How did you begin...one breed or many?

[newfmadible]

I know this is a personal choice, but I was wondering how you all began your flocks. Did you focus on one or two breeds to really get to know them or did you go with a variety? I am having a very hard time deciding on which breeds I want to start with.

I am planning on 14-18 chicks and my choices and numbers of each breed change daily! Everytime I think I have it figured out I read about another breed or see another pic on here and back to the drawing board I go! My husband is beginning to think I am chicken- obsessed!

Is it crazy to get one or two of a wide variety? Will I get a feel for what the breeds are like that way? I know I want birds that will be winter hardy here, good for free ranging, decent egg producers and friendly, but that leaves a LOT of choices! So, how did your chicken experience begin?

 

[chicken_angler]

New Hampshires are what I started with. I got 6 hens. The are winter hardy. They were the first chicks I ever got. They grew so fast. Now they are constantly laying and I get an egg a day from most of them since I have a light on in the coop. I wouldn't suggest getting a wide variety. They might start to peck at each other since they won't look alike. Almost always they want a friend that looks like them.

 

[thewobsers]

hello there,

We felt the same way as you when we decided to start adding chickens to our family.
We listed the qualities, hardiness etc that we were looking for and narrowed it down to 5 varieties.
we wanted cold and heat tolerant, good nature, large eggs, good layers, and good mothers. the good nature was important for the roosters.

so we chose-- delawares,barred rocks,rhode island reds,golden laced wyandotte,and black australorp... we are thinking of maybe adding some buckeyes in the future.

we feed them all the same and they all get along very well, we are very pleased with these silly birds.

 

[ChickyPooh]

MUTTS!!! They're cheap and great to learn on. Most have lots of good traits from the parent breeds and ..............................................you never know what color you'll get! LOL

 

[Wildsky]

2 of each 4 different breeds - cause I couldn't pick just one, I wanted a bunch of different egg colors.

 

[Matt A NC]

To get to know what I really wanted I got 2-3 of several different breeds. Several were sold as I decided against that breed. A few that I got attached too stayed. That is how I ended up with my Geriatric "used-to-lay" flock of 12 different breeds of ladies.

I went with the best layers for a real laying flock, which are my Black Australorps. Went with Standard Cochins for show. Also have Blue Ameraucanas for laying, show, and egg color.

I just get too attached to the bantams and kept about all of them. The 4 bantam flocks(cochins, mutts, true dutch, faverolles) range in age from 4.5 years to 4 months old.

Matt

 

[SunAngel]

My first chicks came from McMurray in May. I ordered the Ornamental Layer Collection, hoping to get some of the rare unique breeds. They sent me 10 of one kind, 5 of another and then a few duplicates in the remaining 11. I also picked a few bantams and 9 pullets for a friend to add to the same order. I sold over half of them and went back to looking.

After lurking on BYC I found 2 members that were close to me and bought breeds from them that I didn't have yet. After looking at everyones breeds on here, I placed an order with Ideal in Sept. for 14 more, all ones I didn't have.

There are still about 10 breeds I would like to get. Maybe by next Summer I will know more which breeds I like best. As of now, my Mille Fleur d'Uccles and Cochins are way in the lead.

I mostly wanted a pretty variety with breeds that were decent layers.

 

[hot wing stables]

i started out with show birds and we won 4 RIR pure breed, but i had a pair of silverduckwing oegb and we hatched 2 pullets, a pair of millie fluer D'Uccles, a pair of birchens, and a pair of brown red modern game bantams and we hatched a cockeral

 

[apukanski]

I woke up one day and thought it was a good idea to raise chickens. Did a little online research and decided on white leghorns, mostly because they looked like the chickens we had growing up. But I wish I would have got some brown ones. People generally think of fresh eggs as brown, at least around here. I am soooo glad to have them. Fresh eggs every day. yummy

 

[Chicken Woman]

I got 23 assorted banties. Sold 9 chicks as I didn't want that many. Then gave away 3 roosters as they started crowing.
Friend gave me standards 4 RIR"s

I really love my RIR's ! They are calm and effectionate. My banties are not friendly and flighty, but IM still attached to them and my DH say's there eggs taste better.

IM getting 2 standard multi colored Dorking pullets in the spring.