Hoping to start first ever flock soon!

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(1) Been in a 4-H livestock club (hooves, beaks, and bills) for 3 years. Hatched my own flock on Easter 2017.
(2) We have 7 right now.
(3) 1 standard gold-laced Barenvelder, 1 splash Barnevelder, 1 Cream Legbar, 1 Cream Legbar mix (we think with a Barred Rock), 1 Black Star, 2 Barred Plymouth Rocks.
(4) In researching
(5) Hiking and environmental protection. I also love history and science.
(6) I'm a high school senior who hopes to study something in the life sciences and/or agriculture at (hopefully) UCONN. Pre-Vet track is a maybe. I live in Westchester, NY and I got my town to allow backyard chickens for the first time in almost 4 decades (I posted an article about it).

I'd recommend Buff Orpingtons and Red Stars along with EEs.
 
WildCHILD400 said:
Hi! I always recommend half the amount of chickens your coop recommends. I have four chickens right now, 2 golden laced Wyandotte, one is a brown and a tenderness red Bantam Cochin frizzle. My coop said 8 but that would be a cruel amount of space. Think of yourself as a chicken and imagine living in a coop with how many Chickens? Take into consideration having to winterizing the coop and any unexpected things which. Use straw for the winter along with a heated waterer I would do about five chickens for your coop and raise the chicks together not at separate times. Good luck keep us posted and ask for good breed choices any in mind?
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My coop is "producers pride Rancher" from tractor supply. I was thing of getting Easter eggers for my first go
 
Welshies said:
Gunna just say some things on this. Most on this post I second but here's 3 things many will disagree on. Wild, I am not at all arguing. I just want to add onto what you said for the OP to see :)
Bantams are awesome little birds. I envy those who have Sebrights. However, keeping bantams with other big breeds can result in the bantam being bullied. Also I am not sure if a bantam rooster can successfully mate with a full grown hen, if you want fertile eggs.
Many hens decide to lay in only 1 or 2 nest boxes no matter how big the flock. I have 4 hens. They all lay in only 2 boxes out of 8.
Water and food is a bit subjective. I ALWAYS keep my food topped up, especially in winter when it's out free choice in their coop 24/7. Some only feed their animals twice a day. It's personal choice.
Always check your water. I water mine daily in cold weather and in warm weather, I always have 2 waterers available in case one runs out. I refill when they are below half.
As for cleaning waterers and feeders. It is often suggested, but I have never had to, since I've gotten chickens. With ducks I did certainly have to.
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Do I have to have a rooster if I don't want fertile eggs? Or if I decide to keep then just in a coop with a run and not free range?
 
The coop is adequate for 4 birds tops. EEs are fun for kids. Buff orpingtons, Cochins, black australorps, Wyandotte, welsummers and barred rocks have all been good beginner docile hens.
Do not get a rooster for your first flock. With small kids, it's never advisable to have roosters. A child's face is an easy target.
 
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