Hi From Colorado! Any advice???

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amer5b

amer5b

Hatching
8 Years
Feb 7, 2011
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Hi Everyone,

My name is Amy, and I am new to the backyard chicken forum (and new to raising chickens). I am currently researching coops and hope to buy one within the next few days. My family is going on a trip in late March, so I am holding out on buying chicks until we are back home from vacation. I would like to have 4 hens (the max. allowed where we live), and I would like a mixed flock. I need hens that are cold-hardy, and would also like for them to have a sweet disposition. Being good layers would be an added bonus! Can anyone give me some advice on which types of hens you would recommend? Do you also know of a hatchery you would recommend? I would love to find a local Colorado farmer that didn't have a requirement of how many I had to purchase.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!
Amy
 
Sure plenty of advice here you'll see and lots of differing opinions and most of them are right even if they aren't the same.

So who's nice in the chicken world?

#1 you need and EE or some other coloured egg layer. Trust me you'll wish you had one if you don't get one.

#2 Orpingtons are nice and gentle and quiet. Some breeds are noisier than others. My Dominiques are bossy and noisy. The first ones in the coop and yell till the others come inside.

#3 Can't say the disposition of "rosecomb" Rhode Island Reds but they are cold hardy as most rosecomb varieties are.

#4 Cochins are nice and easy birds. Though they are more likely to go broody so have plan on what to do when she does.

#5 Some will be surprised I didn't put this first but Delawares are nice layers and hens do ok in the cold areas.

# 6 Barred rocks are not pretty but good layers and friendly.

# 7 if you have public library pick up a copy of Story's poultry guide and start dreaming.

# 8 plan to put the house on the market and move to an area where you can have more chickens. It's just the normal thing when you fall in love as many of us here have.

# 9 check CL for chicken people in your area. You should find someone who has chickens. If you don't becareful cuz your town might be like a Stephen King town.
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#10 Never, never, never get Silkies. They are not real chickens! They are aliens from another planet here to take over the earth.
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(I don't like silkies)

Finally I'll just say this , kiss life as you knew it good bye. Chickens are the most amazing thing on this planet. If you don't fall in love with them, then you need to talk to Dr. Phil.

Wish you the best

Rancher
 
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from the Springs!

I DEFINANTLY recommend EE's. I started out with three and they have all done fantastically. Recently I picked up four more chicks (Col. Springs has a legal limit of 10 birds). I got Light Brahma, Speckled Sussex, Australorp, and Silver Spangled Hamburg. The Brahma has a pea come and the Hamburg has a rose, the two most recommended for our climate. The other two are single comb birds; I'm just hoping their combs stay small.

My reasonings, which may mirror yours...
Brahmas are Large Birds that lay large brown eggs. They have a 'medium' rate of laying so I would expect you would get about 4 or 5 eggs a week.
Australorps lay Large brown eggs at a High rate, so 5-7 a week.
Sussex are a lay a medium brown egg at a medium rate, again 4-5 a week.
Hamburgs actually lay a small white egg but they are nicknamed the 'Dutch Every Day Layer' for their reliability.

Sooo... With 4 medium rate egg layers you're looking at about 16 eggs a week when everyone is laying. I don't know your familly size or your consumption rate but you can use that as a guage to what breeds you want. And be careful not to get too many that are anything more than 'average' on the broody scale. It just wouldn't due to have your hens constantly going on strike to try and hatch babies they don't/can't have.
 
Welcome to BYC. Four chickens...I recommend Barred Rock, Buff Orpington, Easter Egger (EE) and a Speckled Sussex. Meyer Hatchery has a small order program that you can order as little as 3 chicks. Good luck.
 
Welcome!
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I'm in Colorado too. We currently have BOs, GLWs, and a BA. If you go to MyPetChicken.com, they have a cool search feature that allows you to look for only birds the meet your desires. I wanted cold-hardy, friendly breeds because we have a toddler. I recently placed an order from Meyer to add to our flock this spring. I'm getting a couple EEs for the colored eggs. We also built our coop using the garden coop plans available online, check out my page or blog for pictures.

http://ourbackyardhens.blogspot.com/
 

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