New owner

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Countrygrl12

Countrygrl12

Hatching
Apr 22, 2015
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hello! I am a new chicken owner and I have a few questions... 1. what type of chicken is the best for a new owner with kids (they are 12 and 16)? 2. is it better to get a chick, or a full grown chicken? 3. what is your personal favorite?

Thank you so much!!
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Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! Here are a couple of links to some nice chicken breed comparison charts you might like http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html and http://www.albc-usa.org/documents/chickenbreedcomparison.pdf when you have narrowed down your choices, don't forget to check the BYC Reviews section for member reviews on the different breeds.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/270925/find-your-states-thread and check out your state thread for what breeds people in your area are having success with
If you start with chicks, they are generally easier to tame and make pets out of, but you run a bigger chance of getting an accidental rooster and young chicks especially do need special care. With older birds, you will get eggs sooner, you can be pretty sure of what you are getting, the main negative is if they have not been handled/ tamed before you get them.
Depending what you want chickens for, mostly for pets or mostly for eggs, for pets, Silkies and Cochins are probably the two most popular breeds, they are not very good egg layers but are very friendly. So far as more layer breeds go, for egg numbers alone, the Red Sex Links (Golden Comet, Red Stars, ISA Browns etc) for brown eggs and the commercial White Leghorns for white eggs are probably the most popular layers around. If you want breeds that don't lay quite as well but will lay for a longer time, Orpingtons and Black Australorps are really popular, lots of people really like these, as they are great pets though broody... Plymouth Rocks, Sussex, Delaware and Wyandottes are some other popular breeds that are usually pretty easy to get along with, they all lay different shades of brown eggs. If you like colorful eggs, the Easter Egger, often sold as Ameraucana by hatcheries, are a fun breed because they usually lay green/blue eggs, and they tend to be very nice birds... have fun deciding!
 
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I'm glad you joined our community!

There are many wonderful chicken breeds, but some of my favorites are Wyandottes, Australorps, Orpingtons, Plymouth Rocks, Easter Eggers, and Sex-links. All of those breeds are usually gentle (good with kids), hardy in heat and cold, and productive egg layers. The Cochin is another docile, cute breed, which doesn't lay as much as the breeds mentioned previously.

Whether you get chicks or full grown birds depends on your situation and preferences. Chicks are certainly adorable, and raising them is a great learning experience. Chicks also are easy to tame and generally don't harbor any diseases. However, chicks do require more attention (extra heat, careful monitoring, etc.), and can be somewhat fragile. Additionally, if you get chicks, it will be several months before you receive any eggs.

Older birds, on the other hand, may already be laying, so you don't have to wait. They're also past the "tender" stage, and are good at surviving various weather conditions and care abilities. Disadvantages of older birds include: they're not usually very tame, they may carry harmful diseases, and they may not be what they were sold as (some sellers sell "layers" which are actually old hens past their prime).

Personally, I prefer raising chicks. However, either age of chicken should provide you and your children with a very educational, enjoyable experience.
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Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

There are many friendly chicken breeds out there that make great pets. Some of these include: Silkies, buff orpingtons, black australorps, cochins, barred rocks, faverolles, easter eggers, wyandottes, sussex and polish. My personal favorite is the buff orpington. This breed is affectionate, calm, friendly sweet natured and gentle. Of course you have to work to tame them. (Here is a link on taming chickens when they are young https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-tame-chickens-from-the-start)

Easter eggers, wyandottes, sussex and barred rocks all tend to be more curious and active than the other breeds I mentioned. So they will need more taming in order to teach them to be calm around people. Cochins and silkies especially are lap hogs and simply love to hang out with people.

Hope this helps! Good luck!
 
So much good advice here!
My Buff Orpington is very docile and tolerates handling well. m
My barred/Plymouth(haven't figured out the differences of those yet) is extremely friendly to people and follows us around like a puppy ;)

I think Easter eggers run the risk of an unpredictable personality because they are a mixed breed. Mine is not very friendly and difficult to handle.
 
1. I recommend Plymouth Rocks, they are gentle and docile.
2. Getting chicks makes your bond easier to attain and stresses the bird less.
3. My personal favorite is a tie between Sex-Links, Barred Rocks, and White Leghorns. Leghorns, probably. Mine follow me and jump on my lap, as well as laying fabulous eggs!
 
Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided join our flock. Raising chickens is a wonderful experience for children. My children and my granddaughter (pictured in my avatar) loves our chickens. With children around, I would suggest going with one of the breeds that has a well deserved reputation for being calm and gentle (potential lap pets) such as Australorps, Orpingtons, Brahmas, Cochins, Silkies, Sussex, or Faverolles. If egg production is a priority, Australorps are the best layers on this list. Please feel free to ask any other questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Whatever breed you decide to get, good luck with your flock.
 

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