Backyard Chickens for Dummies

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belongapaul

belongapaul

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Hi
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I'm new to chickens and this website. Looking to have about 3 chickens for fresh eggs but know nothing about this. It's there a Chickens for Dummies section?

Cheers
Paul
 
belongapaul said:
Hi
1f60a.png

I'm new to chickens and this website. Looking to have about 3 chickens for fresh eggs but know nothing about this. It's there a Chickens for Dummies section?

Cheers
Paul
Click to expand...

Welcome to BYC! There's a book called Raising Chickens For Dummies. I actually own it; it helps a lot; full of great advice. I would recommend it to new chicken owners. It goes from simple terms for even the newest people to understand to a more advanced knowledge understanding. In fact the owner of BYC Rob Ludlow helped with it. We can always give you advice as well. If you have a question just ask and we'll help.

Just to help build a base for you. Ideal laying hen in my opinion and sure others would agree, are hens with wide hips but lean. An overweight hen will have difficulties laying as well as an narrow hip hen. Laying hens need a protein of 16%-18%. I suggest 16%. Laying hens need calcium. The shell itself is calcium. If a hen doesn't have the right amount of calcium you can tell based on the eggshell. Smooth eggshell means you have your calcium right. If it's bumpy you have extra calcium in their diet. If it's gritty kind and thin or no shell the hen doesn't have enough calcium. To increase calcium it's a good idea to have oyster shells on hand. If needing to lower calcium add feed that is low in calcium to try and balance it out. Chickens when given the option for what they need they can take care of themselves very well. Some egg laying breeds that are productive or fun egg color egg laying hens: Black Australorp (my favorite), Sex Link, White Leghorn, Welsummer, Maran, Ameracauna, Easter Egger, Cream Legbar, Rhode Island Red. Black Australorp, Rhode Island Red, and Sex Link are very docile, friendly breeds that are amazing egg layers. White Leghorns are amazing egg layers too but are known to be not as docile. Welsummers and Marans lay are dark brown egg. Ameracauna, Easter Egger, and Cream Legbar will lay a blue or green egg, literally.
 
Hi :welcome Paul

Glad you could join the flock! Here is a lovely section from the learning centre ~https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/getting-started-raising-chickens
It has lots of fabulous articles on getting started with your chicken journey. Be sure to ask any questions that you may have, everyone here to help and very friendly.

Good luck getting started and enjoy BYC :frow
 
Hi Paul and welcome to byc! Books and the learning centre are great but bear in mind - the fact we were all chicken dummies once makes this site and its' members such a wonderful community to be part of.

All the best

Ct
 
Hi Paul,
welcome-byc.gif


You can learn a lot about chickens just from reading but the best teacher is the chickens themselves. Raising them from chicks, watching them develop and their personalities appear, will teach you a lot. Chicken tv is not only the best show around, it's also very educational.

If you have specific questions, always feel free to ask. The Search feature in the upper left (under the logo) can be useful for finding information too.

Good luck, thanks for joining us!
 
Yorkshire coop said:
Hi
welcome-byc.gif
Paul

Glad you could join the flock! Here is a lovely section from the learning centre ~https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/getting-started-raising-chickens
It has lots of fabulous articles on getting started with your chicken journey. Be sure to ask any questions that you may have, everyone here to help and very friendly.

Good luck getting started and enjoy BYC
frow.gif
Click to expand...
^^X2! The getting started section teaches you all the basics. You learn the rest of it as you go along. Have fun and welcome to BYC!
 

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