Jumping on the Chicken train- Newbie questions!

[MallardMama19]

Hey guys!!! Alright, so we got ducks last year, and now this year I've been on and off about getting chickens, my husband gave me the green light, but I'm the type of person (might also be the veterinary technician in me) who likes to research before I jump in. I have started the search, but find myself going down rabbit hole, after rabbit hole of information and is getting over whelmed. I have a soon to be 3 year old who likes to help, through recommendations from friends and fellow chicken owners to start with Orpington and Plymouth Rock chickens since they are more kid friendly. Any other recommendations for this newbie? I have 2 year old mallards now, and will also be getting a few more ducklings this spring as well. I'm used to feeding them the nonmedicated flock crumble and then the duck/adult pellets when older. I've never had to worm my ducks, but have read its a good idea to worm chickens? I already have a housing plan, since the duck coop is already established in a kennel, I decided i'll house the chickens separately but then my husband agreed to make me a large enclosed "common area" in between each coop to let them mingle.....
my plan is to purchase the chickens closer to the end of April, after i've prepared the brooders in our garage for both..... all the help i can get would be great.
I've searched a lot of threads on here, again, find myself going down rabbit holes. Thanks

 

[cmom]

Another breed that is very good with children is Silkies. Some depends on the interaction with the birds. I had a Rhode Island Red that loved to be held. She would almost trip me to get me to pick her up. She was such a love but one day a fox sneaked in and took her. It broke my heart. I searched for her but never found her. Deciding on the right breed can be exhausting. The other recommendations you were given are good choices. You will probably get many different recommendations. Everyone is different and will have different preferences. Here are some good sites about the different breeds of chickens. I hope these will help. Good luck and have fun...
Henderson's Handy-Dandy Chicken Chart
FeatherSite
My Pet Chicken

 

[MallardMama19]

Another breed that is very good with children is Silkies. Some depends on the interaction with the birds. I had a Rhode Island Red that loved to be held. She would almost trip me to get me to pick her up. She was such a love but one day a fox sneaked in and took her. It broke my heart. I searched for her but never found her. Deciding on the right breed can be exhausting. The other recommendations you were given are good choices. You will probably get many different recommendations. Everyone is different and will have different preferences. Here are some good sites about the different breeds of chickens. I hope these will help. Good luck and have fun...
Henderson's Handy-Dandy Chicken Chart
FeatherSite
My Pet Chicken

Thank you!! much appreciated.

 

[Ridgerunner]

One reason there are so many rabbit holes is that we all have different opinions based on different experiences with different goals, set-ups, climates, and conditions. There is not one right way to do something where every other way is wrong for everybody. A part of the problem is that you have too any options. Also you are dealing with living animals. Each one has its own personality. Some people absolutely love their sweet fabulous Barred Rocks. Others hate the brutes. Behavior and personality of individuals is not breed specific. You can even find people that hated the Silkies they had. So yes, it can be very confusing.

Breeds do have tendencies, but I have two things to say about that. You have to have enough for averages to mean something before you see those tendencies mean much. For example, Buff Orpington "tend" to go broody. My two never did. If I'd had 50 of them I'd would have probably had several broody hens.

I also find that strain is important. What I mean by that is that if a breeder actively selects his breeders for going broody, in a few generations you'll have a lot of Buff Orpingtons that go broody. If a breeder selects against broody hens in a few generations you have a flock that hardly ever has a broody hen.

I still suggest you look through things like Henderson's Breed Chart or maybe a breed selector like these. You don't get guarantees but I don't know of anything better to go by.

http://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/which-breed-is-right-for-me.aspx

http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/chick_selector.html

I'm not sure what your basic goals are, eggs, pets, meat, bug patrol, or something else. My suggestion is to decide on your goals and try to meet those in your selections. There is some luck in personalities but most of the ones you get will work out pretty well with that.

but have read its a good idea to worm chickens?

Some people worm or otherwise threat their chickens on a regular basis. I don't. I do not treat my chickens for parasites or diseases unless I see a reason to do so. What do you treat for anyway, there are several different worms that require different treatments. Another one of those things we have different opinions on.

