Looking to raise chickens in a large amount...

[npad00]

Which breeds go well with each other? Which are flighty? Pretty much I need to know everything from the incubation period to brooding period to actually raising them. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[nbenevento]

We all have a million questions when we first start with h idea of raising chickens, that's for sure. It would be pretty difficult to walk you through the entire experience in one response. Your best bet is to just take some time and read through the forum. In the breeds section you can make selections for things that are important to you and narrow down what you are looking for. To start though, the heavier the bird is, the less flighty it will be. There are are a lot of other considerations though such as climate and so forth. Why do you want chickens? What interests you about them? Big eggs, good layers, meat, egg color, diversity in the look of the birds? Any bird can be less flighty if you clip it's wings, by the way. If you want them to all get along all the time, it's not going to happen. However, if you raise them all from chicks or hatching them together, it should be a lot easier, regardless of breeds. There are lots of things you need to research as well. Type of incubator, how to build a brooder, how to build a coop and when they need to go from one to the next. You have to consider predators and the local ordinance for your town, if there is one. Know what type of feed from chick starter / grower to layer feed, medicated or not and when to change the feed. Oyster shell, grit, treats and table scraps. Just my summary of what you need to research is long, so you can imagine how long the whole instructional answer would have to be. I may be making it sound complicated but it really isn't. It's just good to be informed and the best way to start is to start reading. When you think of a question just type it in the search bar! I guarantee someone has asked the same thing before. Good luck and welcome to BYC!

 

[pichuris]

First you need to start with what you want them for. Meat, eggs, dual purpose and/or showing?

Secondly, are you wanting to start with fertile eggs or chicks.

I think starting with answering those will help. As far as incubating be sure to search that here on BYC. There's a thread that is specifically dedicated to incubating.

 

[npad00]

I want my chickens for eggs and meat... I was thinking about leghorns and jersey white giants... I've been looking to see if the leghorns will survive the harsh PA weather I get at my house. And I've searched my local codes and there isn't one.

 

[bowen012]

Leghorns are generally considered flighty (obviously individual birds vary). They get relatively large combs which aren't great for really cold weather. I don't know that they're great meat birds as their bodies aren't really that large. I've only ever had 2 leghorns; my rooster was mean as hell to most people and any other rooster (especially other breeds). I'd actually almost gotten the urge to buy an exchequer leghorn until I remembered how much I disliked my Leghorns (Hens & Roosters). I'm hesitant to even try leghorn crosses (Cream Legbars, etc) because of them. Mind you, this was for a small backyard flock and raised as much for pets (raised indoors with chicken diapers until maybe 3 months old; plenty of 1v1 interaction, etc) as for production so your mileage may vary. I've gotten nearly as many eggs from friendlier breeds (rir, sexlinks, etc) and personally haven't been given a good enough reason to add that kind of craziness back to my flock. They're pretty birds though; especially the roosters and if they're just going to be production stock, they might be okay for eggs.

 

[npad00]

Well I was going to use the leghorns just for egg production because people I've spoken to said they have a very high egg output. I would use the giant white jerseys for meat due to the fact that their roosters can get up to 13 lbs and their hens up to 11 lbs... And ideally I would have a large flock... And as those flocks grow I would progress into water fowl.

 

[pichuris]

I agree with bowen. Id honestly wouldnt do the leghorns. Id get a dual purpose chicken. You will want them with small combs because if not you will have to put ointment on there combs so they dont get frost bite in the winter. Speaking from experience its a pain when you have a large flock. As i am writing dominiques keep coming to mind. I do love me the delawares and they have withstood the colorado weather but i know PA can be worse.

 

[nbenevento]

If you're getting two different breeds for two different purposes, get Cornish x or another specific meat bird. For the egg layers in PA (I also live in PA), I think Rhode Island Reds. Great production bird with a pea comb.