What Breed To Buy And Where Do I Get Them?
by Judith
(United Kingdom )
Question:
What Breed To Buy And Where Do I Get Them? I have recently visited South Dakota where my brother has immigrated and started a dairy farming business.
I would like to buy some chickens as a gift toward the farm, but need help and advice about what kind of chicken to buy and how to go about getting them? I am in the U.K.
Answer:
I'll start with what breeds may be best for your brother. Three good dual purpose breeds that would do well are Plymouth Rocks, Orpingtons, or Wyandottes.
These birds are "dual purpose" which means that they are adequate egg layers and could be used for butchering for meat. All three of these breeds are also good free ranging birds, which is probably how he would keep them, and they are also all cold hardy for those South Dakota winters.
Now for the how to get the birds for your brother? You could order them online and have them dropped shipped to your brother from many hatcheries here in the states.
One that I would recommend is McMurray Hatchery. They will have a good selection, are reasonably priced, and will guarantee the safe shipment of the chicks. You can find them online at mcmurrayhatchery.com.
If I were you I may wait until spring to do this for him though. In late February and March you will have a much wider selection of chicks to choose from and the chicks will be easier for your brother to raise in the spring. It is sometimes tough to raise chicks in an extreme winter environment like South Dakota.
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What breeds like to be mates?
Question:
What breeds like to be mates? Can you please only list backyard chickens that can be mates. Thanks and please answer ASAP.
(P.S. This site is awesome:):):):):):):)
Answer:
It does not matter which breeds are mixed with each other. I have 5 different breeds in my flock and they all get along great.
However, if you are going to breed chickens and you do not want to cross breeds, you will need to keep each breed (rooster and hens) in separate pens.
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