How did you begin...one breed or many?

[gritsar]

I found one breed that met all my requirements, LF brahma, and then for variety, I got all three colors available from US hatcheries. Even with them all being the same breed their personalities are very individual things. I can even tell the individual colors apart with my eyes closed, just by the differences in the sounds they make.

 

[Barn Maid Ann]

It was easy for us.... we had no clue so just ordered a half dozen from our local feed store. We told them we wanted egg laying chickens. Pullets, since we didn't have time for baby chicks. DH built a very nice coop and we fenced it with 6' chainlink dog kennel. The feed store picked golden Comets for us. I was the last one to pick up on that Sat because I had to work, and for some reason they were short two, so I only got four.
We allowed them to free range once they were acustomed to their new home. We lost my favorite one last winter (RIP Gladys).
I immediately became smitten with my new little barnyard buddies. These are very docile, friendly hens. They followed me everywhere! One, my favorite, died during a bad cold snap in winter

(RIP Gladys).
We visited the chicken exhibition at the fair in the fall, last year. I saw the Blue Andalusians and HAD to have some. We asked the people there, and they told us to order from McMurrays. So I got online and discovered you had to order 25 minimum.
I picked a dozen Andies (to insure a good choice of color) and some various other ones that looked and sounded nice form their description. Not everything I wanted was available at the time I ordered, for planned arrival beginning of June. They sent us 27 day old chicks and we raised them. We kept way more than I had planned, but I sold/gave/traded quite a few. We have a huge colorful variety running about the yard now. I love it! We are just starting to get eggs from the new batch. The different colors, sizes and shapes of eggs in the fridge are fun.
We had no problem with anyone pecking or fighting. They were raised in a 12x12 stall in the barn, and this has been turned into their coop since our original coop was too small for so many birds.

 

[LyonFuzz]

we researched many breeds and found that silkies were the ones for us. They are uniquely pretty and very personable...docile with the kids. Then we went to a farm swap meet and saw the most beautiful mille fleur that I had to have.......she laid some eggs that were still fertile and one of the broody silkies hatched them for her......the mille fleurs are quite the characters too!

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[plester01]

My first birds were Silkies and Milie Fluers

 

[Cats Critters]

I got lots of breeds at once.
http://www.mypetchicken.com/breedQuestions.aspx try this site for choosing a breed.

 

[NC chicken man]

I started out with mutts years ago,then I thought i would get me some show birds i had RIR ,LF and bantam, LF light ,dark and buff Brahma and all three in bantam ,white rocks LF and bantam and several others ,but now all i have is brown sex-links ,meat birds as far as chickens go.

 

[momofdrew]

I went to a feed store this past spring and got what they had which were silkies... I love them...they are quite tame even the roo

 

[bigzio]

I started with just one breed, mostly because of our terrible winters. I wanted a breed that was going to do well in the cold winters. My light brahmas have been a wonderful breed....you just gotta love the magestic ones!

bigzio

 

[ncCHICKS]

I would get just a few different breeds at first. Get about 6 of different breeds. Decide which you like which you don't and which ones you don't have that you'd like. That'd what I'm doing. I can only get 6 though. I started with a EE, Production Red, and Dominique. I decided I wanted a cochin and am thinking of trading the EE for a orp. Are you wanting layers or just pets?