Just Starting Out

[Doodles21]

I have two questions about starting my first flock. First, I am not sure how many chickens to start with. Second, I am very interested in the assorted/surprise orders offered by several of the online hatcheries; is this recommended for first time chicken owners?

I live on a farm in north-western Virginia so no worries about space or crowing roosters. I am wanting to keep chickens mainly because they seem like fun but also for the eggs and possibly meat. I don't have any experience with chickens (or other birds) but I am a dedicated animal lover with quite a bit of extra time on my hands

 

[Ga.chickenman]

Hello and

from ga.

It really doesn't matter how many chickens you start off with you will want more .

I would try all kinds and find out what you like the best.

Have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Lifetime chicken lover]

It all depends on the space you have in your coop or barn or whatever you are using. I think most say 4 sq ft/ chicken.

In my opinion, the more assortment, the more fun. Naming and picking favorites makes the whole thing more enjoyable. So go out and get an assortment and welcome to the flock of chicken-lovers!!!

 

[nuts4hotwheels]

I have been raising chicks for about 5 weeks. I am doing it mainly for pets and the eggs are a perk. I have 6 chicks and 5 different breeds. Since they were mainly for pets, I wanted a variety. I have an Ameracauna, production red, barred rock, serama and 2 silkies. If I was you I would get a variety and see which ones I liked the most.

 

[Doodles21]

I haven't built a coop yet since I'm still trying to decide how many to get. Maybe the better way to go is to see how big of a coop my husband will agree to build me and go from there.

The more research I do into the surprise assortments the more excited I get! I think that it sounds like a lot of fun and a great way to discover several different breeds. Thanks for the advice, I appreciate any more ideas people may have.

 

[gryeyes]

Oh, my goodness. Let me get started here... I haven't even been keeping chickens for a year yet. I thought it would be a nice thing to have free fertilizer for my raised garden beds, AND get some eggs too, while I was at it. So I built an A-Frame coop all by myself. (Looks like it, too, but the chickens don't care.) Took me 3 months, because I only worked on it on the weekends and I had never built anything before in my life other than put-together kits for various things in the house. By the time I finished it in late September 2009, the nearest feed store stopped selling chicks. So I considered ordering some online. However, somebody at work said they'd seen chicks in feed stores, I should call around. So I found a feed store with chicks, and drove there on Saturday, October 3, 2009. BINS of chicks, sorted by breed and sex!

Thought 4, maybe 6 chickens would do. Bought 6 "pullets," all different kinds. One died within a week. So I went back and bought two more. And so it began.....

Never in my life had I considered how enjoyable it would be to keep chickens. Or how EACH chicken would have its own, discernable personality. Oh what fun it is, every day, to gather eggs. The very first egg was very eggsciting to get, but it's still a wonder to gather eggs every day. Lots of different colored eggs. Listening to the happy murmurring, chortling, clucking birds. Watching them scratch the ground for bugs. Having one jump to my lap and sit there to tell me chicken stories very earnestly. Observing rooster behavior with his ladies. EATING the wonderful eggs. Cheering when the girls find a nest of earwigs, chase 'em down and gobble 'em all up.

I've purchased a coop kit off eBay, built another coop, given away the eBay coop, converted a Little Tyke's Playhouse to a coop, purchased a well-built Fancy Schmancy coop, and expanded my run three times.

All this since my 56th birthday. I'm happier, healthier, and just a little bit addicted to chickens now.

Welcome to the club!