Hello all! My name is Hannah and I live in a very small town in Texas. My husband and I recently purchased a house on 5 acres! I used to raise chickens for the livestock show and rodeo in high school but haven't since. Ever since we moved I have been getting the "itch" again! I am really interested in raising hens for eggs but really don't know where to begin! Any tips on breeds, chicken coop plans, or any tips at all would be greatly appreciated!! I am really excited in beginning this journey! -Hannah
Hi, Hannah, congratulations on your new home, and welcome to BYC. Click on the Learning Center at the top of the page. Also check out Breeds and the forums. Good luck in establishing your flock.
Hello there and welcome to BYC! So glad you could join our community!! As Sourland suggested, you will definitely want to stop by our learning center for all kinds of good articles on all the aspects of keeping chickens including getting started with chickens, building the coop, picking the breeds, raising the chicks and keeping your flock happy, healthy and safe from predators....https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center I am a huge fan of the Orpington breeds especially the Buff Orpingtons and the Black Australorps. Very gentle, docile birds, the LOVE to lap sit and are great on the laying. Very hardy birds as well. Kid friendly too. Enjoy this new journey you are on and if you have any questions along the way, feel free to ask. Welcome to our flock!
Oh and just in case you miss it, here is a link to our coops pages too for some ideas...https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/2/Coops
Welcome to BYC!!! There are loads of members on here…so if you have ANY questions…just ASK!!! Hope you have loads of fun and all your answers answered here on BYC the BEST CHICKEN KEEPING FORUM on EARTH!!
Thanks for the info this website is great! I'm sure it's on here somewhere, but is there an age anyone suggests that I buy my chicks at?
Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us. Getting day old chicks from a feed store or hatchery is a great way to start raising chickens. That way, you can tame them from day one. If you get older birds, sometimes they won't be as tame. Plus, you'll have a greater chance of bringing in disease.
I'm glad you joined us! Getting day-old chicks is very popular. It allows you to pick from a wide variety of breeds and bond with the chicks well with little risk of disease. You could also purchase several week old chicks, or even older birds.
Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help. If you are having them shipped then the best time to order them would be February or March since Hatcheries sell out quickly. Or you can wait until June or July. Hatcheries are most busy in the early spring months. If you plan to buy them locally then you need to decide what store you will be getting them. That is where I found my chicks. Also, if you are wanting eggs in the same year you buy your baby chicks, then you need to get them in spring or even late winter. This is because pullets take about 4-7 months to start laying and need warmth and light in order to do so. So let's say you buy your chicks in March; they will probably start laying in August or September. That all depends on breed too.