Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[Teila]

Hi guys just about to head off and buy my first chook. Any advice on breed we live in town so can't have a roster and was thinking about silikies but I've heard they don't lay eggs much and the fact the eggs are half the size but considering I'm new to all this any advice would be great

Wow, Millsy, how exciting for you! I became addicted to chickens recently myself, only a couple of years ago. I had 3 bantams, a Leghorn, a Black Cochin and a Langshan; sadly my Leghorn recently passed away from internal laying. My Black Cochin, however, has 5 x 4 week old baby Silkies; she went broody and we bought her some fertile eggs; our first successful hatch and 5 from 5! So I have two adults and 5 babies.

I note you say you are buying your first chook (singular). As I mentioned, I am far from an expert, but I have read and experienced that one girl by herself is not a good idea unless you are lucky enough to get one with the right personality; the majority of girls like company so I personally would start with 2.
Also, chicken-math invariably means you will not be able to stop at 1 lol

You will probably gets lots of differing advice and I recommend some research but a couple of things I have learnt in my limited experience:
* The feathered leg varieties are more likely to be less destructive in the garden. I have definitely experienced this as the Black Cochin has heavily feathered legs, the Langshan's are partially feathered and the Leghorn had no feathers on her legs. In order of destructiveness, the Black Cochin pretty much leaves no damage, the Langshan can be a little more destructive and the Leghorn was my little wrecking ball!

* Bantams eggs are smaller but no less tastier. They tend not to lay every day and mine will lay maybe two days in a row and then have a day off or every second day with two days thrown in for good measure; still plenty for my needs and for me the eggs are just a bonus as my girls are my pets. So I guess it depends why you want chickens. If you are looking for lots of eggs, I would steer clear of fancy bantam types.

* Some of the fancier types also tend to go broody which means that you will have weeks without eggs and will need to break them of the broodiness or do what I did and give her what she wanted I think the 'more common' varieties (for want of a better description) are less likely to go broody but if they are frequent layers can sometimes have issues with internal laying and reproductive organ issues (hence my Leghorn).

* While you can clips their wings, I believe the fancier varieties (Cochins, Silkies etc) do not fly as well as others and are less likely to roam too far.

* The fancier varieties can also be late layers, meaning they do not start laying as young as others and they can sometimes be 7 months or so old before you see your first egg.

* As mentioned, my limited experience with Silkies is a whole 4 weeks but I have been told and read that they are difficult to sex and I may not know if I have boys or girls until they either crow or lay an egg! Lots more time for me to get even more attached to them but also a lot harder when I have to give away any boys :-(

I am guessing you have organised somewhere for it/them to live and of course, the size of their abode is going to be a factor in what and how many you get.

I could go on for hours, but won't lol. I confess to seeing my little Black Cochin at the produce store, saying "isn't she cute" and the rest is history! lol

I wish you luck and lots of happiness with your final choice and look forward to the pictures!

 

[Fancychooklady]

Thanks for the advice much appreciated, will be getting at least 4 chooks just there's just so many breeds to choose from all seem to have good points so it's making it hard the egg production thing isn't a deal breaker I guess considering I'm the only one that eats eggs the wife don't fancy eggs at all. The wife likes the look of the silkie are they harder to keep than others?

My silkies lay eggs all year round. They do go broody though, and of course you don't get any eggs for that 3-4 weeks. They don't fair well in the wet weather, so they need good cover. You will have to get them at point of lay, anyone who tries to sell you a 6 week old sexed silkie is guessing. They are lovely natured little things and I just use 2 eggs in my cake mix. Here are some of mine.

 

[Millsy]

Wow, Millsy, how exciting for you!  I became addicted to chickens recently myself, only a couple of years ago.  I had 3 bantams, a Leghorn, a Black Cochin and a Langshan; sadly my Leghorn recently passed away from internal laying.  My Black Cochin, however, has 5 x 4 week old baby Silkies; she went broody and we bought her some fertile eggs; our first successful hatch and 5 from 5!  So I have two adults and 5 babies.

