New to chickens but I want to learn:)

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Rrlong

Rrlong

Chirping
Nov 1, 2021
5
62
59
I grew up around a loving grandmother who had chickens and I have memories of them. But I don't know how to pick the right chickens for laying eggs and I'm not in the best place for meat chickens right now. But just want to start with backyard chicks for now.I want to pick the best book? Any suggestions?
Thanks so much.
Rexanna -
new member
 
Welcome to BYC! Thank you for joining us😁

I loved storey's guide to raising chickens, I need to order Rob Ludlow's co-authored book, he owns this site and I know for a fact that the info in that book will be sound. You can find great books at the bottom of your screen in the BYC store link.

I love Polish for eggs, Leghorns are pretty and they are great egg layers too. My favorite egg layers are ducks though, they also require less housing and special treatment (like roosts, wing clipping, spur trimming). But if it's egg laying chickens you want then I recommend polish and leghorns.
 
Welcome to the forums!! Honestly I never read a book I had a bit of hands on and learned through help. I will say I have a mixed flock, I have EE, Saphire gem, Silver laced Wyandottes, Australorp, Barred Rock, Dominique and olive egger. I honestly got some clearance birds.. well.. all of them.. :D. I also HAD meat birds butchered 8 and have 2 left.. plus my clearance ducks.. yeah..

Chicken math is real and if you are not careful you could overfill your coop easily with the cute chick faces. You could skip to layers or pullets ready to lay but a lot of times they cost more upfront. I so far like all of my birds personalities they have their friends and their coworkers and omg here comes the boss move.. but not in a bully way. If my lead girl says move they move she doesn't need to peck to assert herself she just holds herself so and makes a noise. She's my favorite of my older girls (4 of them are 3wks older then I have the next batch that is 9 and 2 very young 9wk olds that are part of their flock). I did cornish x for meat birds they were 10c on sale sooooooo.. yeah.. If this is serious egg production breeds like RIR are more on the machine level. Some are fair winter layers but short days it's not expected imo (i don't do supplement light personal choice I figure they can just be pets while it's cold). Breeds are personal preference.

More is better for coop and run size. The prefab coops are NOT big enough at TSC for their recommended breeds unless you're talking the lighter ones if you get heavy full size chickens more is better. The best thing to do is to decide what you want in your chicken then decide breeds that will work. Even birds in a breed have their own temperament and personality which can be impacted by the care and time you spend/put in. So far none of my girls are people aggressive and I have 15 layers (not including my ducks) of mixed breeds and 3 age groups coexisting. It takes patience to integrate especially when they are in their 'teenage' range of young pullet. Just like kids not wanting to deal with a sibling that wants to play they may not like a new chick that wants to challenge them because the chick is still learning manners.

Use these forums as a resource if you have questions on certain topics ask someone will answer and help you out.
 

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