New and hoping for some advice

[Sember]

My hubby and I are preparing to get our first chicks, and set up our first brooder. We built our coop last weekend. I'd like to get 5 chicks. All girls, no boys (not allowed to have roosters here). We'd like to get some variety in egg colors, but I'm unsure on which breeds to possibly get. Any thoughts? Thank-you!

 

[kmatt87]

definately get an easter egger or two!! You'd hopefully get a different shade of egg from each one and it would be some hue of blue or green, so even lay pink ones!
buff orpingtons lay light brown eggs and are very docile birds.

 

[ginger c.]

easter egges are great, you might also want to look at rhode island reds, they're great layers and super sweet. if it were me i'd stay away from anything with feathes on their feet, they get super nasty!

 

[DeWalt]

I agree with the Rhode Island Reds. I was suggested to get those and I did. They are free range, yard hens with 1 Rooster. Both hens are friendly, and one started laying 3 days ago. Nice yummy brown eggs too.

 

[Sember]

Ty all! I've had others suggest Rhode Islands and Barred Rocks. I was also told I should pick up a white Leghorn and at least one Americana (not sure if I'm spelling that right). I'm not sure where to find Buff Orpingtons or Easter Eggers

 

[Ourfamilyflock]

Barred and Rhode Islands dont lay colorful eggs, but they lay a lot of great large brown eggs and both breeds are typically very friendly. Buff Orpingtons are very calm and friendly but also a layer of brown eggs. I guess if you want colorful eggs these are not the best breeds, but if you want easy friendly birds who are great layers these are the 3 I recommend the most. Easter Eggers or Ameraucanas lay the most colorful eggs but are mixed in temperament. I would stay clear of leghorns, they tend to be skittish, though they are hardy, they spook easy and give you white eggs.

 

[Sember]

*UPDATE*

We went to the local feed store April 27th and picked up 3 barred rocks and 2 Rhode Island reds. All about a week and a half old. My 11 year old daughter named the Rocks Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. The Reds are Snack and Dessert. Then my Mom gave me an Americauna (3-4 days old) which my husband named Chickenstrip. About a week or two later a down-on-his-luck construction worker that was helping on a neighbors house asked us to take in his Rhode Island Red (same age and purchased from the same place as ours... broodmate?) named Kitty.



After all the girls were old enough to move outside, we wired in a light to the coop (as it was still nearly freezing out and all the girls were about 5 weeks old) we decided 7 was too many for our little coop. As we had told the construction worker he could come reclaim Kitty anytime, we we chose to send one red and one barred rock to some friends that have lots of other chickens and lots more room. Their kids absolutely loved how tame Dinner and Snack were. They are able to pick up both and pet and snuggle them. Several days later, Kitty went back home with her person, who is in a much better situation and better able to care for his pet "Kitty."



The girls are doing good now. Breakfast (the darker barred rock) is the most curious and is the first to investigate anything. Lunch (the lighter barred rock) is a follower. Dessert is a sweetheart and seems to enjoy being petted and handled. And Chickenstrip is the watcher. she'll let herself be picked up, but prefers to be in the back. She's getting a very fluffy beard on her cheeks and under her chin. They're about 2 1/2 months old now and happy as can be. They like worms and strawberries and greens as treats. I'm still working on painting the coop, but they don't seem to mind. And we just added in a garden right next to the coop.



Still a work in progress. The coop and garden areas were made from almost all recycled materials. A neighbor of ours purchased the property next to hers and tore the house down to extend the yard. We scavenged some 3-tab roofing, siding, the bricks, and lumber the bricks are being cleaned and having the mortar chipped away and will be the walkway around my little garden.

In other news, one of my dogs (Rommel, see avatar pic) has adopted the chicks as his own and has insisted on seeing them daily since we brought them home. (Literally, he has a fit and barks nonstop until we either picked up a chick from the brooder for him to nose up to, or we had to let him out the back door and stare at the chickens). He seems to have no urge to hurt them, and has even gone as far as to dig a hole under the bottom board of the chicken run (with some help from a barred rock on the inside) and helped a barred rock to escape. They played in the backyard until I heard a chicken clucking. No feathers were missing and both the chicken and dog froze when the door opened. Rommel went in the house, and Breakfast went back to the coop. She was not skittish in the slightest. I fixed the hole and it hasn't happened again.

For clarification, Rommel is a lover. He loves everyone, and aside from "his" chickens, he also has a pet kitten (that prefers only to play and cuddle with Rommel), and a pet Rock that he carries everywhere with him when he's outside. When he isn't throwing his Rock around the back yard, he's visiting his chickens ;D

 

[CGinJCMO]

That's funny about the dog having a pet rock. LOL

Glad you found "perfect" chickens. Not only do you like them, but they like you, and the dog/chickens like each other and get along so well.

CG

 

[Ourfamilyflock]

Glad you like the chickens you picked, not the most colorful eggs, but friendly and happy. Loved the dog story. Look forward to hearing more.