I note you say you are buying your first chook (singular).  As I mentioned, I am far from an expert, but I have read and experienced that one girl by herself is not a good idea unless you are lucky enough to get one with the right personality; the majority of girls like company so I personally would start with 2.
Also, chicken-math invariably means you will not be able to stop at 1 lol

You will probably gets lots of differing advice and I recommend some research but a couple of things I have learnt in my limited experience:
* The feathered leg varieties are more likely to be less destructive in the garden.  I have definitely experienced this as the Black Cochin has heavily feathered legs, the Langshan's are partially feathered and the Leghorn had no feathers on her legs.  In order of destructiveness, the Black Cochin pretty much leaves no damage, the Langshan can be a little more destructive and the Leghorn was my little wrecking ball!

* Bantams eggs are smaller but no less tastier.   They tend not to lay every day and mine will lay maybe two days in a row and then have a day off or every second day with two days thrown in for good measure; still plenty for my needs and for me the eggs are just a bonus as my girls are my pets.  So I guess it depends why you want chickens.  If you are looking for lots of eggs, I would steer clear of fancy bantam types.

* Some of the fancier types also tend to go broody which means that you will have weeks without eggs and will need to break them of the broodiness or do what I did and give her what she wanted  I think the 'more common' varieties (for want of a better description) are less likely to go broody but if they are frequent layers can sometimes have issues with internal laying and reproductive organ issues (hence my Leghorn).

* While you can clips their wings, I believe the fancier varieties (Cochins, Silkies etc) do not fly as well as others and are less likely to roam too far.

* The fancier varieties can also be late layers, meaning they do not start laying as young as others and they can sometimes be 7 months or so old before you see your first egg.

* As mentioned, my limited experience with Silkies is a whole 4 weeks but I have been told and read that they are difficult to sex and I may not know if I have boys or girls until they either crow or lay an egg! Lots more time for me to get even more attached to them but also a lot harder when I have to give away any boys :-(

I am guessing you have organised somewhere for it/them to live and of course, the size of their abode is going to be a factor in what and how many you get.

I could go on for hours, but won't lol.  I confess to seeing my little Black Cochin at the produce store, saying "isn't she cute" and the rest is history! lol

I wish you luck and lots of happiness with your final choice and look forward to the pictures!

Wow, Millsy, how exciting for you!  I became addicted to chickens recently myself, only a couple of years ago.  I had 3 bantams, a Leghorn, a Black Cochin and a Langshan; sadly my Leghorn recently passed away from internal laying.  My Black Cochin, however, has 5 x 4 week old baby Silkies; she went broody and we bought her some fertile eggs; our first successful hatch and 5 from 5!  So I have two adults and 5 babies.

I note you say you are buying your first chook (singular).  As I mentioned, I am far from an expert, but I have read and experienced that one girl by herself is not a good idea unless you are lucky enough to get one with the right personality; the majority of girls like company so I personally would start with 2.
Also, chicken-math invariably means you will not be able to stop at 1 lol

You will probably gets lots of differing advice and I recommend some research but a couple of things I have learnt in my limited experience:
* The feathered leg varieties are more likely to be less destructive in the garden.  I have definitely experienced this as the Black Cochin has heavily feathered legs, the Langshan's are partially feathered and the Leghorn had no feathers on her legs.  In order of destructiveness, the Black Cochin pretty much leaves no damage, the Langshan can be a little more destructive and the Leghorn was my little wrecking ball!

* Bantams eggs are smaller but no less tastier.   They tend not to lay every day and mine will lay maybe two days in a row and then have a day off or every second day with two days thrown in for good measure; still plenty for my needs and for me the eggs are just a bonus as my girls are my pets.  So I guess it depends why you want chickens.  If you are looking for lots of eggs, I would steer clear of fancy bantam types.

* Some of the fancier types also tend to go broody which means that you will have weeks without eggs and will need to break them of the broodiness or do what I did and give her what she wanted  I think the 'more common' varieties (for want of a better description) are less likely to go broody but if they are frequent layers can sometimes have issues with internal laying and reproductive organ issues (hence my Leghorn).

