Just Pecking in to see what all this Chicken trend is about....

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Chicks6

Chicks6

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Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the thought of adding chickens to Our Family. I'm a Mom of 6 Children and looking for Chickens that are good with Children. I live in South Carolina, and in the Country. Two major things that have held Me back from getting Chickens is that #1 My Neighbor is a Cat Hoarder and I'm scared that the cats will harm My Chickens. #2-I'm worried about the cost of things like a coop/chicken run.
There is a wooded area behind My house and there may be some predators that could harm My Chickens. I would love to be able to start on a Chicken Journey sort My Kids and teach Them how to care for Them. What is a good breed of Chicken that is good with Children? I would love to get one that lays beautiful colored eggs.
 
Chicks6 said:
Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the thought of adding chickens to Our Family. I'm a Mom of 6 Children and looking for Chickens that are good with Children. I live in South Carolina, and in the Country. Two major things that have held Me back from getting Chickens is that #1 My Neighbor is a Cat Hoarder and I'm scared that the cats will harm My Chickens. #2-I'm worried about the cost of things like a coop/chicken run.
There is a wooded area behind My house and there may be some predators that could harm My Chickens. I would love to be able to start on a Chicken Journey with My Kids and teach Them how to care for Them. What is a good breed of Chicken that is good with Children? I would love to get one that lays beautiful colored eggs.
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Hello, you will not believe the benefits of chickens. To answer your first concern about cats it is very easy to plant some lavender or lemon thyme(cats hate the stuff) just plant it near the coop and your set. You can buy a chicken coop with a mini run for about $299 on the website sportsmen's guide. P.S you do not have to be a member to get that price. You can find good chicks at any tractor co supply store. I personally would NOT recommend buying them online. A good breed of chicken that I found friendly is the buff orpington and the astralrop, but Easter eagers lay very colorful eggs and are for the majority good with kids. The only thing is that EE tend to fly a bit so just be care full. Your kids will love the experience, I was 1 in 6 as well and all my siblings and I loved it. it is truly a wonderful experience.

HOPE THIS WAS HELPFUL.
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I agree with the Easter Eggers. My grands love them, and the colored eggs are a bonus! You'll often find them in feed stores incorrectly marked "Americanas" (or any other misspelled version thereof) or even "Aracaunas". In reality they are just plain, good old Easter Eggers, and I have such a soft spot for them! Just in case you'd like to meet my older girls here's a link with some photos - I have two more of them now.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-easter-eggers-of-oleo-acres

I also have some Light and some Buff Brahmas, which I have found to be very pleasant, gentle birds, along with a Buff Orpington, some Red Sex Links, and a couple of Cuckoo Marans. I've never had any issues with any of them where the kids are concerned. I had one rooster that we hatched here, and the first time he went after my hand he was in the freezer. I can't afford to have any bird out there that might hurt or even scare my kids.

I have two disabled granddaughters and obviously I simply can't have any chicken out there that I don't trust 100%, especially since Katie, the oldest at 10 now, is my best, most reliable chicken sitter when we are out of town. Her little sister Kendra is in a wheelchair, although she walks at times with braces and assistance, and she loves being out there with the chickens. And I've said before, if I was allowed to have only breed/variety of chickens, it would be Easter Eggers.

Good luck with this wonderful new adventure if you decide to do it. We didn't plan on having chickens, it just sorta happened and now I can't imagine not having them!

And welcome to BYC! Lots of good information up there in the tab marked "Learning Center" and lots of good people to answer your questions and help where you need it!
 
Hello!! welcome to BYC!! i just got my very first batch of chicks a couple weeks ago... I am the oldest of almost 9 kids, and I have a mixture of chicks from Meyer Hatchery. They all seem pretty friendly... there are a few exceptions, as with ALL animals...

here are a few pictures of 2 different breeds out of my 25 chicks :) i also have other breeds:)


these are what i believe to be Leghorns... they are the most friendly and curious and, are supposed to be EGGcellent egg producers:)


these are Lavender Orpingtons... the pullet was 20.00 on Meyer, but, to be fair... they are rare breeds and are very pretty and nice:)

oh yeah, BTW... i would not worry about the cats with grown chickens. chicks, yes, but not grown ones:)
 
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Please check out the coop section and predator threads to find ways to discourage cats(they are very persistent) and other predators. Obviously with the cats you cannot free range your chickens safely. I would suggest a sturdy coop and run with cover. This will keep the chickens in place, and climbers and raptors OUT.
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TroyerGal said:
Hello!! welcome to BYC!! i just got my very first batch of chicks a couple weeks ago... I am the oldest of almost 9 kids, and I have a mixture of chicks from Meyer Hatchery. They all seem pretty friendly... there are a few exceptions, as with ALL animals...
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Oh, absolutely right and I should have said that too - there are generalities as far as gentleness and friendliness go...some breeds tend to be more laid back and others known for being flighty - but there are always exceptions! Most love Golden Laced Wyandottes - I couldn't get rid of the ones I had fast enough, and they are surprised to read that! And some depends on you - how much time you can take to get them used to you and the family and how kind and gentle you are, but sometimes even that isn't enough if one decides to be that exception!
 

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