Day old chicks or Pullets??

[MtTChickens]

Me and my family recently moved to a 10 acre farm. We don't have any animals apart from a dog and 2 budgies. My dog tries to eat my budgies

and i think he wont like chickens either. We are looking at different breeders and breeds of chickens. Also this is our first time getting chickens so we don't know wether to get day old chicks or pullets. What do you think? Also what breeds do you like the best? We have heard Austrolorps are good! But the breeder we think we will get chickens from only have day old austrolorps. So... Would my dog be best with chicks or pullets? Thanks in advance!

 

[Pork Pie]

Pullets is a good way to go IMO - less of a learning curve, no brooder / heat source to worry about and you'll get eggs very soon! As to breeds, you may get better responses from those down under, so maybe ask on this thread -
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/598568/australia-six-states-and-that-funny-little-island

It's likely that your dog will be best kept apart from chickens, regardless of age.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I guess my question is, do you want chickens just for eggs (and would like the eggs sooner rather than later), or do you want chickens as pets that happen to lay eggs? As a general rule if you start with baby chicks they'll be more likely to be friendly with you and your family, whereas started pullets often aren't handled as much so they might be more skittish overall.

With regards to your dog, I would personally keep the dog and chickens separated, even with supervision. So if the dog is freely running about, lock up the chickens, if the chickens are running around, the dog should be leashed. You could try training your dog to accept the chickens but that's up to you if you want to put in the work on that, I feel some dogs may never be completely trustworthy around prey type animals despite training.

 

[MtTChickens]

Thanks for the advice! I think we will get pullets and put my chickens away when dogs around and vice versa. I will try and teach my dog to be good around the chickens but it may not work. Thanks again!

 

[pink lady]

Austrolorps are good layers leghorn's are to (if you just want they for eggs) but we have leghorns and pekin bantams and the pekin's they have smaller eggs but are heaps more friendlier even if you get them as pullets. we're in south Australia and them live out in the back yard sleep in the feijoa tree lay egg's in nesting boxes under the veranda balcony and has free rangs of the yard when every they want. And they handle the weird weather we have just fine. If you've never had chickens before starting off with older is better. But that being said Im just handrasing my first two and the other 3 we put under a broody hen and the two I've got in side are so cute loving and friendly where as the others outside will only come near you for food and will run if you try picking them up. Good luck and post photo's when you get your babys