* While you can clips their wings, I believe the fancier varieties (Cochins, Silkies etc) do not fly as well as others and are less likely to roam too far.

* The fancier varieties can also be late layers, meaning they do not start laying as young as others and they can sometimes be 7 months or so old before you see your first egg.

* As mentioned, my limited experience with Silkies is a whole 4 weeks but I have been told and read that they are difficult to sex and I may not know if I have boys or girls until they either crow or lay an egg! Lots more time for me to get even more attached to them but also a lot harder when I have to give away any boys :-(

I am guessing you have organised somewhere for it/them to live and of course, the size of their abode is going to be a factor in what and how many you get.

I could go on for hours, but won't lol.  I confess to seeing my little Black Cochin at the produce store, saying "isn't she cute" and the rest is history! lol

I wish you luck and lots of happiness with your final choice and look forward to the pictures!

Wow thanks for the helpful info I will be getting at least 4 chicken to start with and the wife's kinda falling in love with the little silkies so we may go that way as I'm the only one that eats eggs I won't need a lot

 

[Teila]

Fancychooklady .. they are beautiful!

My first Silkie babies and their Black Cochin mumma:

 

[Millsy]

My silkies lay eggs all year round. They do go broody though, and of course you don't get any eggs for that 3-4 weeks. They don't fair well in the wet weather, so they need good cover. You will have to get them at point of lay, anyone who tries to sell you a 6 week old sexed silkie is guessing. They are lovely natured little things and I just use 2 eggs in my cake mix. Here are some of mine.

Thanks for the pics and info just about to leave home now and go have a look at some chickens I'm taken the wife my guess is we will probably end up with some silkies

 

[Millsy]

Just took a few pics of my finished coop any advice on things I may have overlooked I still have to add a roost and feeders and waterers we live in Townsville Qld so it get fairly warm.

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[Fancychooklady]

Just took a few pics of my finished coop any advice on things I may have overlooked I still have to add a roost and feeders and waterers we live in Townsville Qld so it get fairly warm.

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Perfect "silkie palace ". If you want pure breeds, count the toes (5) and feet should be black/blue. Avoid red combs. Happy chook shopping.

 

[Teila]

Perfect "silkie palace ". If you want pure breeds, count the toes (5) and feet should be black/blue. Avoid red combs. Happy chook shopping.

Fancychooklady, well, there you go, I did not know that .. guess my little 4 toed, green tinged footed babies are not pure bred lol. No red combs though. That's OK, I still luv them and they are adorable.
I love how I learn something about these little guys nearly every day!
Thank you

 

[Teila]

Just took a few pics of my finished coop any advice on things I may have overlooked I still have to add a roost and feeders and waterers we live in Townsville Qld so it get fairly warm.

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Again Millsy, I am no expert but it looks pretty good to me. Watching my girls, in the heat of the day (which Townsville would have a lot of!) they like to lay in the dirt in the shadiest part of their estate. I note you have lots of covered shade area and also sun areas for when they want to sun-bake (do their 'dead' chicken impersonations .. freaked me out the first time I saw one sun-baking, I thought she had died .. lol). With the amount of rain you guys get, they definitely need a dry, covered area to stay out of the rain and it looks like you have that covered also. Well done!

I sadly placed my coop in the wrong spot initially and it did not dry out quickly after the rain; one of my girls cut her foot and because of the damp developed a Staph infection .. something to keep in mind.

Can't wait to see the pictures of your new family

 

[Fancychooklady]

Fancychooklady, well, there you go, I did not know that .. guess my little 4 toed, green tinged footed babies are not pure bred lol.  No red combs though.  That's OK, I still luv them and they are adorable.  
I love how I learn something about these little guys nearly every day!
Thank you 

Teila, they could still be purebred. Often 2 five toed parents will throw a 4 toed chick , just means they aren't of show quality. I even have a 6 toed hen. I try to keep as close to the standard as possible because I sell fertile eggs. But I have silkie x Wyandotte that are every bit as adorable.
This little guy is the only 4 toed silkie hatched here and his comb was less than desirable , but what a lovely little guy. I gave him away.