Getting chickens

[afro chicken]

Hi guys! My brother and I are thinking on getting chickens.I know I'm getting a Egyptian fayomis and a bantam white crested black polish what else should I get?

 

[drumstick diva]

Welcome to BYC. Choice of breeds is fairly dependent on the reason you are getting them. Do you want layers, meat birds, dual purpose breeds or lawn decorations?

What is your climate like?

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

well, what do you want chickens for (eggs, meat, pets, show)?

Both are cool choices, though i would consider getting another polish or similar crested breed. though it is not totally necessary, i find the crested chickens seem to be happier with another crested chicken...and they seem to get picked on by normal chickens less. I would especially get some more if you are getting bantam polish. Even more of a chance for him to get picked on.
My favorite polish colors are: white crested black, white crested blue, splash, and gold laced.
Some other crested chickens i've kept are: Crevecouers, White Sultan's, Appenzeller Spitzhauben's, and Mottled houdan's.

 

[afro chicken]

I want to have egg layers but I'll have one meat bird for my dad just I want any chicken that's cute and has an Afro

 

[afro chicken]

My climate in the summer is low 70's to low 90's

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

I want to have egg layers but I'll have one meat bird for my dad just I want any chicken that's cute and has an Afro

Well, most afro chickens are not good egg layers, but they sure are fun!!
Some great egg layers i'd recommend are Easter eggers, Buff orpingtons, Black sex links, Rhode island reds, wyandottes, and black australorps. Though, i should mention, i have had issues mixing wyandottes rhode island reds and sometimes the sex links with bantams.
Another excellent layer would be a brown or white leghorn. They are similar to egyptian fayomis (small, flighty, good fliers, good in heat) but lay twice as many or more than the egyptians (egyptians layer around 150 eggs per year, and my leghorns are consistantly laying 250-330 per year. They also do pretty good with the bantams being smaller...hope this helped a bit!

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

My climate in the summer is low 70's to low 90's

how cold does it get in the winter?

 

[afro chicken]

I have another question should I leave the chickens in the coop because I have a dog that kills anything on sight (except any thing bigger than her)

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

oh, btw, for a meat bird for your dad, you could just get a cornish cross (they are what they raise in the factory farms) but if you are only getting one meat bird, i would suggest dark cornish or a jersy giant. Both are slow growers ( i usually butcher at 6-8 months old when they are free ranged rather than 4ish months old with the CX. They taste better in my opinion though.

 

[afro chicken]

I think 20's to 30's and sort of a lot of snow