New member and soon to be chicken owner

[jdziok]

Hello,

My name is Joe and my wife and I are hoping to be backyard chicken owners real soon. I've been reading up and learning a lot on this community and I appreciate all the tips that everyone has been sharing. I'm currently building my coop and once it is finished we will be looking for our first chickens. We want to start off with 5 chickens and grow from there.

Anyone have a preference for first-time chicken owners; buy chicks or buy pullets? Our primary goal is to get eggs, but I see a lot of posts that say that it's more rewarding to raise them from chicks.

Thanks!

 

[DobieLover]

Hello, Joe, and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
I buy chicks. That is how I started my flock. Hopefully for the last time as I have a rooster and another little man in the brooder. I plan on letting a broody hen raise replacement chicks.
Are you wiring the coop for power? What breed(s) are you planning on getting?

 

[BullChick]

I had chicks, but added started pullets a few weeks later (chicken math!). When I started over, I just did started pullets and a rooster. I believe that’s the way to go.

 

[jdziok]

Thanks! I've been researching and I think I want to get some Sussex. We have a decent sized backyard that I want them to be able to walk around but we have some gardens and everything I see says they'll leave your garden plants alone. We also want them for egg production which I saw that Sussex are up there in the yearly egg count.

I'm not wiring the coop for power, because I am making it portable so I can move it around the yard, which is another reason I was thinking more toward pullets.

 

[sourland]

Hello, Joe, and welcome to BYC. If you buy started pullets, you are generally guaranteed pullets. Even with sexed chicks a certain percentage may be cockerels.

 

[DobieLover]

we have some gardens and everything I see says they'll leave your garden plants alone

Not around my gardens they don't! I think I got three large tomatoes, some lettuce and several handfuls of cherry tomatoes. The chickens got the kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts and the rest of the tomatoes. They squashed one of my perennials into an unrecognizable mass and did a number on my hosta. They are penned now.

 

[fldiver97]

Welcome Glad you decided to join us! I love Speckled Sussex

 

[pennyJo1960]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens you will get more eggs starting them out but have to also wait your choice which way

 

[Kiki]

Welcome to BYC.
We are glad you joined this flock!
Jump right in and make yourself at home.

This video will help you learn how to navigate this site (how to upload photos too):

Coop Ideas:
Chicken Coops.

What exactly did you Google to get here? <<<<<<<<<<<Click there to go to the thread.

BYC has an APP!

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

Good evening and welcome to the BYC flock!!!