 

[MallardMama19]

One reason there are so many rabbit holes is that we all have different opinions based on different experiences with different goals, set-ups, climates, and conditions. There is not one right way to do something where every other way is wrong for everybody. A part of the problem is that you have too any options. Also you are dealing with living animals. Each one has its own personality. Some people absolutely love their sweet fabulous Barred Rocks. Others hate the brutes. Behavior and personality of individuals is not breed specific. You can even find people that hated the Silkies they had. So yes, it can be very confusing.

Breeds do have tendencies, but I have two things to say about that. You have to have enough for averages to mean something before you see those tendencies mean much. For example, Buff Orpington "tend" to go broody. My two never did. If I'd had 50 of them I'd would have probably had several broody hens.

I also find that strain is important. What I mean by that is that if a breeder actively selects his breeders for going broody, in a few generations you'll have a lot of Buff Orpingtons that go broody. If a breeder selects against broody hens in a few generations you have a flock that hardly ever has a broody hen.

I still suggest you look through things like Henderson's Breed Chart or maybe a breed selector like these. You don't get guarantees but I don't know of anything better to go by.

http://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/which-breed-is-right-for-me.aspx

http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/chick_selector.html

I'm not sure what your basic goals are, eggs, pets, meat, bug patrol, or something else. My suggestion is to decide on your goals and try to meet those in your selections. There is some luck in personalities but most of the ones you get will work out pretty well with that.

but have read its a good idea to worm chickens?

Some people worm or otherwise threat their chickens on a regular basis. I don't. I do not treat my chickens for parasites or diseases unless I see a reason to do so. What do you treat for anyway, there are several different worms that require different treatments. Another one of those things we have different opinions on.

thank you!! Main reason for chickens would be eggs, pets and bug control. I like the option of having them potentially be used for meat... though I don't foresee this happening, but that is more my husbands request.
Thank you about the worming information, as a technician, its common for us to do deworming for pets on a routine basis, especially as an adolescent, and I definitely find mix reviews regarding to deworm or not to, I appreciated the feed back.
I don't intent to get a ton, maybe 6 chicks total, we are in a rural extended lot (per our city ordinance) and we can only have 0.1 chicken/1 acre, and we are on a little under 1.5 areas and I wanted to start small.

 

[Peppercorngal]

Hey guys!!! Alright, so we got ducks last year, and now this year I've been on and off about getting chickens, my husband gave me the green light, but I'm the type of person (might also be the veterinary technician in me) who likes to research before I jump in. I have started the search, but find myself going down rabbit hole, after rabbit hole of information and is getting over whelmed. I have a soon to be 3 year old who likes to help, through recommendations from friends and fellow chicken owners to start with Orpington and Plymouth Rock chickens since they are more kid friendly. Any other recommendations for this newbie? I have 2 year old mallards now, and will also be getting a few more ducklings this spring as well. I'm used to feeding them the nonmedicated flock crumble and then the duck/adult pellets when older. I've never had to worm my ducks, but have read its a good idea to worm chickens? I already have a housing plan, since the duck coop is already established in a kennel, I decided i'll house the chickens separately but then my husband agreed to make me a large enclosed "common area" in between each coop to let them mingle.....
my plan is to purchase the chickens closer to the end of April, after i've prepared the brooders in our garage for both..... all the help i can get would be great.
I've searched a lot of threads on here, again, find myself going down rabbit holes. Thanks

Any chicken can be "kid friendly". I have many breeds and have found them ALL to be wonderful, gentle, and good natured. I also recommend Easter Eggers, very nice hens, and colored eggs to boot! My Speckled Sussex follows me like a puppy and will try to sneak out the gate with me too! Our Delawares are sweet, good layers and friendly as well. The only chickens I have that are almost too curious as the leghorns. Nice girls but always climbing trees, flying to the top of the coops and runs, and talking all about their adventures! Their eggs are very large from such a small sized hen. And please, don't make trouble where there is no trouble. You say "I've never had to worm my ducks, but have read its a good idea to worm chickens?" I've had chickens for years and years and years and have never wormed them, never had mites or lice on them either. Don't assume disease or pests before your chickens are hatched! Since you have a good head start on their coop, I think you should put a light in the coop and raise them from the start where they will be living, it's so much easier than moving them around. You, and your child, will be successful with your new chicken friends! Maybe it would be best to get what will be available at your local feed store when you are ready? Handle them gently, always picking them up by placing your palm under them, not from above, and give them treats. They will love you forever! Don't overthink this! Chicken raising is remarkably easy, food, water and shelter is all they want! You will have such fun on this new chicken adventure!! Good Luck!

