Choosing breeds to add to my 5 Barred Rocks

[aart]

The OP is ordering from Cackle. IIRC, they have real Ameraucanas in correct color varieties.

I guess, the prices certainly reflect pure breeds.
Things sure have changed since I started out.
Not that I've shopped much, but IIRC there was only one hatchery with real Am's starting about...Oh, I can't remember when, maybe 4-5 years ago.

 

[MagistraTn]

I guess, the prices certainly reflect pure breeds.
Things sure have changed since I started out.
Not that I've shopped much, but IIRC there was only one hatchery with real Am's starting about...Oh, I can't remember when, maybe 4-5 years ago.

Cackle says:

“Our seedstock for the large fowl black Ameraucana came from their creator, John W Blehm of Michigan, in 2014. Cackle Hatchery® breeds them to produce the bluest egg shells possible — the natural light pastel blue color. A small percentage, however, may be light green shades. For a list of the best blue egg layers visit Cackle Hatchery’s Best Blue Egg Layers Blog.”

and they follow it up with this blog https://www.cacklehatchery.com/cackle-hatcherys-best-blue-egg-layers/

 

[3KillerBs]

I guess, the prices certainly reflect pure breeds.

Yeah, I looked at their blue egg surplus in hopes of a bargain and decided to take my chances on Murray McMurray's Whiting True Blues this spring.

 

[aart]

Cackle says:

“Our seedstock for the large fowl black Ameraucana came from their creator, John W Blehm of Michigan, in 2014. Cackle Hatchery® breeds them to produce the bluest egg shells possible — the natural light pastel blue color. A small percentage, however, may be light green shades. For a list of the best blue egg layers visit Cackle Hatchery’s Best Blue Egg Layers Blog.”

and they follow it up with this blog https://www.cacklehatchery.com/cackle-hatcherys-best-blue-egg-layers/

Yeah, that must be the hatchery I remember getting Blehm stock.

 

[Lilbitsnpieces]

Hello. I'm late to this feed. I purchase from McMurray Hatchery in Iowa. Always get what I order. Plus a mystery chick. Can mix and match. They area family hatchery. They also will vaccinate. I have 5 flocks. The Roos are what you want in a home flock..esp when free ranging. Very protective yet friendly. I do handle my roos frequently..sometimes you MUST show him whom is boss, but overall McMurray birds are amazing. Buff Orpington s are beautiful big calm birds. Hens are broody.They tend to stay close to their pen and not wander far from it. MY Barred rocks also are on the bigger side. And forage well..they go wherever a fancy strikes. Roo is also excellent. My Rhode Island's are a lil small? But friendly esp the Roo. They all lay an egg a day. I also have New Hampshire s, big birds, big eggs. Welsummers, lay dark eggs and are also very friendly..We had -15 and below this year and all my birds did well. I had some comb damage but only one.
And All hens still laid everyday. They also do well in our Summer heat and humidity. If you are looking for colored eggs..McMurray has Whitings..Blue and green. These are 4-5 pound birds. The blues are grayish and lay blue shaded eggs, while the greens are redish and lay shades of green. Small orders are excepted. Since you are buying an acreage, you might want to allow for predator attacks..however NONE of my birds have ever been taken. And I have a lot of predators. Luck and I believe my Roos are somewhat responsible..my breeds are pretty savvy. Congratulations on the new adventure.

 

[MdChipmunk]

I have no particular input to make in re: breeds -- except that the Ameraucanas may lay later than you might expect from your experience with Barred Rocks -- but I would like to suggest that you start with several males with the intent to choose the best of a batch rather than being stuck with the one and only.

When I got my Blue Australorps from Welp, I ordered a group of pullets and a group of straight run, ending up with 5 cockerels to compare to each other.

Of these, one was an obvious no-go -- lanky, gangly, and generally such poor type that you would never have known he was an Australorp at all. (Imagine if he'd been my only male!)

Two were fairly ordinary and two were well above average.

Of the latter, the best is now my avatar.

There are all sorts of things you might value in your male, who is half the flock going forward, so it makes sense to have several candidates to choose from.

He is Beautiful.