New!! Appreciate some pointers!!

[Chicken7777]

Hi, I am new to this forum, and new to raising chickens. I am about to buy some Golden Comet Chicks to have some layers in the future.( i am thinking of buying another variety too, is it okay to buy different ones and raise them together?) I dont know much about raising chicks and chickens in general but have been reading allot to get myself ready. Please tell me if there is anything i might know from your experiences of raising chicks/chickens, layers, etc.
Thank you soo much!

 

[miss_jayne]

hi and a big WELCOME!!!

Golden Comets will be great for laying, NICE CHOICE. it comes down to what do you want from the chickens? meat only, eggs only, meat and eggs together. showing, pets etc.

there are tons of breeds and hybrids that would be great for beginners. how about some Orpingtons? good layers, can be good momma's and good eating! they are docile and would get along well with Comets. (of course each animal has it's own personality)

here is a website i have used to put my flock together and it was a true help!

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

 

[Chicabee19]

hi there!

I am also new, being that I don't have my chickens or my coop put up yet.

Read, read, read.... then read summore.

You'll find everything you could possibly want to know about chickens here, and then some.

Post any specific questions you might have!

 

[keljonma]

Check out the FAQs and general info here on BYC! There is lots of great helpful info here.

We raise a flock, and up until recently, did not have any two identical birds.

Our flock started with Silver Lakenvelder, Gold Laced Wyandotte, Silver Laced Wyandotte, White Wyandotte, Columbian Wyandotte, Auraucana/Americana, Dominique, Partridge Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, Jersey Black Giant, Buttercup, Ancona, Buff Orpington, Delaware, Silver Spangled Hamburg, Golden Penciled Hamburg, White Faced Black Spanish hens and Golden Campine and Single Comb Brown Leghorn roos.

We lost a few and added some since then. They get along well and forage the acreage alone and in little groups.

 

[cmom]

Here is a great referance book, Gail Damerow's 'Storey's Guide to Chickens' is an excellent guide, as well as this web site.

 

[Chicken7777]

Thank you soo much for the welcome, and help you guys! well i am going to buy some Golden Comets from Ideal Poultry( is this hatchery really good, because this is the only place i happened to find Golden comet day old chicks) but i am also thinking of buying some duclings. If i would buy some ducklings would they be good together, or is it a bad idea to raise them together?
Also i am buying layers, i want to try raising chickens first since i have never experienced it before, but i would like to get into raising chickens for meat but i feel kind of bad thinking i would have to buy chicks, raise them, and them have to eat them...Is this normal of me thinking this way..would like help on thinking differently. Thanks soo much!

 

[VirginiaBarb]

Hi !

I am another newbeee...

We have a wonderful home in Virginia. Lots of land...a small farm.

I have decided to begin a small chicken coop for organic egg laying.

I would like to do it now - and not wait for Spring. Any advice ?

How would I best go about finding a few young hens for egg laying now??

WHAT breed of Chicken is easy to raise, quite disease resistant, and great family fun - for the purpose of egg laying ?? In other words, not for show - but a good healthy breed for N. Virginia climate. I will have a backup plan to move them indoors (garage) in harsh winter.

Then, as we gain experience, we can bring in chicks in the Spring !

I have found some great resources to dig into for coops, feed, etc.. and happy I found this site.

Thanks for your help !

Barbara

 

[I*Eat*Chickens*Yum]

welcome. this is a great forum. I wouldnt be anywhere near as adept I am at caring for my chickens if it wasnt for this website. The people on here for the most part are fabulous and the wealth of knowledge shared here is literally priceless. Welcome again.

 

[cmom]

I usually get my chicks the first of Oct. and they usually start laying in February. I have had some start laying at 17 weeks and others at 27 weeks. I put a red heat lamp in the coop on in cold weather. I live in Florida so I don't think I really need to sometimes, but when it gets below 40 degrees here, their lamp goes on. I do have insulation in my coop. It gets cold enough that sometimes my bird baths freeze. Just make sure initally until they feather out to keep them warm. I have the heat lamp in one place so they can move as close of far as they want. Right now I have a week and a half old chicks in the brooder. I use a 60 watt incandesant bulb in a brooder lamp that sits on top of the brooder 24/7. I have a wireless digital thermometer to monitor the temp. I keep it around 95 degrees for the first week and decrease it 5 degrees a week.

Here is a picture of my new chicks. They were 3 days old here.

 

[keljonma]

Quote:
Ducks are messy and love wet muddy conditions. These are not good conditions for healthy chickens.