Breed recommendations for my future flock?

[Nargle]

Love the chart, thanks! You guys have all been SO helpful! I can imagine when I finally get my chickens I'm going to be on here like 24/7, lol!

ETA: Are game birds the only ones that won't get along with other breeds of chickens? Will the other breeds of chickens do alright in a mixed flock? I have been reading some descriptions of various breeds, and some of them state that certain breeds are shy or might end up on the bottom of the pecking order? I understand that a flock will have to work out their own pecking order amongst themselves but I don't want any chickens getting hurt.

 

[tennesseeckn]

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I got my Partridge Rock at McMurray's. I'm a big fan of trying out multiple breeds and then adding more of the ones you like.

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

Everything I read about Speckled Sussex said that they are friendly and docile. So I must have the rogue pullet because my 2-month old SS from MPC is the most skittish chicken of the bunch! She seems almost wild!

If you're raising birds for meat you won't care, I guess, about their personalities so maybe it doesn't matter.

 

[tennesseeckn]

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I know you like standard size and so do I, but I LOVE my little Old English Game Bantam. She is the sweetest bird. Loves people and lays tiny little gumball eggs. Best of all, she just hatched her first four chicks and she's not even six months old. She get along perfectly with the other girls she was raised with. I don't think would have a flock of them and I would have never picked her out since I like big, fat, mellow girls, but she was the free exotic with my McMurray order and she completely won me over.

I let my girls free range and they always go back through the run and into the coop to lay.

 

[magicpigeon]

I'd have said Australorp, they go broody IMHO more than Speckled Sussexes

 

[Eroicayori]

I have three breeds together, Buff Orps, Black Jersey Giants and Dominiques. All are super friendly, with the Doms by far the nicest and the Black Jerseys the prettiest. All three breeds are great first time heritage dual purpose chickens.

 

[Nargle]

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Well I don't have any chickens yet so I don't know exactly how everything will be, but I'd like to think that personality will matter at least somewhat. They won't be like pets, but I will be outdoors spending a fair amount of time around them. Or course it's going to be hard trying not to get attached to the ones destined for the dinner table no matter what their personalities are like!

But I'd rather eat a chicken that I raised than a chicken from the grocery store.

I guess I'll just have to wait and see how their personalities turn out when I get them!

 

[gumbii]

the best advice i can give...


get or build the biggest coop you can afford or have room for...


i'm sure more than half of us has had that regret in the beginning... i'm pretty sure all kinds of users are looking at the screen right now nodding their head and saying "yup"...


LOL...

 

[Nargle]

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Thanks for the advice, I'll do my best!

Question though... What would you do if your coop is too big to keep your chickens warm in the winter? Or will they be warm enough just so long as they huddle together, regardless of the size of the coop?

 

[kfacres]

Quote:
Thanks for the advice, I'll do my best!

Question though... What would you do if your coop is too big to keep your chickens warm in the winter? Or will they be warm enough just so long as they huddle together, regardless of the size of the coop?

I doubt most people on here's winter will get cold enough to effect the birds... I have seen flocks of birds that live free range, and will be out in a foot of snow hopping around, heck even seen chickens roosting in trees with snow on them...