Aloha from the Big Island!

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konachicks

konachicks

Crowing
11 Years
Apr 7, 2013
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Oceanview Hawaii (Big Island)
My other half and I live in Hawaii on the big island. I have been trying to convince him for years to start raising some chickens since eggs are one of the most eaten foods in our home. He FINALY agreed much to mine and my 7yo daughters excitement!
So now I've been browsing and trying to get as much info and advice as I can. We were thinking of getting 3-4 hens.
We have four kids from 2-15 and was wondering what y'all would recommend for eggs and being around kids ?
I look forward to learning from y'all
:)
Jennifer
 
For the best egg production many people recommend Red or black sex links. Sex links can be 'sexed' at birth to know what gender they are. For good nature you may like Buff Orpingtons, Black Australorps,and cochins. For young children silkies are great favorites and will usually tolerate being carried around or pushed in a doll stroller etc. They are not the greatest layers but, many keep them because they often go "broody" and when doing so will even hatch eggs from other breeds of chicken. Much easier to have a hen hatch and raise than use an incubator. Mahalo for joining the Backyard chickens flock, every member is important to us. My brother has traveled to Hawaii many times and visited several island.s.
 
Last time I was in Hawaii there were wild chickens running around everywhere. Just start throwing out some food, and maybe they will come to you! I know, there probably aren't as many on the big island, but I've always thought it would be cool to catch some.

Buff Orpingtons really are sweet, and easy to buy.
 
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Welcome to BYC, Jennifer. Glad you decided to join our flock. I used to live and raise chickens on the big island (on the east side in the Puna District near Pahoa). Raising chickens is a great experience for children. My granddaughter, who was born in Hawaii (pictured in my avatar), loves our chickens. For sheer egg production, I would recommend Black Sex Links (Black Stars) as they are hardy and friendly, egg laying machines. I've raised them for years (along with dozens of other breeds) and they have been my best layers, consistently churning out over 300 eggs per bird per year. When I lived on the big island, I ordered my chickens, including my Black Sex Links, from Ideal Poultry (http://www.idealpoultry.com/item.html), and Ideal shipped the chicks from Cameron, Texas, to the big island with no problem. If you prefer a standard breed (BSLs are hybrids which won't breed true so you would have to replenish your stock by ordering from the hatchery), I would suggest Black Australorps. They are extremely hardy, calm and gentle (my children, and now my granddaughter, made lap pets of ours), and the best layers of the standard, brown egg laying breeds. A Black Australorp holds the brown egg laying record with 364 eggs in 365 days, and while none of mine have ever reached that level of production (and likely never will), I've still had a few of them lay over 300 eggs in a year. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck in getting your flock.
 
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Glad you joined us!

I would personally recommend the Wyandotte. Wyandottes are docile, beautiful birds that (at least in my experience) lay 300+ eggs a year. Mine have been very hardy, have not been aggressive, and overall have been wonderful birds to own.

Other breeds that I would recommend include the Black Sex-link, Red Sex-link, Australorp, Orpington, and Easter Egger.
 
Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

X2 on Michael.

For breeds what else are you looking for besides mild tempered? Is egg production a need? Are you going to be eating your birds? Or are you just looking for pets?

Breeds that are good for both pets and egg production include (my personal favorite!) buff orpingtons, black australorps, speckled sussex, wyandottes and easter eggers. If you are just looking for a pet that will not lay super well then the cochin and silkie are for you. If you are planning on eating your birds then buff orps, black australorps, faverlloes, cochins, barred rocks, EEs and game birds are all good. If you are looking for egg-cellent egg layers then leghorns, sex links and RIRs are your best bet.

You may want to check out our learning center too.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
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So glad you could join our community!

Lots of nice breeds out there. I am a huge fan of the Orpingtons (Buff Orps and Black Australorps) Very docile and friendly. Silkies are great with the kids too. Wyandottes, Barred Rocks are also very nice breeds to keep.

Definitely stop by our learning center, Mountain Peeps has left you with the link.

Enjoy this new journey you are on and welcome to our flock!
 

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