It depends on whether you want them for eggs, meat, or both. If you want eggs, our top layer is the Red Sex-Link, but if you want a larger hen that does better under variable conditions or that will give you a respectable amount of meat at end of lay, try one of our regular dual purpose breeds.  For a colourful variety of layers, try our “Layer Variety.”

For meat, we offer the White Rock, Rustic Ranger and Frey’s Special Dual Purpose.  The White Rock is a fast growth meat bird for those who have ideal management conditions to raise them.  Our Rustic Ranger, an alternative meat bird, is a good pasture bird.  This breed is a good alternative for those who want a larger bird but don’t’ have the optimum growing conditions in which the White Rocks thrive.  The Frey’s Special Dual Purpose, a slow growth meat bird, is lighter and hardier than the White Rock.

Avoid ordering Barred Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, and Colombian Rock X, which are more difficult to sex as chicks. In all other breeds the sexes have distinctive colour or marking patterns, helping us ensure your order is correct.

We do not recommend this, since it may lead to pecking-order problems and the spread of disease from older birds to younger birds. Also, they would need different feed and temperature.

We do not recommend this. Chickens and turkeys require different feeds and temperature for optimum growth. To prevent Blackhead disease in turkeys, thoroughly disinfect the pen between flocks, and do not allow turkeys into an outside area previously occupied by chickens, for at least three years.

It is a common protozoan disease. Symptoms include diarrhea, dehydration, weakness, depression, and ruffling of feathers. Medicated chick starter contains a coccidiostat to protect against this disease, but cleanliness, dry litter, and sufficient space in the pen are also critical.

The most common reasons birds lose feathers are nutritional deficiencies (particularly amino acids such as methionine if birds are fed corn and other grains in addition to complete feeds), frequent mating (hens will have feathers missing from the back and head, males from the breast area), cannibalism (due to factors such as overcrowding and inadequate nutrition), and external parasites such as mites and lice (feathers will be missing from abdominal and vent areas). It should be noted that hens that are laying well will naturally lose feathers over the laying period. Your “pretty girls” are likely to be your less productive layers!

For young chicks, carefully review the Care and Comfort section, paying particular attention to temperature. Temperature fluctuations and deviations of even a few degrees from ideal temperatures can stress these delicate birds. USE A THERMOMETER! If your chicks are showing symptoms such as droopiness, wheezing or diarrhea, adding a broad-spectrum antibiotic (need a veterinarian prescription) to their drinking water for a few days may be helpful. Birds over three weeks of age that are subject to stress and excessive heat may benefit from extra vitamins and electrolytes. Restricting feed will prevent them from growing too quickly for their legs and hearts.

For more information, see Troubelshooting at the end of this page.

Pecking and other forms of cannibalism are almost always management problems. In that way chickens are like children. If something is amiss, they start picking on each other. See the Trouble Shooting section for more information.

There are many possible reasons. The most common are improper light and feed or immaturity caused by a setback (periods of stress, moving, etc.) during the growing period. See the Trouble Shooting section for more information.