Which chicks should I buy today?

[beckychick]

I had a chick to hatch and it looks like it will be alone.

It is a RIR and Buff Orp mix.

The feed store has these chicks and I need help deciding.

Black Sex Links
RIR
Americaunas

I live in Florida, I want a good egg layer, and a nice docile bird that will get along with my other Buff Orp and my new chick.

Any suggestions?

I know RIR are good layers but my RIR roo was agressive so I had a bad experience with him and I am not leaning towards this type. But then again, I know what they look like so...not exactly opposed either.

Big thanks for responses in advance.

 

[beckychick]

Oh, I will be buying two 4 day old chicks today.

 

[TennesseeTruly]

I would get the Ameracucaunas. They're probably EE's and who can resist their docile nature and their blue and green eggs.

Laurie

 

[HEChicken]

I wouldn't let your experience with the RIR Rooster put you off getting a RIR hen. Roosters are often aggressive but it doesn't mean a hen of the same variety will be. If eggs are your top priority, I'd go with the sexlinks or the RIR (one of each so they're easy to tell apart?)

 

[CHIC]

Why not one of each? Then you have variety and the choice of rehoming if one doesn't work out.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Wow, you have the self control to only come home with two?

The day I was supposed to come home with two from the feed store I ended up with 6 and then two more arrived a few days later!

But yeah, I'd get one or two of each. And just to add, I've had quite a few RIR hens and they were all my sweetest, gentlest chickens. Even the roo I have now is a great bird.

Have fun with the new babies!

 

[Lensters]

OK, let me preface this with, nothing you will be buying at the feed store will be a purebred so when I say a breed I'm talking about something that a hatchery has sold as being like the breed.

Black Sexlinks are usually a cross of a RIR roo over a Barred Rock hen. These have been the flightiest and domineering birds I've owned/raised/bred. However, I've never had one come after a human.

The RIRs I have had vary from one extreme to the other. Purebred RIRs are usually aggressive, including towards humans. However, I've had some hatchery birds follow me around like a dog and as friendly as a puppy. In fact that has been the norm for what I've experienced from hatchery birds.

I don't have enough experience with EEs (Americaunas) to be a good point of reference but the roo I have is friendly enough but obnoxiously stubborn. He is always wanting to expand his territory and is aggressive towards other roos. I have four chicks in the brooder and they are more aggressive than the hatchery RIWs that they are in there with. They are about a week older though.

 

[PortageGirl]

My RIR hens were always quite friendly, the Amerecaunas I have now are rather skittish and flighty... I'd personally get one or two of each because I like some variaty. All up to you though!

 

[cafarmgirl]

Quote:
No feedstore chicks are pure bred? Why not? I bought chicks from my local feedstore this spring, they order them from Ideal. I have Buff Orpington, Barred Rocks and Rhode Islands. I'm pretty sure they are the same pure breeds as if I had ordered from Ideal myself.

 

[PortageGirl]

Most if not all hatcheries go for quantity of eggs/hatch, over breed quality. Some try harder than others, but few if any can trouble themselves to be very picky about 'breed standards.'

They're generally reasonably close, most are responsible and try to be honest, but it's really nowhere near what a good small breeder will concentrate on to get the breed types really correct. This being said, I buy hatchery chicks and they're usually fine birds, and perfectly good for my purposes. If and when I'm ready to try for some heritage breed chickens, I'll look for a good small breeder, or two!