East Texas Chicken and Duck Newbie!

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lillyrosesmum

lillyrosesmum

Chirping
Feb 13, 2016
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2
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East Texas
Hello out there! The hubby and I are starting or own backyard flock. We are both excited and eager to get started.We have a coop well on it's way.
We are leaning toward Indian Runner ducks and Orpington chickens.
What do you think about a newbie getting a few different breeds of chickens?
I have read and been told that it's best to start small and start with one breed. Also best number to start with?
Opinions?
 
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Welcome to BYC!

I personally love the idea of a mixed breed flock! I don't have any chickens yet, but I plan to get a lot of different breeds of chicken "eye candy" for my future flock! My plan is to get 5-6 the first year, then 5-6 the second year and 5-6 the 3rd year to maximize laying time, since I will keep them as "pets-with-limited-benefits" and won't cull the ladies when they stop being as productive in their egg laying.
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I would suggest browsing through the Learning Center, for lots of helpful information, and if you have any questions don't be afraid to ask! Most of the time I type a question in the search bar on BYC and find multiple threads with answers too!
 
Hi and
welcome-byc.gif
- great that you have joined us. I'm sure you must both be very excited about your move! My advice would be to narrow down the breeds that you think you would like, and for what purpose you intend them to serve (e.g. meat or eggs, or both). The greater the variety of breeds you get now, the more informed your decision when it comes to expanding your flock.

All the best
CT
 
Sort of depends on your needs and wants.

Big meat for eating?
Smaller, for eggs and pets?
EE for "pretty eggs"
Fancy breed for feathers?

Good choices for all needs. Just depends on what YOU need
and want.

But you asked, "What do I think about it?"

I think it's fine to have different breeds. Willing to bet a good many
of members have multiple breeds.
 
Spookwriter said:
Sort of depends on your needs and wants.

Big meat for eating?
Smaller, for eggs and pets?
EE for "pretty eggs"
Fancy breed for feathers?

Good choices for all needs. Just depends on what YOU need
and want.

But you asked, "What do I think about it?" 

I think it's fine to have different breeds. Willing to bet a good many 
of members have multiple breeds.
Click to expand...


We are getting them for eggs. I would love to have a few different types! Maybe we will expand. :) having a multicolored flock sounds so appealing!
 
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I've actually put together a picture of my future flock (using pictures found around the internet, afaik they aren't copyright but I could be wrong - most of the chickens pictures came from mypetchicken.com which allows use of their images for non-commercial use)
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The breeds are:
Row 1- Cream Legbar, Buff Orpington, Rhode Island Red
Row 2- Blue Ameraucana, Lemon Cuckoo Neiderrheiner, Double Laced Barnevelder, Partridge Wyandotte
Row 3- Exchequer Leghorn, Barred Rock, Columbian Wyandotte
Row 4- Speckled Sussex, Splash Ameraucana, Ancona, Swedish Flower

I also plan to get a Black Australorp and an Easter Egger, maybe 2!

But it gives you an idea of how pretty a mixed flock can be! Some of the breeds I chose are considered good layers, some I chose for colored eggs!
 
I think it's good to pick a few favorite breeds (maybe 1 of each) that way you can see which you like best and which you don't like. Rehome 'no's' and get more "Yes'es"
 
I started out with a mixed flock, chosen for egg laying and specifically egg color. I wanted as full a range as possible! It worked out very well for me, except that my favorite hen, a small frizzled naked neck, ended up at the bottom of the pecking order and thus lost most of her feathers. Good thing I took advice to have a small "hospital" pen available to put her in until she grew her feathers back, she's now in with a smaller hen and that works best.
 
Welcome to BYC! Glad you joined us. I personally like having a few different breeds, a lot of others have made some really good points. Since you want them for eggs, if you want to have a "colorful" laying flock you may check this post on The Learning Center: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/egg-color-chart-find-out-what-egg-color-your-breed-lays ; if you get a few different breeds of chickens you could have a colorful flock- both in feathers and in eggs.
I also recommend checking in with your local state thread and meet some local peeps- https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/26/where-am-i-where-are-you
 

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