Which Ones Do I Add to My flock?

[MayCasa]

I've had chickens for 2 months now. I want to add a four more to my flock of six. I already have 2 gold stars, 1 Easter Egger, 1 black australorp, 1 buff Orpington, and 1 silver laced Wyandotte. I am going tomorrow out to a farm to get four more that are the same age or close to mine (4 1/2 months).

Which four of these breeds would you choose? Rhode Island Reds, New Hampshire, White Laced Wyandotes, Golden Wyandotes, Astrolorps, Dominique X New Hampshire, Buff Orphington and Barred Rock.

Thank you for taking the time to read and answer

 

[Michael OShay]

I would go with the Australorps. I have had all of the breeds on your list (although my Wyandottes were Silver Laced), and I am convinced that Australorps are the best, all-around, dual-purpose breed on the planet. They are extremely hardy. I raised them in northern Kansas where the temperature dropped to 30 F below zero one winter, and in CA where summer temperatures frequently reached 117-118 F (123 F once), and in both climate extremes, my Australorps came through like troopers. They are also very calm and docile (my children, and now my grandchildren, made lap pets of them). And they are the best layers of the standard, brown egg laying breeds. Until it was broken in 1979 by a caged White Leghorn, a Black Australorp held the world laying record with 364 eggs in 365 days (still a brown egg laying record), and while none of my Australorps have ever reached that kind of production (and likely never will), I have had a few of them lay over 300 eggs in a year. Whatever breed you decide to get, good luck with your flock.

 

[turkeys rule3]

I would go with Rhode Island reds I've raised those my whole life they are good egg layers but sadly they were all killed so I got different breeds mix bred but there still chicks

 

[MayCasa]

My girls and I went and got our new chickens today. The sweet little old couple that advertised the choices I listed above were such a joy to talk with and walk around their farm. I've come to realize chicken people and farmers are some of the best down to earth people. When we finally got to their chicken barn they had SO many pullets. Apparently, the wife had accidentally ordered hatchlings twice. We ended up with the only two white pullets that the wife said were "australorps"--I think they may be austra-whites. Then I let the girls choose two. They both just loved the golden Wyandotte which I told them no, I don't want another Wyandotte. So one daughter picked a cinnamon queen and the other daughter picked a Rhode Island Red. The little old man said those girls love that gold one, so he gave it to them for free. So, didn't want another Wyandotte, but we got one.

 

[Michael OShay]

We ended up with the only two white pullets that the wife said were "australorps"--I think they may be austra-whites. Then I let the girls choose two. They both just loved the golden Wyandotte which I told them no, I don't want another Wyandotte. So one daughter picked a cinnamon queen and the other daughter picked a Rhode Island Red. The little old man said those girls love that gold one, so he gave it to them for free. So, didn't want another Wyandotte, but we got one.

If it was white, it definitely was not an Australorp. If it has some small, black flecks in it, it is an Austra White, which is Black Australorp rooster x a White Leghorn hen, and a great layer of white, off-white, or cream colored eggs. Cinnamon Queen is one of many labels by which some hatcheries market their Red Sex Links. Red Sex Links are produced by crossing a red gene rooster (usually a RIR) with a silver gene hen. The offspring are egg laying machines, outlaying either parent (one of the interesting quirks of hybrids) and can be sexed by color from hatching (male chicks are whitish, females are reddish). You have some very good layers in your new flock and should get lots of eggs. Good luck with your flock.

 

[anwar]

get the australorp RIR and barred rock

 

[MayCasa]

If it was white, it definitely was not an Australorp.  If it has some small, black flecks in it, it is an Austra White, which is Black Australorp rooster x a White Leghorn hen, and a great layer of white, off-white, or cream colored eggs.  Cinnamon Queen is one of many labels by which some hatcheries market their Red Sex Links.  Red Sex Links are produced by crossing a red gene rooster (usually a RIR) with a silver gene hen.  The offspring are egg laying machines, outlaying either parent (one of the interesting quirks of hybrids) and can be sexed by color from hatching (male chicks are whitish, females are reddish).  You have some very good layers in your new flock and should get lots of eggs.  Good luck with your flock.

Thank you. The white ones do have a few small black flecks. I was doing a little reading on here. Are gold stars and cinnamon queens the same or close? I have two gold stars and while they don't look like the cinnamon queen, they do have the exact same colors.

 

[Michael OShay]

Thank you. The white ones do have a few small black flecks. I was doing a little reading on here. Are gold stars and cinnamon queens the same or close? I have two gold stars and while they don't look like the cinnamon queen, they do have the exact same colors.

It definitely sounds like they are Austra Whites. Yes, Gold Star and Cinnamon Queen are just two of many labels that some hatcheries market their Red Sex Links under. Red Sex Links are hybrids produced by crossing a red gene rooster (either a RIR, HNR, or Production Red) with a white gene hen (either a WR, RIW, SLW, Delaware, or Light Sussex). Not only are the offspring better layers than either parent breed (one of the interesting quirks of hybridization), but they can be sexed by color at hatching (male chicks are whitish, females are reddish). Other labels under which hatcheries market Red Sex Links are Red Star, Brown Sex Link, Gold Sex Link, Golden Buff, Bovans Brown, Golden Comet, Hubbard Golden Comet, Isa Brown, Shaver Brown, Babcock Brown, Warrens, Hylines, Gold Lines, Lohmans, Lohmans Brown, Bovans Goldline, etc., but no matter which label they are sold under, Red Sex Links are egg laying machines.