In 2015 while away at college I began working at the farm store Rural King. This is when I became obsessed with chickens. Starting out I didn't work in the feed area, I was actually selling firearms. When I transferred home after college I kept my job at RK but only worked for a few hours in the morning taking care of the variety of animals we sold; chickens, ducks, turkeys, guinea, and rabbits. Fast forward to present day and I'm still obsessed with chickens. We visit Rural King frequently and my two year old son loves watching the fluffy chicks.
With that information I'm sure you can understand my eagerness to purchase a "few" chickens of our own. So, this blog post is dedicated to the future girls we plan on ordering Spring 2023.
There are different ways you can purchase your chickens. You could go to a farm and feed store like Rural King or Tractor Supply Company, or you could order directly from a hatchery. I ended up deciding to order from Meyer Hatchery, a company that is located in our state and has great reviews. Not only do they have good customer service and reviews, they also have an amazing selection of pullets for an affordable price.
Now, there is nothing wrong with purchasing chicks from a RK or TSC, I'm sure I will impulse buy many chicks in the future. But, to start out I am wanting to really build my flock with birds that these farm stores don't typically have in stock. Things I looked for when choosing which breeds I wanted were temperament, egg production, weather hardiness, and color of eggs. I plan on selling eggs when the girls begin producing and really want an assortment of color.
Time to introduce the girls. All information has been pulled from Meyer Hatchery's website. Click on each breed to find out more details!
Steele Egger's are a Meyer Hatchery exclusive hybrid chicken. They were bred to produce a beautiful range of blue to green eggs. While Meyer Hatchery does not disclose what two breeds they used to make this hybrid, it is assumed that the Steele Egger comes from an Easter Egger lineage of some sort.
They:
are a hardy bird in all climates
lay 3-5 eggs a week
have a friendly disposition
lay anywhere from blue to green eggs
Like the Steele Egger, the Green Queen is another hybrid and company favorite at Meyer Hatchery. They are known for their production of large green eggs, but have also been known to produce even pink tinted eggs! Like Easter Eggers these girls will have muffs (also known as beards). Again, since Meyer Hatchery does not disclose what breed they use to produce these hybrids it can only be speculated that they use Easter Eggers.
They:
are a hardy bird in all climates
lay 4-6 eggs a week
have a friendly and calm disposition
lay primarily green eggs, but can also produce blue, tan, and pink tints
Speckled Sussex are beautiful birds that have been around for over a century and can be used as dual purpose! They lay light brown eggs and are a great option for free ranging, as they are exceptional foragers.
They:
are cold hardy
lay 4-6 eggs a week
have a friendly and calm disposition
lay light brown eggs
These popular birds are known to be prolific egg layers, producing large brown eggs. Many people use Barred Rock's for both eggs and meat as they are a larger breed. This is a breed that you can easily find at your local farm store.
They:
are cold hardy
lay 4-6 eggs a week
have a friendly and calm disposition
lay large brown eggs
Characterized by their salmon colored feathers and muffs, Salmon Faverolle's are a great breed if you have children. They are docile birds and can become affectionate with their owners. They produce a slightly tinted egg, and have been known to produce in the winter months!
They:
are cold hardy
lay 3-5 eggs a week
are friendly and docile
lay slightly tinted eggs
There had to be one breed that I chose strictly off of looks and that would be these girls. Easily identified by the plume of feathers atop their head, polish chickens come in a variety of colors.
They:
are heat hardy
lay 2-5 eggs a week
have a friendly but skittish disposition
lay white eggs
These fluffy chickens a great asset to add to your flock if you are wanting to hatch eggs! They are great layers and very friendly, which make these a great breed to show!
They:
are cold hardy
lay 4-6 eggs a week
have a friendly and calm disposition
lay brown eggs
Sitting at the most expensive bird in our flock is the Cream Legbar, and while they are popular in the UK, they are pretty unknown here in the US. They are known for their bigger than life personalities and ability to auto-sex, which is a great thing for beginner homesteads wanting to hatch their own chicks.
They:
are hardy in all climates
lay 3-5 eggs a week
are very friendly and personable
lay blue eggs
Like the Barred Rock, Buff Orpington's are a popular bird at any feed store that sell chicks. They are known for their sweet disposition, making them a perfect breed for children. These girls are also known to be broody and great mothers, a great addition to any homestead.
They:
are cold hardy
lay 4-6 eggs a week
are friendly and affectionate.
lay large brown eggs
We have a total of 9 breeds and plan on getting 12 chicks overall to start our flock. I'm sure by summer we'll have a completely different number (chicken math is real). Whether you choose to buy your birds from a farm store or from a hatchery, make sure you do your research and choose an assorted flock that will fit your situation best. The options and combinations are endless!
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