If you put your general location in your profile, it will help folks to give climate specific advice. Welcome!
What are your flock goals? Dual purpose birds that you will cull as their productivity wanes? DP tend to have a longer production life than production layers which usually lay prolifically for 2 seasons, then succumb to reproductive issues or must be culled to make way for new layers. Production birds usually have a lean carcass, but are quite thrifty with their feed to egg conversion. DP may be a bit more meaty, don't produce quite as much as a production bird, but are great for the average BY flock. DP are not as productive at converting feed to meat. For good feed to meat conversion, you will want a meat bird: King of this department is the Cornish x Rock. They grow out for processing at 8 - 10 weeks. Other choices are Freedom Rangers, or Dixie Rainbows, aka Pioneers. Both of these birds do well free ranging, but grow out for processing around 10 - 14 weeks. FR or DR also make decent layers. One season, a DR was my earliest and most prolific layer!
Some folks start a new group of purchased chicks every couple of years, or even every year. They remove the older birds to make room for the new.
Some folks start some meat birds AND layers as needed.
Some folks hatch their own eggs from their own flock using a broody hen or an incubator. You can't depend on a broody hen to go broody when you want her to. It's a fickle hormone driven enterprise! And broodies follow their own alarm clock. A good incubator can be built for around $25.oo!!!!
My particular flock goals: Self sustaining birds that produce a colorful egg basket. I don't want birds that are overly broody. (I'd rather have them laying than being broody, but am also happy to have a broody hen WHEN it's convenient for me.) I refuse to have feathered feet in my flock. I want a small combed bird for winter hardiness. And, it's nice to breed my own small combed, sex linked birds, that produce a colorful egg basket. The extra cockerels get processed for the freezer. To that end, I purchase birds that fit my goals. I have added hatchery chicks on several occasions, with the goal of being set up to be independent of hatchery stock in the future... Though, there's always the lure of yet an other breed that would be great to try! I love a varied flock. It's so much fun to add variety into the flock.
Things to keep in mind: Super friendly birds may not be the best ones when it comes to avoiding predators. Cold climate: choose small combs (Pea, rose, walnut) Warm climate: Mediterranean breeds with large floppy combs excel.
My faves: Dominique: Rose comb, super friendly, prone to broodiness, good Mamas, good foragers, females produce black sex links when bred to the right roo.
EE: Pea comb, Colorful eggs. Quirky personality. Some of my most skittish, and friendliest gals have been EE. I'll never have a flock without them.
PBR: I'm finding that they are reliable egg layers, had a 6 mo. pullet go broody. Good DP bird. Produce black sex link with right roo.
Also trialing Buck Eye: Pea comb, gorgeous mahogany colored feathering. Good flock personality. Rep for being good mousers.
What are your flock goals? Dual purpose birds that you will cull as their productivity wanes? DP tend to have a longer production life than production layers which usually lay prolifically for 2 seasons, then succumb to reproductive issues or must be culled to make way for new layers. Production birds usually have a lean carcass, but are quite thrifty with their feed to egg conversion. DP may be a bit more meaty, don't produce quite as much as a production bird, but are great for the average BY flock. DP are not as productive at converting feed to meat. For good feed to meat conversion, you will want a meat bird: King of this department is the Cornish x Rock. They grow out for processing at 8 - 10 weeks. Other choices are Freedom Rangers, or Dixie Rainbows, aka Pioneers. Both of these birds do well free ranging, but grow out for processing around 10 - 14 weeks. FR or DR also make decent layers. One season, a DR was my earliest and most prolific layer!
Some folks start a new group of purchased chicks every couple of years, or even every year. They remove the older birds to make room for the new.
Some folks start some meat birds AND layers as needed.
Some folks hatch their own eggs from their own flock using a broody hen or an incubator. You can't depend on a broody hen to go broody when you want her to. It's a fickle hormone driven enterprise! And broodies follow their own alarm clock. A good incubator can be built for around $25.oo!!!!
My particular flock goals: Self sustaining birds that produce a colorful egg basket. I don't want birds that are overly broody. (I'd rather have them laying than being broody, but am also happy to have a broody hen WHEN it's convenient for me.) I refuse to have feathered feet in my flock. I want a small combed bird for winter hardiness. And, it's nice to breed my own small combed, sex linked birds, that produce a colorful egg basket. The extra cockerels get processed for the freezer. To that end, I purchase birds that fit my goals. I have added hatchery chicks on several occasions, with the goal of being set up to be independent of hatchery stock in the future... Though, there's always the lure of yet an other breed that would be great to try! I love a varied flock. It's so much fun to add variety into the flock.
Things to keep in mind: Super friendly birds may not be the best ones when it comes to avoiding predators. Cold climate: choose small combs (Pea, rose, walnut) Warm climate: Mediterranean breeds with large floppy combs excel.
My faves: Dominique: Rose comb, super friendly, prone to broodiness, good Mamas, good foragers, females produce black sex links when bred to the right roo.
EE: Pea comb, Colorful eggs. Quirky personality. Some of my most skittish, and friendliest gals have been EE. I'll never have a flock without them.
PBR: I'm finding that they are reliable egg layers, had a 6 mo. pullet go broody. Good DP bird. Produce black sex link with right roo.
Also trialing Buck Eye: Pea comb, gorgeous mahogany colored feathering. Good flock personality. Rep for being good mousers.
