Woohooooo! Up until now, I have "had" some chickens on and off that belonged to friends or family. Today, I went and got my very own chicken - my first ever! And while it's a rooster, not a hen, I'm still very excited I don't have the proper environment for him where I live, so he's taken up residence at my boyfriend's house, where he has plenty of space to run around. I'd like to get a few hens to go along with him, since no one likes to be alone. I'll get pictures of him tomorrow - promise! He's a big barred rock, and I think he's just gorgeous. Now for the hard part. I must actually choose which kinds of hens to get. Wyandotte? Orpington? Delaware? More Barred Rocks? Or something else? Oh, decisions, decisions..........
Get one of each. I have a mixed flock of Eater Egger, Wyandotte, Orpington & Australorp. They are all great. I probably won't get an Easter Egger again, but she is mellowing out since she started coming into lay. Next summer I want to add a few others, maybe a Barred Rock- so pretty... I know someday I will settle on one or two I like best, but for now I like trying out different types. I love my Wyandotte and Orpington. Both are sweet, and great layers. My Australorp & Orpington are the best. I get an egg a day with no light in MAINE. They are real champs. Singing the egg song in two part harmony as I type this. They came into lay later than some breeds, but have been truly excellent since. The Wyandotte is almost daily. She skips one day a week. But, if she is a good broody down the line, it will be worth it.
I started with nine pullets, lost those to a stray dog and now have over thirty chickens altogether of various breeds and ages. Careful, it's very addicting, especially once you start getting eggs. I see your situation now...it starts with a rooster and then you want to get hens for him. Now you think the hens are pretty so you want to get a couple of the prettier or fluffier breeds. Oh! Somebody is giving away a rooster of that breed? Sure why not... Now you're getting eggs. This is so much fun! Now you want to give them all a nice place to sleep/lay so you build/buy them a nice coop. Now you want to make sure it's cool in the summer and warm in the winter... Now you know you have males and females....let's try to hatch some babies.... You need an incubator and all that goes with it, then you need the stuff for the babies when they hatch. If you keep any of your own, now you need to expand your original coop.... See where this is going? It's only been 3 months since I bought my first chickens and have done everything I just mentioned short of hatching my own babies. I have 4 coops/cages in my yard dedicated to the main flock, babies, pullets, and sick or injured birds and now I'm still constantly adding to and upgrading their living quarters. Thank the lord my wife hasn't gotten involved or else I may have already built a fence around the whole two acres and bought stock in Layena.
barry - Oh noes, there's already a coop in progress for them! And I wanted eggs.........and chickies.........are you saying I'm doomed? 0_0 Last night, we had some good wind and snow flurries here, and this morning I found out that my rooster (cockerel? He's 8 months old) who I've named Beau, had gotten out of the horse trailer he was being kept in for the night. Turns out he's a good flyer. Fear not, for my boyfriend found him crowing away in the front yard, where he allowed himself to be picked up and carried into the back. There is a black hen in the yard who's taken to him, which is good to see since the other hen my boyfriend has has pretty much snubbed Beau. Here he is! He's probably wondering why he got put in the shed for the morning. This one shows a better view of his tail feathers. It occurred to me last night that BR's shouldn't have green feathers like that.....Anyone else think that he could be a mix of some kind? He's got little muffs on his cheeks, too, not sure if the pictures show that very well. He's been very well behaved so far, though he did take a nip at me once when he was in the shed. I think it was because he was in a new place and a little unhappy about being stuck in there for a few hours.
He is a beauty! Although I know next to nothing about breeds I have learned alot from this site I am on my first batch of chickens as well. (I have 3 easter eggers whom I love dearly and 2 buff orpington ducks) Im still learning everything I need to know but have figured out that chicken math is a for sure thing.(I am getting 6 Golden laced Cochin Bantams in the spring. With one rooster. So I can hatch some eggs. Lol ) They are very addicting!!! Lol I love them and cant imagine my life with out my fuzzy butted chickens and cant wait to get more!!! Congratz on your new addition to your family and may you have many more to come!!
Congrats! He's beautiful and I'm sure you'll make him one happy boy! He looks like a barred Easter-egger, though. Not a bad thing--like you said, he is absolutely gorgeous!
Hmmm! How funny, since I kind of wanted an EE. I guess that kind of works? Mother Hen - It sounds like you're going to be having a lot of fun come springtime. Consider me slightly jealous!
Hes beautiful! I started off with 9 chicks in April, now I have 33 chickens and plan on hatching eggs in the spring.Its okay though, the chicken addiction is very enjoyable with all the different kinds of chickens running around.
