purchasing questions

[Guest]

Hello everyone, I\'m gearing up to purchase some chicks in the next couple of months and would like to ask a few questions, so I can get the strain most appropriate for my little farm.

First, is there a strain or color of Ameraucana that lays better than others?  I need good layers.

Second, I\'m concerned about egg color.  I\'ve had the Easter Eggers before (posted pics of them on this forum last year) and while I had some really good egg color, I also had some horrible olive drab and khaki colored eggs.  I want the blue, of course  Otherwise I\'d stick with Easter eggers again.

Third, I need about a dozen hens and a roo.  Is it best to order a straight run of 25 chicks, and eat the extra roos, or is it best to order a dozen or so sexed pullets and get a roo elsewhere?  I\'m concerned that a straight run would be chicks from the same hatch, which would mean the roo and the girls would be full siblings, right?  I\'d prefer to avoid inbreeding.

Fourth, I\'ve never shipped chicks or chickens in before.  There are no breeders on the list here in Utah    Is it better to have them shipped to me, or try to drive somewhere and pick them up and drive them home?  It\'d be a long drive, probably 10-12 hours at least.

That\'s all I can think of right now...I just want to have some nice layers before next winter.  Thanks in advance for any insight you can give me!

Liz in Utah

[John]

I need good layers...Second, I\'m concerned about egg color.

If you are looking for large fowl the silvers and wheatens have the best blue egg color, although the blacks and some other varieties and certain stains may be better layers.

full siblings, right?  I\'d prefer to avoid inbreeding.

Chances are with a box of 25 day-old chicks most won\'t be full siblings.  There is a good chance that many may have the same sire though.  

shipped to me, or try to drive somewhere and pick them up

Generally picking up day-old chicks at your local post office is much cheaper and easier than driving perhaps out-of-state to pick them up.

[Guest]

I need good layers...Second, I\'m concerned about egg color.

If you are looking for large fowl the silvers and wheatens have the best blue egg color, although the blacks and some other varieties and certain stains may be better layers.

full siblings, right?  I\'d prefer to avoid inbreeding.

Yes, I\'m definitely looking for large fowl.  Thanks for the info, I want good layers first and good color second...I can deal with slightly-less-than-perfect color, but I don\'t want khaki or olive drab again, if that makes any sense.

Chances are with a box of 25 day-old chicks most won\'t be full siblings.  There is a good chance that many may have the same sire though.

 

Okay is that a problem, if they have the same sire?  How might that affect the chicks, if their sire and dam were half-siblings?

shipped to me, or try to drive somewhere and pick them up

Generally picking up day-old chicks at your local post office is much cheaper and easier than driving perhaps out-of-state to pick them up.

Perfect, thank you...I wonder how early I might be able to get good chicks shipped to me this year...even if they have to live in the garage for a little bit before they go outside for real.

Thanks again,

Liz

[Guest]

Liz,
I posted a message for you on ABCShareingPlace about a Black cockerel & Blue hen you may be interested in. There is also a family in Salt Lake that breeds these. They usually have more than 100. Their chickens were originally from Paul Smith\'s lines. If you send me your email address or phone, I will try to put them in contact with you.
BTW--From what I understand, most of us who breed show chickens do quite a bit of inbreeding via line-breeding or other strategies. This can help solidify positive traits that run in certain lineages, etc.
Best, Laura