New to chickens...I have lots of questions!

[Eva]

Quote:
Thanks for the welcome!
Ohh... I looked at Black Australorps and they are beautiful! Good layer's too! I think that I'm going to have some hard choices to make at the feed store...lol
I'll probably end up with five different types of chicken.

 

[wynedot55]

a 10 by 12 can hold 30 chickens.an that gives them 4sqft pre bird.start with the # your comfy with.an go from there.

 

[Eva]

30...seriously! That's a lot of chickens!
I think that we'll have to work up to that number..lol
WOW!!
For now I guess that my girls will just have some extra space.
thanks for the help and the welcome everyone

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Actually buying them at the feed store will be a lot cheaper than mail order...you will only be paying for chicks not the shipping too.

Problem is, you will have to get them to special order unless you just want the types they have there. RIR are great chickens. Since you originally planned on them I would get at least one. In my experience, they are sweet, gentle, good layers. My EE (Amerucana) is flighty and spastic (but still sweet).....but yeah, she lays green eggs. My sweetest are my Barred Rock and my White Leghorn (but most would disagree with that last one LOL)Most breeds will be really sweet if you hold them constantly from the start......a great way to let the kids get involved from the start......kids LOVE chickies!!!

I think you would be surprised at how NOT overwhelming 10 chickens would seem. My original order was 10 (9 lived and I re-homed one rooster). Now my 8 just doesn't seem like enough.

Good luck and welcome!!! Enjoy the addition of the feathered angels!!!!

 

[Oakland_Ranchero]

We love our Delawares. When I was a kid we had them and they were great. We treated them more like puppies than chickens. They would alway coming running when we called them. They are good layers and very hardy. Very calm and docile. www.mypetchicken.com has some good advice and supplies for backyard/pet flocks.

We now have 8 Delawares of our own and the chicks which are about 3 weeks old and great. They run to us when ever we get near the brooder.

They're very pretty too.

 

[YoungChickenOwner]

Hi! I'm new, this is my first post....

I remember when I was around the age of 5 my dad introduced our family of 5, to a flock of 10 chicks. Rhode Island Red's, Silver & Golden Polish, Buff Orphington's, and Barred Rocks. As a kid the most fascinating chicken was the polish breed...which grow up to look similar to this...

They are in my opinion the most docile breed available..and great for kids!

And I must agree with the others who first posted, Buff Orphingtons are also a must for a first flock. Very docile, nice looking, and are excellent layers of brown eggs.

buff orp--->

 

[YoungChickenOwner]

May I add that variety in a flock of chickens really makes the experience sooo much better!

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Quote:
I totally agree with YoungChickenOwner here. it makes it better in lots of ways and there is nothing more wonderful than looking outside and seeing a rainbow of chickens happily scratching and pecking (then gathering a rainbow of eggs).

 

[Lothiriel]

Welcome to BYC, YoungChickenOwner! Those are beautiful birds! Are they yours?
I agree too - we have 4 breeds right now but have had more and the experience is amazing. You can identify the birds by their "chickenalities," and almost each one will be different.

 

[countryboy]

welcome Eva and YoungChickenOwner,