Beginner

[whit]

I live in Charleston, South Carolina and I am getting ready to start my first small flock of backyard chickens. My backyard is not very big, so I was planning on getting maybe 3 chickens. I would like them to be pets, so friendly please. I would also like eggs. Do you have any suggestions on breeds for this area. Also, I was looking at some of the on-line ordering and most require a minimum order. Anyone know of a place that will sell just 3 chicks?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I think My Pet Chicken sells the fewest number of birds.
You might try a group like this to see if anyone wants to share an order.
http://www.meetup.com/The-Charleston-Permaculture-Meetup-Group/

Here's a couple breed charts that will help you decide on a breed. Everyone's personality, wants and needs are different.

http://www.albc-usa.org/documents/chickenbreedcomparison.pdf

http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html

 

[whit]

Thank you.

 

[SlipsWife]

Since chicks start out small and there might be loses you might want to consider ordering the minimum (even if it's 15) and selling the extras. In our area its extremely easy to sell the extra chicks. You usually end up paying less than ordering just a few from other places and make your $ back. Plus, it gives you the chance to pick out which chicks you like the best and cover any loses. Chicken math is crazy, you'll learn it soon enough and it's a different equation for everyone but it's fun!

Also, local feed stores usually have chicks in the Spring. Our local TSC has a min of 6 but a private feed store has no min and if you have loses in the first few days they will replace them.

We are really happy with our red-sex links that we got last Spring from our local TSC (who got them from Privett out of New Mexico). They are laying machines so far, they don't mind the cold snaps we get, have laid throughout the winter so far. They are friendly and come up to us when we go out (almost pushy for attention from my husband who has spoiled them w/treats at times...). We also LOVE our Naked Necks (a.k.a. Turkens) that were from Cackle. I don't think they are laying machines like our red girls though...We have one EE bantam from Privett and she's wild and wants NOTHING to do with us but I don't think it's so much as a breed/hatchery issue as our fault for not spending as much time with them since by the time we got them we were 'over' the cuteness of chicks.

I wouldn't suggest German Spitz, the girls we had liked to roost, the higher the better. Our Polish were standoffish and also loved roosting, on top of fences...up in trees...Oh, we had a Buttercup that was 'wild' too (all of these guys were also from Cackle, we ordered a surprise).

Of course, if you have a predator issue you might want chickens with more of a flight instinct than others.

 

[whit]

Thanks so much for all the info. It is really helpful.

 

[One Chick Two]

Hi! I also suggest buying more than you intend to end up with...another reason too, is that sometimes you end up with too many cockerels, even when the chicks are supposed to be sexed. A few also sometimes die during shipping, or within the first few days. Some chicks just have something internally wrong with them. Good luck!