8 pens and 12 breeds. How do you pick?

[joebryant]

With that many "coops", you can only let one free range at a time; mix them, and the roosters will fight and kill each other, i.e., these groups will have to remain in their pen almost 24/7. You're only wanting eggs for incubating from each group, so why would you want more than four hens (or fewer) and one rooster per pen; those four will provide two dozen eggs per week for incubation purposes. If you plan to keep more than four or five chickens in a 100 square feet 24/7, plan on having a lot of dirty, stinking coops.

 

[poultryhaven]

I vote for the Jersey Giants! lol
I love 'em

 

[becky3086]

If you are wanting these to use to sell hatching eggs/chicks what I would do is watch wherever you are going to sell and see what is selling best. You have to do this research because it makes no sense to have a bird that no one wants. Most of the time, I see the rare and unusual birds sell the best. From your list, I would probably get the Hollands, Speckled Sussex and the Chanteclers, maybe the Wyandottes or Javas but I really don't know a lot about those. For meat, I would get some good Delaware and Barred Rocks. You could always split some of the pens and do some bantams(this is coming from someone who obviously has no control). I probably wouldn't put more than 15 birds per pen if that many. Keep in mind some of those free ranging roosters are mighty hard to catch. I have two splash Polish that I don't think will ever go in the pot. I can't get anywhere close enough to them to catch them, lol.

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
Yikes! That is crowded. Less than 5 sq ft per bird.

Sorry, I was assuming a corresponding larger run.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

To me pen and run are the same thing.

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

Quote:
Yikes! That is crowded. Less than 5 sq ft per bird.

Sorry, I was assuming a corresponding larger run.

Yep, knew it must be a misunderstanding.

Try to start small and with good stock. Getting a trio of really nice birds and building your flock is probably better than Getting a whole lot of mediocre birds and trying to pick the best from the lot.

It might be wise to start with a couple of breeds and expand.

I know, I can't do that either, so many beautiful breeds need our help....

Good luck with it all!

 

[Funky Feathers]

Quote:
I agree! I say 1 roo and 5 hens at the most per pen. I hate messy pens.

 

[ILOVEFRIZZLES]

I have 10x12 pens they each hold 8 birds 6 hens and two roo. They have about 15sq per bird and are very happy. Hope too add a run off the back to let a breed out a day put any till then it is working great my Coop also holds 8 different breed or colors.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/edit.php?id=2762197

Edit to say my coops are not dirty, or stinky

 

[Brick243]

I really like the RIR's. I would get the single combs from Pine Grove. I have several from his flock and they are very good looking birds. GS won Best of Show at our county fair last September with one of the pullets. He is also a great guy to do business with.

 

[PioneerPrincess]

I would suggest:

1. Plymouth Rocks are a good dual-purpose breed. (the rooster[nine months old] we ate had a good amount of meat on him.)
2. New Hampshires are good dual-purpose too. (I say that because ours are big and they lay really good.)
3. RIR (I don't know about the combs) look to be a good breed to get. Our friends have some and they tell us they are really good layers.

I don't know much about the others as those are the only types we have that you listed you would like to get.

Hope this helps!