- Apr 21, 2008
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Hi all. This is my first post here but hubby and I have been reading/researching here for a long time. We will be 1st time chicken "parents" on Friday when our local feed store gets their chicks. We will be getting 10 chicks, 5 for us and 5 for my Dh's parents. We have the brooder box so we will be raising all of the chicks until my in-laws coop is ready. Anyway, we are trying to decide what type to get and I thought I'd ask for some suggestions here. I'd like to try a mixed flock so that we can see which works best for us. Plus, I love the look of a "rainbow" of chickens running around the yard!
We live in the mountains of NorCal where the temps in winter can get down into the teens (the norm is in the 30's and 40's) so I'd like the girls to be somewhat winter hardy. We have 3 small children so they definetly need to be docile/friendly types too. (We plan on handling them A LOT!)We will be only keeping pullets as our neighbor has a roo and I don't think I can mentally handle more than one crowing all hours of the day.
I think we will be getting at least one barred rock because both hubby and I think they are beautiful. We originally wanted silver-laced wyandottes but heard they can be boogers so maybe barred rocks would be better? I'd also like to try buff orpingtons.
Anyone have any input for us? Thanks a bunch in advance!

We live in the mountains of NorCal where the temps in winter can get down into the teens (the norm is in the 30's and 40's) so I'd like the girls to be somewhat winter hardy. We have 3 small children so they definetly need to be docile/friendly types too. (We plan on handling them A LOT!)We will be only keeping pullets as our neighbor has a roo and I don't think I can mentally handle more than one crowing all hours of the day.

I think we will be getting at least one barred rock because both hubby and I think they are beautiful. We originally wanted silver-laced wyandottes but heard they can be boogers so maybe barred rocks would be better? I'd also like to try buff orpingtons.
Anyone have any input for us? Thanks a bunch in advance!