 

[aart]

as a technician, its common for us to do deworming for pets on a routine basis, especially as an adolescent,

As a vet tech do you have access to equipment needed do fecal floats?
Would be good to learn about chicken parasites so you can test them before treating.

then my husband agreed to make me a large enclosed "common area" in between each coop to let them mingle

Might be good to be able to split this area.

 

[rosemarythyme]

As a vet tech do you have access to equipment needed do fecal floats?
Would be good to learn about chicken parasites so you can test them before treating.

x2. I've never wormed my chickens and haven't seen any need to. It's not really something you do premptively with chickens. If you think they need to be wormed, best to know if they actually need it, and what exactly what it is you're treating them for, so you're using the right wormer.

 

[cmom]

I have had birds for a long time. I have wormed my birds but rarely only if I have discovered any worms in any of them. I don't make it a practice and as the others have said it depends on the type of worms they have for which wormer you would use. Last years was the first time I had any problem with mites. I thought the birds were going through their yearly molt but when they weren't getting their feathers back in I checked them over and discovered the mites. I treated them with different things including DE which didn't get rid of them. I had some sevin dust so I put that on the most infested and it did help. I bought some permethrin spray and sprayed the birds and thoroughly sprayed inside the coops. Within a couple of weeks I noticed they weren't infested anymore. I sprayed the coops another couple of weeks. The birds were getting their feathers back. I never suspected my birds would get mites because they never had them, surprise... Since I have had a couple of isolated incidences. Immediately I started spraying inside the coops again thoroughly and within a couple of weekly sprayings they were gone. I used the permethrin poultry dust in the nest boxes. The bonus is there is no egg withdrawal period. I had a fly problem and the permethrin got rid of the flies too. I then discovered that many farmers who raise cows/cattle use ear tags which some have permethrin in them to help control the flies around the cattle. I'm pretty sure the wild birds introduced the mites to my flocks. We get a lot of migratory birds in the winter and some like to hang out around the coops. Now most have migrated north but we have some year around residents.

 

[paintedChix]

Also, if you do worm your POL & older hens, there is an egg withdrawal time that you can not eat the eggs and I would imagine couldn't give them back to your girls either.

Same with certain medications, too.

As to family friendly birds, I LOVE our lavender orpingtons. Friendly, will follow us around and lay large light tan eggs. Also can't say enough about our Beilefelders. When we were letting them free range - we'd sit in the front yard and they would come sit in our laps. Never had issues with the roosters of either breed. Most of our birds, over the years, were just "aloof" - but part of that is we don't/didn't do a lot of handling/petting or bathing of them.

And to show that things can go wrong - a line of FBCM's that I have that are supposed to be good/great family birds - the rooster is chasing everyone... The personality change was overnight at one year of age. Makes me sad (he is a beautiful, BIG, blue bird). He will be dinner tomorrow night. I may figure out how to keep his feathers - he is that gorgeous (blue). The grand kids were not allowed in the coop/run he is in anymore AT ALL in the last two months. And on the days they were planned on doing chores, he and his group were not free ranged at all - he'd chase from a long ways away. With everything else going on, just hadn't gotten around to doing it. His girls - now they are fun to have around, too. I bet they'd be friendlier IF we had handled them more as chicks & young juveniles. And since the eggs are fertile, we'll see if his sons/daughters i'm getting ready to incubate are the same way. If so, that line will be ended on our farmette!

When I asked some of the chicken breeders in our state - we were recommended cochins specifically for the grandchildren... I've got one so far and now the grandchildren aren't interested, LOL.

What type of ducks do you have?

As stated above, sometimes you just have to get started. You may get some, even that you thought would be a great fit for your family and they won't work. Re-homing works fine. Other breeds you may be told wouldn't work at all, and you will find that you fall in love with them and they are YOURS. Have a great time with your chicken journey!