About Our Farm
We started 2023 only interested in a small flock of chickens that were good at laying eggs. Then we decided to start sourcing some hatching eggs from friends and family to recoup a little bit of our investment into chickens. Having discovered how much we enjoyed hatching eggs, we began to think a little more critically about what we were going to be producing from our own flock that was in the process of growing out. As fun as the barnyard mixes are, we decided to rehome that flock and focus on quality purebred breeding stock.
For a laying hen or pet, appearance might not be terribly important. If eggs are all you need, it’s ok if a chicken does not meet the breed standard. However, we are of the opinion that if your intent is to produce a specific breed, then there is a responsibility to start with the best quality stock of that breed that you can source.
No problem, right? Just order some purebred stock from a hatchery, or pick some up from the local farm store. Simple! Eh, well…that's a big fat NO. Finding quality stock is harder than one might think! Commercial hatcheries are almost always focused on quantity over quality. They are almost never a good source for breeder stock. We have learned that quality, dedicated, small breeders are absolutely the best way to source the best birds. We have traveled great distances for live birds and received hatching eggs by mail to procure the bloodlines and genetics we are seeking.
Our primary breed focus for the 2024 hatching season will be Rhode Island Reds, followed by Bielefelders and Splash Ameraucana. We will have a mixed flock sired by our pet quality Ayam Cemani cockerel as the fun flock. Every few months, we have to make some tough decisions on which birds remain here as breeders and which ones will serve better purposes as layers, pets, or table fare.
The great news for our returning and prospective customers is that many times the stock that we cull will be friendly. We put a good deal of time into these birds just evaluating their potential as breeding stock. That time doubles as social time for them, making them excellent candidates for backyard layers or flock protectors for you.
We look forward to providing our customers with quality started pullets this year, and hatching eggs and chicks beginning in spring of 2024!
Wrather Farms is small homesteading effort located in Columbia, Tennessee. As much as possible, we try to source our own consumable goods right here on the farm.
