Hello from Alaska

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Monkeybean415

Monkeybean415

Chirping
6 Years
Jan 15, 2014
254
9
83
Juneau, AK
Just introducing myself here. We don't have chickens yet but hope to this coming Spring :)

Eta-. We haven't decided what breeds to get. We won't be getting them until we move so probably late spring/early summer. Any advice? I'm thinking a mixed flock might be nice. They need to be cold hardy and calm (I have young children). Thinking about RIRs, brahmas, Easter eggers... Not sure really. Open to suggestions.

We go through a lot of eggs but dont want to over do it and be overwhelmed with too many chickens to care for. We're thinking around 10- is that a good starting number? We would like at least 3 dozen eggs a week. No coop yet so space isn't an issue. We can build as big as needed. I'd like to have an enclosed run but also yet them free range. I'm just starting out with the research phase so have lots to learn!
 
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Good luck with your new flock and enjoy BYC!
 
Hey guys this is my first post
I'm going tomorrow to get my six chickens
I have the coop ready and I'm so excited!!!
 
liz9910 said:
Welcome to BYC! Have you checked out the Learning Center yet? https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center tons of great info there, highly recommend it :) what kinds of chickens are you getting?
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Thank you! I'll check it out. We haven't decided yet. We won't be getting them until we move so probably late spring/early summer. Any advice? I'm thinking a mixed flock might be nice. They need to be cold hardy and calm (I have young children). Thinking about RIRs, brahmas, Easter eggers... Not sure really. Open to suggestions.

We go through a lot of eggs but dont want to over do it and be overwhelmed with too many chickens to care for. We're thinking around 10- is that a good starting number? We would like at least 3 dozen eggs a week. No coop yet so space isn't an issue. We can build as big as needed. I'd like to have an enclosed run but also yet them free range. I'm just starting out with the research phase so have lots to learn!
 
Monkeybean415 said:
Thank you! I'll check it out. We haven't decided yet. We won't be getting them until we move so probably late spring/early summer. Any advice? I'm thinking a mixed flock might be nice. They need to be cold hardy and calm (I have young children). Thinking about RIRs, brahmas, Easter eggers... Not sure really. Open to suggestions.

We go through a lot of eggs but dont want to over do it and be overwhelmed with too many chickens to care for. We're thinking around 10- is that a good starting number? We would like at least 3 dozen eggs a week. No coop yet so space isn't an issue. We can build as big as needed. I'd like to have an enclosed run but also yet them free range. I'm just starting out with the research phase so have lots to learn!
Click to expand...
I'd definitlely recommend getting a mixed flock. A flock of a variety of chickens is more beautiful than a one-breed flock and you can get a variety of eggs each day. Brahamas and Easter Eggers are excellent choices-- both breeds are generally gentle and cold hardy. The Rhode Island Red is a nice breed too, but sometimes they can get frostbite on their single combs. I think that you should also look into Wyandottes. They are extremely cold hardy, and pretty good layers. My Wyandottes are the most docile of all my chickens and the most personable.

If you want 3 dozen eggs a week,10-15 chickens is a good amount. They'll slow down in laying in the winter, but during the summer, spring, and fall, should provide you with enough eggs.
 
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! Check out the BYC Breeds section for member reviews on a lot of breeds. The Henderson chicken breed chart also compares a lot of popular breeds. http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html Since you are in Alaska, you might want to check your state thread and see what breeds people have had luck with up there https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/84141/north-to-alaska or other colder parts of the country.
Ten chickens sounds like a good number, enough you should have plenty of eggs and have a few different breeds, but not so many that you should be overwhelmed with caring for them. Breed wise, Orpingtons, Delawares, Australorps, Plymouth Rocks and Wyandottes (come in a lot of neat colors) are all popular breeds that are decent layers that do pretty well in the cold. Don't forget the EEs or Ameraucana for colored eggs also. For straight layers, the commercial White Leghorns are probably the best white egg layers (but they have huge combs) and the various Red Sex Links are probably the best brown egg layers, they seem to be fine in the really cold areas from what people have said. The commercial Rhode Island Reds or production reds are also good layers, I have often found them to be a pain in a mixed flock though, since they seem to be pretty bossy birds, the RSLs can also be bossy but mine have not been as bad as the straight RIR.
 

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