New & Full Of Doubt

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LynnandQuinn

LynnandQuinn

Hatching
5 Years
Apr 10, 2014
6
0
7
Maryland
I am absolutely over the moon about getting 3 hens! This is going to be a lovely NEW adventure! I don't know if I want stunning chickens or fun pretty eggs. I absolutely want a Frizzle without a doubt! I truly would like an Easter Egger as well but I just love the coloring on the hens with what looks like -outlines around their feathers.

Is buying hand raised hens an option? I am very interested in interacting with my girls, picking them up, petting them - a pets with benifits relationship ... I am not sure I want to raise babies, being so very new at this I don't want to do them harm... they are so young and delicate, proper development is so important (I've been stalking some blogs).

AND ..... Is there a Backyard Birds for Bumbling Beginners Class? I'm in Maryland and I would be happy to drive to PA, DE, VA to take an on hands day class. I will admit, I am a bit spoiled. I have a champion show pooch and my breeder is most excellent, so informative and always on call. It’s been 7 years so I don't ring her up nearly as often anymore but that safety net has been comforting. Are there Backyard Chicken Keeper "support groups" lol - meet up for tea and coffee and chat about successes and challenges... I just want to set myself and my ladies up for the utmost success. Websites like this are a dream! I am so grateful to be living in the age of technology (I still highly respect the personal touch though)

Thank You! <3
 
Sounds like you really need to go to a poultry show. The Ohio National Poultry Show in Columbus Ohio is the largest poultry show in the nation. It happens each year in November. Lots of breeders of all kinds of chickens attend this show. People stay in hotels so they can meet their friends, see judging and talk chickens. They also have chickens for sale. l

If you google alot, you might be able to find a poultry show in your area. Also, there are clubs for the different breeds of chickens that you can join.

Think about raising a few chicks. It's not difficult, and if you want your chickens to be friendly "pets" and not just livestock, then you just raise them up from babies and give them lots of love and attention. It's really fun.

Feathersite.com is a good website to look at different breeds of chickens, and there are links to breeders too. And of course if you google breeds you are interested in, then you'll find clubs, and those clubs have breeder listings too.

I had a wonderful little bantam frizzle Cochin years back. She was so adorable and comical. Loved watching her run around outside with her flock mates.

There are breed listings here too with lots of pics and ratings too.

Enjoy and welcome to BYC!
 
Awesome! Thank you! I really think I would like attending a Poultry Show - being a dog show person lol

I will head over to Feathersite.com right now!!!
 
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Welcome to BYC!

So glad you could join our community! Chicks are the best bet when starting with chickens. You can work with them from a very young age and they bond with you. Older birds can be tamed up, but take a bit more work that chicks.

You might want to do some reading in our learning center here on BYC. Lots of great tips and hints on getting started, raising new chicks, working with older birds and keeping everybody happy and healthy....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center

If you have any other questions, that is what we are here for. Enjoy this new adventure you are on and welcome to our flock!
 
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! Chickens aren't nearly as scary to keep as it might seem! You might want to check with your extension office, or 4-H type clubs, often they will have some sort of introduction to poultry program, or post in your state thread if anyone knows of anything (good way to meet chicken keeping neighbors also) https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/63745/maryland-thread
 
I just joined here as well after starting our first flock. We got our very first baby chicks just two weeks ago. I read blogs, books, websites, and talked to the people at the store we got them at for weeks (ok, probably months) before taking them on. I did lots of prep and have been watching carefully, and they are doing great! We haven't really had many issues. A little sticky bottom on one of the chicks in the first week, but nothing since.

I know it seems scary, and I was nervous too. Like you, I would never want to unknowingly cause an animal harm....especially a fuzzy, cute, adorable baby chick. But I say try brooding some chicks. Reading all the things online does make it seem challenging and just down right scary when they list all the bad things that can happen, but with study and prep things are going well. So well in fact we will be getting ducklings next week to add to our flock when they're all ready to head to their big home outside.

Good luck! I encourage you to try it! Its been amazing, and if you want pets, its totally the way to go. Holding them every day and talking to them, they recognize and respond to us already...at just 2 weeks old. :)
 
Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan
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Raising chicks is easily done if you follow the guidelines - look through the Learning Center for info. And they grow amazingly fast, by 6 weeks they are fully feathered and able to go without supplemental heat.
 

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