My Chicken raising adventure begins!

[Dae dae]

Hi everyone,
My name is Denise and I'm new to raising chickens and am going to need all of your help and advice. I'm super excited to begin my little farmette and get to know some fine people!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Hi, Denise - welcome to the adventure (and BYC)!

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[Dae dae]

Thanks drumstick diva. I'm really looking forward to learning and experiencing the joys of raising chickens. Right now I'm trying to figure out the best breed for me to go with. Any suggestions on a breed that would do well in a small setting?

 

[Dae dae]

Hi ole grey mare,
thanks for the welcome!

 

[gander007]

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! A great place to start is the BYC Learning Center, lots of good articles on all aspects of chicken keeping. https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center

Here are a couple of links to some nice chicken breed comparison charts you might like http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html and http://www.albc-usa.org/documents/chickenbreedcomparison.pdf when you have narrowed down your choices, don't forget to check the BYC Reviews section for member reviews on the different breeds.
For egg laying breeds, for egg numbers alone, the Red Sex Links (Golden Comet, Red Stars, ISA Browns etc) for brown eggs are probably the most popular. If you want breeds that don't lay quite as well but will lay for a longer time, Orpingtons (lots of people really like these, great pets though broody), Australorps, Plymouth Rocks, Sussex, Delaware and Wyandottes are some other popular breeds that are usually pretty friendly, they all lay different shades of brown eggs. The Easter Egger / EE, often sold as Ameraucana by hatcheries, are neat because they usually lay green/blue eggs, and they tend to be very nice birds, and the Welsummer and Marans lay dark brown eggs.
You might also like to check out your state/country thread to see what people in your area have. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/245700/wisconsin-cheeseheads

 

[Dae dae]

Thanks kelsie2290, I appreciate the helpful info! I see I have lots of homework to do but, I'm looking forward to it!

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

So glad you could join our community! Kelsie has really left you with some great links to follow. Enjoy this new journey you are on and welcome to our flock!

 

[Dae dae]

Hi everyone,
I have done my research along with your help and have decided that I will be raising light Brahmans. I think they will be the best bird for my little farmette! I'm super excited to get started. I've designed my coop and will begin constructing it soon. I will be keeping the chicks in the house in a brooding box for a couple weeks so I have time, in between rainy days, to build them an awesome pallet coop.
I am just about ready for the chicks so I'll be ordering them next week. Now is the task of choosing a hatchery. A friend of mine goes through one out of Iowa, I'm in Wisconsin and would like to buy locally so, I'm still looking. Any suggestions!?!