New member in upstate NY

[ArielleL]

I am located in upstate NY. I am excited and hoping to start raising chickens for eggs. I am excited I found this site so I can learn more about raising chickens. What are the best breeds and what's the best amount of chickens to start out with?

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. Type 'New York' in the search bar at the top of the page and locate the NY state threads. Your 'neighbors' will be your best source of advice and information. Good luck in establishing your flock.

 

[sunflour]

glad you have joined us.

You should visit the Learning Center and coops section to help you get started.

There are many resources for helping you decide what breeds and how many you need.

Most are cold hardy ( I had to find those heat tolerant for Georgia), and breeds information usually lists an average of eggs you can expect. You can find that information on this site, textbooks or hatchery sites. And talk to those folks in forums who reside in your area. If you want to buy yours locally, locate breeders or feed 'n seed stores for what breeds they offer. Try contacting your local Agricultural Extension office to connect with local breeders.


My advice for your location is research those cold hardy and look at breed characteristics for how you plan to manage your flock and how many eggs you need. Personally I picked friendly breeds that can be raised in confinement, to avoid predator issues with free ranging.

I have both BO's and BR's which are both cold and heat tolerant and fun to raise.

Good luck in your research and planning. This is a great adventure, full of fun and surprises.

 

[N F C]

There's an article in the Learning Center that might help you narrow down the breeds that could best meet your needs:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...cken-guide-to-picking-backyard-chicken-breeds

As for how many to start with, I wouldn't go with less than maybe 4. Sometimes, despite all our best efforts, losses happen.

Have fun selecting your birds, it's nice to have you here!

 

[drumstick diva]

Right breed also depends on uses, layers, meat birds, lawn decorations, pets etc.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC - great advice already give, so I'll just say hello!

All the best
CT

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[NickyKnack]

There's a lot of great peeps here! Feel free to ask lots of questions. But most of all, make yourself at home. I'm so glad you decided to join the BYC family. I look forward to seeing you around the run.