I never heard of a hatchery selling pullets...maybe they do but most I have ever dealt with do exactly that...hatch and sell....The reputable breeders have been around forever...Are you in OH...the best hatchery ever is in OH...Here is a link..

You might try to find some locally....lots of 4-H kids raise a bunch to show and then try to get rid of the ones they don't intend to use...Half of my flock in TX were white leghorns raised by 4-H kids...They gave them to me free to get rid of them...

Here is a link that might be useful: mcmurray hatchery

I thought McMurray was in Iowa?

It never would have occurred to me to ask 4-H kids--excellent idea! Thanks!

POL(point of lay) is a good way to enter the egg bizz. Many Amish will offer POL pullets toward the fall months; I see you are in Ohio so finding Amish will be easy! Ask around. Disease can be a problem under many circumstances but if they come from a clean place, dont worry too hard. They will readily adapt to your management and home, a few days.

You can also try eggbid.com. People there sell everything from hatching eggs to adult birds and everything in between. How many and what breed are you looking for? You can also post a notice at the local feed store.

Chickens are very social and make very nice companion animals as well as being egg layers. I would not get attached at all to any that are destined for the stewpot, though. When you first bring the birds home, they will be nicely disoriented and a bit shy in their new surroundings. It's a perfect opportunity to grab the little suckers and pet and play with them. Get them used to you walking by, scooping them up and carrying them around, or just stooping to give the a pet or a treat. If they never know which it will be, they will be more likely to risk it. *L* The big advantage to this is that the chickens will be used to being handled and will be easier to catch in the event of illness or injury, and you will get to know your flock better and own better, more social birds.

The way to a chickens' heart is through it's stomach. Develop a specific 'call' such as the rapid-fire "Chick-chick-chick" that will bring the girls running when you call it. Call 'chick-chick-chick' loudly and clearly, and immediately hand out the food. This will teach them to get over to you QUICK, and they'll come running or risk missing out. Handfeed them little tidbits, bugs from the garden, etc. and the little buggers will LOVE ya! :)

If you click on my 'My Page' link, there is a link there to my chicken info site that may help you even more. :)

Enjoy your chickens!

Velvet ~:>

Someone else suggested Amish country as a likely chicken hotspot, so I might have to take a drive one of these weekends....

Velvet, your posts are always so informative. I had hoped that even getting started birds, I'd be able to socialize them and have chickens that tolerate, if not enjoy, my company. Mainly I want to be able to hang out with them, but it'd also be very good to be able to catch/hold/treat them in case something goes wrong. It's good to know that food is a strong motivator. :)

Right now I'm thinking of 8-10 birds: a mix of Silver-Laced Wyandottes, Ameracaunas, Light Brahmas, Buff Orpingtons, and Buff Laced Polish. Which brings me to another question--are there any breeds that are particularly reluctant to share space? Or do all breeds pretty much get along as long as they have enough food/water/room to roam?

Generally speaking,the heavier breeds are more laid back, the lighter breeds are more active. There can be variances within breeds. For best results, stick to the same or similar types, mixing breeds/types and species may result in less than the best results. Of course many go against the best advice and have great results.At least for a while!
It could be difficult to find the more ornamental breeds in point of lay birds, but many Amish do keep ornamental type fowls.

ginam, your breed choices sound good, they are all fairly mellow, friendly, docile breeds that should get along just great--just make sure you have enough room for all the birds to roost and in the coop, overcrowding ANY breed can lead to fights, picking, etc.

I agree with fancifowl as to the comment on heavier and lighter breeds...but--! I have to laugh at myself, since my own flock of 40 chickens is a wild mix of just about everything...bantams and standard size, Silkies, Polish (White Crested Black and Buff Laced), Americaunas, SLW, Dark Indian Cornish Rock, Cochins, MilleFleurs, Jersey Giant, Frizzles, RIR, various mutt banties and Sultan. I'm guilty of Impulse Chicken Buying, I think I need a 12 Step Program! *G* With the exception of the minor, fleeting squabble here and there (as in any flock) they all get along great. In the rare instance I've had a bad bird develop, I've gotten rid of them--but that's only happened twice in the last 10 years--roos both times.

I highly recommend the Polish. They are entertaining, VERY friendly, comical and curious. Two caveats: #1--Most of the time you will need to trim their facial feathers a bit to help them see (I'm convinced that the reason Polish have a reputation for being skittish or flighty is just plain because they don't SEE things until it's right on top of them--I'd jump, too!). If you visit browneggblueegg.com, go to the 'articles' section and click on 'Helping Silkies See', he has terrific guidelines on how to do this. Silkies are like Polish and have trouble seeing due to their heavy crests and facial tufting. I've found that once I trim my Polish and Silkies facial feathers, because they are out in the yard I don't have to do it again, or at least not until the next molt.

#2--Crested breeds, due to stupid humans breeding for bigger and better crests, have developed a hole in their skull (see more info on browneggblueegg) through which their brains actual protrude! This can make them more susceptible to brain injuries from a peck to the head, and mine have trouble in heavy rainstorms when their crests get weighted down by water (this can also cause brain injuries). Keeping the feathers around their eyes trimmed so they can see and avoid threats from aggressive flockmates can help them avoid head pecks, and when it rains my Silkies and Polish come indoors and hang out in the kitchen for a bit. I keep my coop open during the day and they don't have the sense to go in the coop where it's dry...*sigh* Instead they stand out in the open in the rain, getting drenched and looking miserable. I figure a little mud in the kitchen is cheaper than a visit to the vet.

Even given the extra care, the birds are a treat and I'll always have them in my flock. Shortly I'm putting up some pictures of my flock on my site, so you'll be able to see what my setup and birds look like.

Velvet ~:>