New from NW Florida (Pensacola area)

[tulie13]

Howdy chicken peeple!

Just wanted to introduce myself and ask for some board advice. I've seen lots of conflicting stories about how well certain breeds lay, and how big they get, etc. I'm beginning to think that although some of this is due to different bloodlines, some is possibly also due to the weather.

Some hens "shut down" in the winter, and some in the "heat of summer". I'm looking for a breed that will be a good layer, hoping to get an egg a day for most of the year (250+ days). I also know that if you put a light in the coop for the winter, making the days seem longer, you can keep hens laying for part of the winter, too.

Obviously here in NW Florida, we don't have "cold winters" compared to much of you Northern folks.

Any recommendations on breeds for Southern flocks? I was looking particularly at Buff Orpingtons (because they are very friendly/docile and supposedly good layers) and Ameraucanas (because they are neat and lay big blue-green eggs). For both breeds, I have seen that they are "good layers", and then I've seen elsewhere that they "don't lay very well"...

What say you Southern Backyard Chicken peeple?

Julie

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

from TN
I love my RIRs. Out of 5 hens Im still geting 4 to 5 eggs consitantly. But the roo is a bit onery sometimes.

 

[tulie13]

Quote:
I'm hoping to get ONE rooster eventually, so that I could get some chicks (eventually). I have heard that RIR roosters are ornery and crow A LOT. Buff Orpingtons supposedly are less aggressive and crow "less". Not sure about Ameraucanas...

I was hoping to start with a bunch of hens, then either buy or borrow a rooster to get some chicks.

I have a friend with an Ameraucana rooster already. If I went with Buff Orpingtons, I might just buy a cockerel and see how things go (with the neighbors/noise, etc.).

Will a rooster get exhausted if he has 24 hens to service?

 

[andehens]

from California

get what you like!! RIR's and BR's are pretty reliable! and yep, gotta love the orps and ee's!

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

Usually about 10 hens to one roo. It varies roo to roo. He want get exhausted. But alot of your eggs wont be fertilized.

 

[pascopol]

Quote:
If your main concern is egg production, nothing can beat sex links for brown eggs and mediterranian class breeds (Leghorns and their cousins) for egg every day and excellent food conversion (economy).

I am in Florida too, used to have 4 California Whites and 4 Black Sex links (F-1 cross of RI roo and Barred Rock hen of selected strains). They layed 8 eggs every day through summer, fall and Florida winter ( I did extended the daylight starting Oct through the winter with light on timer), did not molt the first fall, one day they layed 9!

They layed 300+ eggs each the first year.

I never had red sex links, but they are just as good as black sex links as members here report.

You can probably buy them now or in few weeks in your local Feed Store, your best bet, no risk in shipping, you can buy any amount smaller than 25.

 

[tulie13]

Quote:
What's a BR?

Wait, I think... Barred Rock? They aren't as "friendly" as Buffs from what I've read. See, part of this deal that my neighbors are OK with me having chickens is that their little girl gets to come over and visit them. So I need friendly/docile hens, too. Buff Orps seem to have a good rep for that. Ameraucanas (EE's), maybe not so much. But I like the cool color range of the EE's and that I could probably more easily tell them apart by their looks. They wouldn't all be "big yellow-gold hens".

I'm so TORN!!!

And I need to decide soon so I can order my chickies...

 

[sewchick]

From Old Town, Maine

 

[Dandelion007]

 

[Dandelion007]

Quote:
What's a BR?

Wait, I think... Barred Rock? They aren't as "friendly" as Buffs from what I've read. See, part of this deal that my neighbors are OK with me having chickens is that their little girl gets to come over and visit them. So I need friendly/docile hens, too. Buff Orps seem to have a good rep for that. Ameraucanas (EE's), maybe not so much. But I like the cool color range of the EE's and that I could probably more easily tell them apart by their looks. They wouldn't all be "big yellow-gold hens".

I'm so TORN!!!

And I need to decide soon so I can order my chickies...

From my experience, EE hens are very docile. The roos make up with their meanness. Mine lay everyday.