Meg honestly has rarely been so excited – she squealed when the box of chicks got in the car. If you knew her – you’d know, this was a special day!
Our chicks were born on Monday, shipped Tuesday and arrived Thursday. We got them set up in the cozy little brooder (stock tank) and they have been growing like weeds every day. There are more ideal ways for chicks to join a farm. The place we are at with our chickens, rooster and farm – we currently can’t accommodate the ideal, a hen with a little brood of chicks.
CHICKS
We have 15 new chicks. With these chicks specifically we were looking for different egg color, current availability and considered both temperament and heartiness for both cold and heat, as we live in Kansas with yearly temperature swings of subzero in January/February to 100+ degree days six months later. This causes stress to animals who live outdoors, even with shelter.
3 Black Copper Marans, dark brown/copper eggs
Black Copper Marans Day Old Chicks
Marans chickens originated in western France in a town by the same name. Black Copper Marans are primarily known for their dark chocolate brown eggs. Black Copper Marans eggs are the darkest of all the Marans varieties. As with all dark brown egg layers, the eggs are the darkest at the beginning of the laying cycle. The eggs will lighten slightly then return to darkest color after a period of rest. You can expect 3-5 eggs weekly from the hens.
Black Copper Marans do well on free range, causing less damage through heavy scratching. These fast growers are a good dual purpose breed for the homestead or backyard flock.
2024 Update: This last summer we had one of our blacks (Reno) go broody. She was the kindest broody hen we have ever experienced. They also lay the most beautiful colored eggs.
Highly recommend. We should have gotten more.
4 Green Queen, mostly green eggs
Green Queen Day Old Chicks
The Green Queen was created hybrid chicken designed for our customers wanting a prolific colorful egg layer with a friendly and calm personality. Green Queens are an extremely hardy breed that will lay lots of large green eggs. They will come in a wide range of colors, most are bearded, some will have feathered legs, and some even have 5 toes! Just like other Easter Eggers, no two chickens will look exactly the same. This unique mix is sure to add beautiful colors to your chicken yard and eggs to your basket.
Please note, like other eggers, you can also get a range in the colors of eggs. Green Queens predominantly lay green eggs, ranging from sage to aqua, but some may lay tinted, brown, or even pink. Eggs could even be speckled. You can expect 4-6 eggs per average week from the Green Queens.
2024 Update: We have nothing to say about these birds, good or bad – they certainly blend in with the flock well and lay a regular number of eggs every week.
4 Austra White, white eggs
Austra White Day Old Chicks
Austra Whites are a cross between a Black Australorp rooster and a White Leghorn hen. This cross produces a white bird with black flecks. Being a first-generation cross, legs can be either yellow or gray. Austra Whites retain the foraging and excellent laying capabilities of the Leghorns while being a little heavier and friendly like the Australorp.
These fast maturing birds are prolific layers of white or cream-colored eggs. Hens have been known to lay as early as 12 weeks and you can expect at least 4-6 eggs per week. They are an excellent hybrid breed for those that want lots of eggs from calm and nice hens.
2024 Update: We like these bird, they are smart and kind. While also do a great job of laying some light colored eggs for our egg cartons.
4 Salmon Faverolle, light brown eggs
Salmon Faverolles Day Old Chicks
Salmon Faverolles Chickens were originally bred by the French for meat and eggs. Faverolles lay a slightly tinted egg and are great layers through the winter. These are very gentle, do well with children, and can become affectionate with their handlers.
Faverolles chickens are characterized by their beards and muffs as well as feathers on their feet and legs. Many also sport a fifth toe! Salmon Faverolles hens have a rounded appearance and are a light salmon brown color with creamy white breast, beard, and muff. Roosters have white neck feathers, a black beard and muff, and a reddish/salmon brown back with black breast, body legs and primary tail and wing feathers.
2024 Update: These are some of our least adventurous birds. They are a bit smaller than the rest of the chickens and prefer to be indoors. While they add a fun flare to the flock – they are not an our favorite breed of chicken.
HATCHERY
We got our chicks from Meyer Hatchery in Ohio, they have great customer service, explain the pros and cons of the different breeds and seem to us and our local friends to be a highly reputable and responsible company. Click here to go to Meyer Hatchery or click any of the links above to go directly to these specific chicks. We only have good things to say about this company and have been happy to work with them.
Q&A
Why did you want birds for the specific egg color?
It all comes down to aesthetics in this case. We believe these girls will give us good, healthy eggs as well as provide color for our local customers who are buying eggs by the dozen. We also want to serve our customers well and color is one of the beautiful blessings our customers are paying for – locally grown, small farm, fresh eggs from happy chickens. Also it is so lovely to have multicolored hens running about the yard. Each chicken is unique and each breed is unique – it is such joy to watch these chickens play, scratch and bathe. Click the picture to the right to go to our blog all about chicken eggs.
Again, check out Meyer Hatchery if you’re interested in buying day old chicks or fertilized eggs.
