Question about Hatchery Order....Need some help!

[Dace]

Just curious why you changed your mind on the orps? I LOVE mine, and they have such awesome broody instincts, you could let tham do the hatching for you next year instead if Ideal .

Everything that i have read suggests that they are awesome birds, however I was looking for a little bit better egg production to start out as I am hoping to sell my extra eggs, and I can't have roosters so the broody part doesn't work for me. I think that later when I add a few more i will get some.

 

[Dace]

3 amerauacana pulllets (can someone tell me how to pronounce that?)

"EE-str EGG-rz" LOL

Oh aren't you funny?
Oh well...that works for me

 

[Dace]

From what I understand, you will almost always get some make chicks as "packing peanuts" when you order from a hatchery. There is warmth in numbers.

Extra chicks are not quite the burden that one might think. Once they're old enough to tell the sex you can eat the roosters or sell them to someone who will eat them (easy to do on craigslist.)

You tell what's male and female when their feathers come in or when they start crowing lol.

All that said, If I had to make a hatchery order, I'd make a full order (however many that may be, 25?) of pullets. They'll still throw in a few extra males. But you can resell the pullets at point of lay for a little profit. My daughter bought some silver laced wyandottes, grew them out a little and sold them. She make about $5 a piece on them after the cost of feed. Not bad money when you're ten.

Awesome project for your daughter! Great lesson in entrepreneurship
However with this being my first chicken experience I think I need to take it slowly! But...for future orders (I hear it becomes an obsession) I will keep that in mind

 

[farmerlor]

Just a little info for next time you order: When you complete your order there's a little box for comments or extra instructions. You can have the nice people at Ideal tag or band your male chicks so that you will easily identify them.

 

[Beekissed]

Dace, I am really impressed with my New Hampshire Reds that I ordered. If I had known how good they were, I would have probably only ordered them. They matured faster than the others I ordered, lay bigger and prettier eggs and they have been like clockwork on consistency. They also are big and meaty, have sweet personalities and are beautiful birds.

I've read on BYC that Welsummers are quite popular right now and I've heard good things about their eggs and production levels.

I have NHR, RIR, Aussie, Doms, White Rocks, Buffs, Black Stars, Leghorn, EE, some mixed Aussies, and a few mutts of undetermined origin....the New Hamps are by far the best egg layers for size, beauty and regularity.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Oh yes, Welsummers are quite popular right now!!

I was trying to avoid ordering Hatchery Wellies, but I ended up doing it anyway. I literally got the last 3 from Meyer on my order. They are now sold out for the year!!

Ideal is sold out of Wellies until March!!

I have New Hamps coming from McMurray and a couple from Meyer coming as well. Will have 8 NHR pullets and 1 roo.

 

[Alaska Animal Lover]

I'm jealous of all you placing your orders. It's snowing here and we could still go down to 30 below a couple more times before "spring".
I would love to be getting started now, instead of April. The chicks would be so much older by winter. (End of September, first of October)

 

[PamsPride]

I say it: Ameri-con-a
But everyone on BYC just says EE's.

 

[Dace]

Just a little info for next time you order: When you complete your order there's a little box for comments or extra instructions. You can have the nice people at Ideal tag or band your male chicks so that you will easily identify them.

Thank you, that is great to know!

 

[Dace]

Bee & Quail...there were so many tempting options, but since I am a chicken virgin I did not want to take on too much and make mistakes ( or at least a huge number of them).

There are several more breeds I would like to get...a little at a time I think will be best for me