New Here

[WestKyHens]

Live in Western KY. Haven't ever had chickens.

Interested in good egg layers for a family. Looking for any recommendations on different breeds, where to get them from, how many to order. Our family uses about a dozen eggs a week.

Would ideally like some green, blue, brown tinted eggs

May free range the chickens on the weekends, otherwise should be in the coop and run most of time.

Will be building my own coop and run.

Planning the DLM method based on what I have read here so far.

Anyways, looking for recommendations of number of chicks to purchase, breeds, where to get them from and any tips and tricks.

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. Set your goals, plan, prepare and you will be successful in establishing your flock.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Here are some helpful links:

• Great go-to resource - Articles
• Insightful feedback on how members manage their flocks - Topic of the Week back-catalogue
• Good link to read before building a coop / run - Space requirements
• Hook up with other BYC members nearby using the links in my signature, below.
• Hatching / Chick-care

Any questions that you may have regarding your chicks will be best posted here - Raising baby chicks forum

Best wishes

Pork Pie

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Welcome to our FUNomenal community!
I hope you enjoy BYC as much as we do!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens this is a wonderful site

 

[Meg-in-MT]

Hello! Welcome to BYC!! Some of my friendliest birds are Marans and Brahmas. Good layers, good mothers.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Welcome to BYC! For blue eggs I’d look at EE’s

 

[TwoShepherds]

Hello and welcome! Having chickens and fresh eggs are so much fun...I'm sure you'll love it. I have 12 chickens and get dozens of eggs a week. I get blue or blue-green eggs from my Easter Eggers and lots of light brown eggs from my orpingtons, favorelles, wyandottes, buff brahmas, and speckled sussex. Also a nice white egg from my silver-gray dorking. Coming in June, I have some Cream Legbar (blue eggs), oliver egger (green eggs), welsummer (speckled brown), and exchequer leghorn (white) coming. Have fun on your chickening journey. There are lots of wonderful breeds to choose from. I've had my flock for a year and still can't decide on a favorite breed.

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
Make sure you research how to build a proper coop for floor space, roost space, heights, ventilation, clean out and ease of bird retrieval and coop cleaning before you get started. Same goes for the run.

 

[igorsMistress]

Welcome to BYC. 4 hens should be enough for a dozen eggs a week. Easter eggers will give you a colorful basket. Most chicks ordered from a hatchery are production types and will lay nearly every day. I've had very friendly easter eggers, Rhode Island reds and Australorps. Build your coop and run larger than what you think you'll need. Enjoy!