Hello from FL!

[Mybackyardpeepers]

Good morning and welcome to the BYC flock!!! Hope all is well in Florida after the hurricane.

 

[Trimurtisan]

Welcome to BYC fellow Floridian! It's great to have you here.
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The member reviews are a good way to know what others have experienced with various breeds. I always stop by there before committing to a new breed.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/reviews/category/chicken-breeds.2/

Another great place to learn about breeds is the Livestock Conservancy.
https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/conservation-priority-list#Chickens

What is the reasoning for wanting to raise chickens? For me egg production is low on the list. I just love my birds, and the stranger they are, the more I like them.

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[Claires Poultry]

Hello and welcome to BYC!
We're so glad to have you here with us!
Thank you for joining our wonderful community of fellow poultry enthusiasts!

I pray you have great success in finding the right breeds for your needs!

 

[007Sean]

Howdy and Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

Happy to have you here with us. Enjoy your time here at BYC!

Thanks for joining our community!

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[getaclue]

Welcome to BYC. I too am in Central Florida.

Before getting the eggs, or chicks is the correct time to learn about their needs, and care. First, you need to figure out how many chickens you can realistically provide housing, and care for. The second thing to put your effort, and resources into, is their living area. If you're wanting a small flock of 10 or fewer chickens, I highly suggest enclosed coops, and runs. If you are wanting a large flock, free ranging is a good choice. Both enclosed coops, and free range have advantages, and disadvantages.

Many chicken breeds are more suited for warmer climates, while others are suited for colder climates. Select a breed, or breeds that fare well in warmer climates. I have fans in my coops, and recently added misters. When free ranging, underbrush, small loafing sheds, provide shade, and protection from overhead predators, while a drip system, or sprinkler turned on for a little bit, can provide a wet spot for them to stay cool in.

 

[Meg-in-MT]

Hello! Welcome to BYC!! Great advice from @N F C and @getaclue . Good luck on your adventures.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens very curious why do you want to feed hemp to your birds?

 

[ValerieJ]

Hi! Welcome to BYC! I don't think I would feed hemp to my chickens. Why would you want to do that? If you are looking for an economical way to keep chickens, and for you that is economical (perhaps grow it yourself?), then you should know chickens are not cheap. If cost is a factor, look into that before getting them.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Chicken newbie here, thinking about getting a few chicks. I want to be as informed as I can beforehand. Located in central FL on the gulf coast. One of my main concerns is the extreme heat and humidity and its effect on chickens. Also how to prevent the attraction of rats! Found this site when doing a Google search on if you can feed hemp leaves to chickens. Looking forward to learning a lot here!

Hello. I'm also in the Humid State! I've bred/raised/cared for Chickens here on the peninsula for years without repercussions from our hot liquid air.
As far as the rats, they will go hand and hand with any livestock. Although are easy to manage if you stay on top of treating for them.
Always happy to see another Floridian join! Thanks for taking the time to introduce yourself..
-FC