Hello,I am working on building a chicken tractor this weekend and have been researching chicken keeping, I have my heart set on getting 5 bantam pullets! I wonder if anyone could steer me in the direction of who is keeping or selling bantam pullets in Phoenix, who could advise me on which breeds would be happy with me in Phoenix and where I can go to get some!I am looking for bantam Dominiques, bantam Aseel/Asil, maybe bantam Andalusion (though I've read that they are noisy, I don't know if that applies to roosters or the hens too), bantam Brahmas, Campines, maybe Catalanas (though I've read that they are spirited),Fayoumis, or Ponedesenca pullets. Anyone familiar with or know these chickens? Any suggestion would be most welcomed!Hillary
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I admire your efforts to preserve heritage breeds and I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your chances of finding these in the valley are slim to none. The only hatchery that sells sexed bantams is mypetchicken and you pay a steep fee for that service. I'm not sure some of those even come as bantams... I have an andalusian (standard) she's not too noisy, and an economical eater but not super friendly and not the best of layers. Asils are more of a fighting bird and not great layers, a brahma sounds like a good choice, they are hardy and moderate layers and this is a breed you might have a better chance of finding in a bantam...I've never seen a fayoumi or catalana for sale anywhere (though I'd love to get a catalana!!) Penedesencas (standard) are on my short list of birds I'd like to hatch in the incubator, again I've never seen them for sale anywhere, but you can buy the eggs online.
I'm hoping that if you don't already know someone raising bantams, someone on here can invite you over to see theirs and the egg size. Bantams are also significantly better flyers. My personal opinion is that it's better to get the larger bird and the larger eggs that come with it. You may only be able to keep 3 birds instead of 5, but it will be the same feed cost and same amount of poop (<--This will probably not even be an issue). You will have a much easier time getting them (even the rare breeds) and a better chance of getting females.
Unfortunately a downside of preserving rare breeds is that they're hard to get ahold of. :) Keep us posted on your decisions!
He said he is working on a website. He has thousands of baby chicks & some pullets, he caries over 20 different breeds (all mother hens are onsite). All of the chicks are raised by their family from their laying chickens (no middle man). I am getting ready for my first chickens & I think that it would be great to buy local. I have been looking everyhwere for a local breeder/hatchery. They also said they are an organic hatchery.
Thanks for suggesting Myron's class, I went to his class at Local to Global last month but I haven't looked at his site since. I should ask him directly what he recommends.
Hi Debbie, I am not looking for specific types, I just want chickens that are of more uncommon breeds to do a little part to keep them going and I want VERY pretty and unique chickens, that appeals to me. Those are all less common breeds, and smaller sized or bantam - I also want to feed them economically, and since I am a first time chicken keeper who would require only a modest amount of eggs, have limited space in my garden and would keep them in a chicken tractor most of the time, and do not want to be overwhelmed with chicken poop, those are the breeds that I encountered based on that criteria - and those breeds are supposedly more "heat hardy" - but I don't know if they are available here or if they are actually not great for egg laying in a hot urban context.
Those breeds are also "good layers" according to a chicken index that I came across online. So, base don eggs and hen qualities those are breeds that I came across!
There is a class at the Downtown Phoenix Market tomorrow morning and the guy teaching the class (Myron Mykyta) might have pullets available. Check his posts on this site for information.
Replies
I'm hoping that if you don't already know someone raising bantams, someone on here can invite you over to see theirs and the egg size. Bantams are also significantly better flyers. My personal opinion is that it's better to get the larger bird and the larger eggs that come with it. You may only be able to keep 3 birds instead of 5, but it will be the same feed cost and same amount of poop (<--This will probably not even be an issue). You will have a much easier time getting them (even the rare breeds) and a better chance of getting females.
Unfortunately a downside of preserving rare breeds is that they're hard to get ahold of. :) Keep us posted on your decisions!
C&C Feeds & Hatchery in Queen Creek 602-539-2397.
Look at his add in craiglist, thats how I found him:
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/grd/1117160996.html
He said he is working on a website. He has thousands of baby chicks & some pullets, he caries over 20 different breeds (all mother hens are onsite). All of the chicks are raised by their family from their laying chickens (no middle man). I am getting ready for my first chickens & I think that it would be great to buy local. I have been looking everyhwere for a local breeder/hatchery. They also said they are an organic hatchery.
Best of luck finding your girls.
Good luck with the bantam search.
Thanks for suggesting Myron's class, I went to his class at Local to Global last month but I haven't looked at his site since. I should ask him directly what he recommends.
Hi Debbie, I am not looking for specific types, I just want chickens that are of more uncommon breeds to do a little part to keep them going and I want VERY pretty and unique chickens, that appeals to me. Those are all less common breeds, and smaller sized or bantam - I also want to feed them economically, and since I am a first time chicken keeper who would require only a modest amount of eggs, have limited space in my garden and would keep them in a chicken tractor most of the time, and do not want to be overwhelmed with chicken poop, those are the breeds that I encountered based on that criteria - and those breeds are supposedly more "heat hardy" - but I don't know if they are available here or if they are actually not great for egg laying in a hot urban context.
Any suggestions? Thanks!
Hillary
There is a class at the Downtown Phoenix Market tomorrow morning and the guy teaching the class (Myron Mykyta) might have pullets available. Check his posts on this site for information.
Good luck!
-Monica