New here and not sure where to start!

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FarmDreamer

FarmDreamer

Chirping
10 Years
Nov 13, 2009
4
0
65
Greetings! I live in the southwest, high destert climate, and just began my serious quest to raise chickens so we can have fresh eggs. I have no idea where to begin. I guess I need to research breeds that would do well in our part of the world (summer: hot, dry, highs in the 90s and 100s; fall: cool, little rain, highs in the 60s and 70s with pretty chilly nights; winter: cold, dry, highs in the 40s and 50s with freezing nights sometimes and even some snow though it never sticks; spring; much like fall) as well as breeds that are as productive as we would like them to be, currently we eat about 18-24 eggs a week and would love to stop buying eggs from the store and just get them from our own chickens. DH only wants 1 chicken but I was thinking more like 3 or 4. Feeling overwhelmed but I think I will take the winter to figure it all out and then get some chicks first thing in the spring or end of winter. Any advice would be helpful!

Thanks
 
Hello FarmDreamer, and welcome to BYC!
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You'll want to become familiar with the "search" button in the blue bar above. You can use it to sort and find tons of useful info. There are probably lots of breeds that'll work for you - enjoy deciding which to choose - it'll be a tough choice!
 
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You will need more than one. They're flock animals and don't do well alone. Get at least three. That way if something happens to one, you will still have 2. Quite frankly, if you are going out and feeding 3, you might just as well be feeding 10!
 
Welcome to BYC!!!!

You started out in the right place
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Chickens will take 6-7 months to start producing eggs, so if you want eggs sooner, you may consider purchasing POL hens (Point of Lay). Otherwise, chicks are fun to raise!

I have Wyandottes and they lay a nice light brown egg and I am partial to Barred Rocks. If you dont mind a slightly darker egg, the Buff Orpingtons are nice layers also.

So many choices...lol.

Enjoy your time on BYC!
 
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from So Cal

You've picked a great time to begin your research - I was surprised how long it took me to get from deciding to get chickens to actually being ready for them.

The more time you spend studying and planning, the better your experience will be. You could probably find everything you need to know right here on BYC, but if you like to read books, get Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens - it's a good one.

Research breeds - here's a page on BYC that might be helpful as far as climate and breed temperament: https://www.backyardchickens.com/breeds/breed-chart/climate/desc

The more time you put into planning your coop/pen as far as being accessible, predator-proof and easy to clean, the happier you and your chickens will be.
 
Hi and welcome!

Here's a great chart for researching the different breeds of chickens:

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

If you see a breed that looks intereseting, click on the "FS" button beneath the picture, and that will take you to Feathersite, where you will find lots of info and pictures.

It's so much fun to check out all the different breeds, and daydream about which ones would suit you best. I started out with a handful of point of lay pullets which I bought in the dead of winter, then added 10 (female!) hatchery chicks in the spring. I got a nice assortment of breeds, so I could see which ones were the best fit for my personality. And then it just grew from there. Hatching eggs, getting ducks. It's a great hobby! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
 

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