should we start with a penguin??

kyanwyma2016

Hatching
Mar 26, 2016
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Hi everyone,
Our family is actively preparing to start our own little flock to have fresh eggs. We live near the East Coast in Central Florida. My daughter is in FFA and currently has an Australorp Rooster, named Penguin that she keeps at the barn at school. We are planning on bringing him home and providing him a flock to look over. We are building a 16' x 8' enclosure to place the coop/nesting boxes in. Joined this forum because we need your advice to help us be successful.
Should we bring Penguin home first or get chickens to bring home first?
Based on size of enclosure how many chickens do you recommend?
Given our location, purpose and situation what type of chickens would be best to start with?

I think that's it...for now...thanks everyone in advance for the advice, it is appreciated!
 
IF you want to breed purebred Black Australorps, you would need Penguin and Black Australorp pullets/hens. I think purebreds would sell better for you, and be much better for showing. They are very good layers. Generally a rooster can handle 10 hens, less than that and the girls get overbred and often physically damaged. Will you be getting mature hens or chicks?

If mature hens I would say to get them & bring Penguin home at the same time. That way they will meet on neutral ground and have less fighting among themselves - establishing pecking order. If you are getting young chicks, it's best not to introduce them till the chicks are close to adult size. Then you would follow the "look but don't touch" method of integration. Sometimes a roo will attack new hens to whip them into shape, other times especially since numbers count, the hens attack the rooster. With the look but, don't touch method - they gradually get used to seeing each other - with little chance of bloodshed.
 
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Great advice from drumstick diva.

Come say hello on our state thread...just type Florida in the search box and it should pop up.

Nice to have you here!
 
Hi everyone,
Our family is actively preparing to start our own little flock to have fresh eggs. We live near the East Coast in Central Florida. My daughter is in FFA and currently has an Australorp Rooster, named Penguin that she keeps at the barn at school. We are planning on bringing him home and providing him a flock to look over. We are building a 16' x 8' enclosure to place the coop/nesting boxes in. Joined this forum because we need your advice to help us be successful.
Should we bring Penguin home first or get chickens to bring home first?
Based on size of enclosure how many chickens do you recommend?
Given our location, purpose and situation what type of chickens would be best to start with?

I think that's it...for now...thanks everyone in advance for the advice, it is appreciated!

Welcome to BYC! Good hearing others on here involved in FFA some way. In my opinion I would get Black Australorp hens. They are friendly, docile, amazing egg layers, hardy to the cold and heat. Depending on the age. If you're getting chicks, get the chicks first then Penguin. If they're adults than you can get them any time you want. You have enough space for 10 hens and 1 rooster. If you need advice on showing poultry I would be more than happy to help.
 
Hi and welcome to BYC. You have been given some great advice already, so I'll just say hello
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All the best
CT
 

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