NEW to BYC & Raising Chickens... advice welcomed!!! :)

[meshel me81]

Hello! I am near the Quad Cities in Illinois. I have just gotten some chicks and am interested in learning a lot of the in's and out's of keeping them happy, healthy & laying eggs!!

I am also interested in maybe getting one or two bigger chickens that are already laying...

 

[Hillschicks]

If i waa going to get a couple big chickens that are already layin, id go with a gold sex link... They are friendly enough that the bond you would get if you had them from chicks not being there wouldnt be a big deal

Keep in mind, whenever adding chickens to other chickens you are changing the pecking order... They will re-establish it but it is in fact a PECKING order and you dont want big girla peckin chicks... They will draw blood and once they do everyone will gang up on whoever bleeds ... There are many methods on here about adding chickens safely, search them out if your going to... I learned the hard way when i started chickenin... Figured we could just throw em together... Our leghorn ended up with exposed skull on the back of its head... But if done properly it can be a smooth process, just takes time

 

[Hillschicks]

*also on the gold sex links... I suggest them because your desire being eggs... In my many breed experience, they lay as well as any other breed out there... They can go toe to toe with a leghorn, but are MUCH less skittish