advice on selecting egg laying breeds

[Briney Dave]

We read Gail's book, it was very helpful. I think we will need to just buy that one to go back to as we keep moving forward.

Clearly we have to do a lot of reading and talking with local keepers before we buy any

I will be sure to check out the suggested breeds and reading the links.

Thanks so much for being patient with me and for your suggestions.

The whole family is really enjoying this and looking forward to getting started on the coop

 

[Mahonri]

Variety is the spice of life.

If you want eggs. Cinnamon Queens, Black Sex links, Isa Browns, Pearl White Leghorns.... ah shucks, throw in a Maran for dark eggs and an Ameraucana for blue eggs.

 

[PunkinPeep]

We picked buff orpingtons, partly because they're supposed to be docile. They're still little, so i guess i can't confirm that yet, but the pictures i've seen of their eggs are pink and lavender.

Hope that helps.

Good luck! Chickens are great fun!

 

[Spires6]

Welcome! I also live in NE Ohio. Rhode Island Reds and Golden Comets are great layers, docile, do well in our climate and are easy to get right now. I haved had Wyandottes before and they also laid and wintered well. Have fun with your chickens!

 

[Judy]

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

I have found this an invaluable resource. The # of eggs on the chart is an approximation of how many you will get in a week. Plus it gives many other basics for many breeds, like behavior, broodiness, etc., etc.

Happy chickening!

 

[cybercat]

Seems to me you have made your choice in chickens SL wyandottes and EE. Perfect for you as they both take cold and are good layers. The EE will give you color varity in the hens and you will have fun seeing them grow into adult colors. You will also get a nice variety of egg colors from EEs. I would not look any further. Now you have to go build a coop.

 

[Equus5O]

I'm hoping to get to a poultry show/fair this month. As much as I've learned from BYC (you guys are great!), I want to meet chicken people face-to-face, and learn about their birds. Hopefully, that's where I'll learn what breeds will be best for me.

 

[Briney Dave]

Meeting people has been the hard part for me too. less than a mile from my place there are a couple egg and meat keepers but one is a very acitve dairy farm and they just don't have time to talk most of the year much less when they are trying to get grain crops down too.

The other farm is a grain farm that sells eggs (something I have no plans of doing by keeping less than 20 birds) I think that they see me as if I might be trying to muscle in on their deal.

I teach and have students that also keep so I have plans to visit a couple of their farms. Again, they are not hobby people which seems to mean a little different approach but I feel like at leastI will be able to see first hand and be able to ask general keeping questions

Thanks for all the suggestions, I have written down everyone as well as all the links. Before we buy, I will have the family look through and narrow down to top couple for each of us and call a vote. But since I am building the coop I get two votes LOL

 

[theMickster]

Welcome to BYC.
I also live in Northern Ohio. I have only been keeping chickens for 2 years now and found BYC an invaluable resource for me. Ask questions and read, read, read!
Good luck with your flock!

Here's some more reading for you......ohter great stuff on this site as well:

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Beginners.html

Mick

 

[Briney Dave]

Thank you Mick