Orpington or a Sultan, but I've not been able to find those breeds available when I needed to order chicks.

My most recent batch of chicks checked a lot of wish list birds for me, but I started off with a single breed. I started my flock with four silkies (two white and two buff) and a White Plymouth Rock thrown in for free that I ended up having to rehome when he turned into a roo. I would have kept him because he was gentle as a lap dog but he was SO loud, and I live in the suburbs. My first order was a straight run, so I ended up with two roosters and three hens. I kept the buff silkie rooster because his name is Wonton and he is my number one floof boi - quiet, gentle with the hens, and protective.

The female chicks I just had delivered on Tuesday are a golden laced Wyandotte, a golden laced Polish, a Speckled Sussex, and a Black Jersey Giant. I had initially ordered a silver laced Polish, but they had a hatch-out problem with the batch I ordered from, so I had to sub a different Polish and chose the golden. Kind of bummed I couldn't get the silver laced Polish (which was as close to a Silver Sebright as I'm probably gonna get pattern-wise) but the golden laced Polish chick I have is very sweet so I don't mind.

I really like brightly patterned or unusual ornamental birds. Laying capacity is honestly second importance to me because my family doesn't eat many eggs, and I end up giving most of them away to the maid aside from the few I cook here or there. I read everywhere that silkies are somewhat poor layers, but my three girls lay pretty much an egg a day like clockwork and as a non-breakfast eater I worry more about how to use them up than I do about production.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

A flock that never gets sick
There’s always something going on every week.

X2!!

 

[SurferchickinSB]

A speckled Sussex would fit in really good with what you have

Columbian Wyandotte also would work well, but I’m pretty sure they lay brownish eggs. I have a GLW and she lays light creamy peach colored eggs.