New to Chickens - Which Breed/Where to Get?

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gypsyhorsefan

gypsyhorsefan

Hatching
6 Years
Aug 30, 2013
2
0
7
Hello! I have horses and our horse trainer recently bought her farm and has lately been looking into getting chickens, and so I've been reading up on chickens but have a few area specific questions since most of the books I've seen go into great detail about cold weather, but not so much hot weather, which is much more of a concern here in central Florida. She does have a lot of dogs, so total free range would not be possible, but on the flip side, there probably won't be much of a predator issue either (I have never seen so much as a mouse out there, though I've heard that she does get coyotes in the far pastures - not where the chickens would be). I was just wondering what breeds do well in hot parts of the country as well as what sort of coop design is best. She does have a lot of grassy area, so a portable "chicken tractor" type coop would be a definite possibility, but my main concern is how to balance ventilation with the fact that it rains all the time in the summer/fall. I am also concerned about where to get chickens. I know that most people order chicks in the mail from large hatcheries, but since she is set on raising chickens mostly from an animal welfare standpoint I don't think that would fly. How does one find local chickens to buy?

Thanks,

gypsyhorsefan
 
You could buy them from local breeders or feed stores. My local feed store holds Red Stars, Australorps, Buff Orpingtons, White Leghorns, Rhode Island Reds, and Easter Eggers that they call "Ameraucanas". The chicks usually range from $1.00- $3.00.
 
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Feed stores or ask local farms i know at my local feed store they sell pullets chicks and fully grown hens and a good chicken breed is red star hens they have lots of different names and barred rocks silver laced wyandottes rhode island red and leghorns are also amazing breeds but red star chickens are the best for egg size production and lay alot of eggs they are the all along best breed according to local farms and websites if you can get a hold of them your set cause i have 6 and oooh i love them lots!! Most hens to buy range from 6.00$-15.00$ and its hard to explain good coop designs but if you go on a chicken website or google search creative coops or whatever and sometimes you can even print a plan to build it so thats convienent so just search around a bot you will find lots of different things hope i helped a bit
 
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You could go to "where am I, where are you," in the social forum. Locate your state thread and post there. They will be able to tell you how to handle the heat in your area as well as what breeds do best. You will also be able to connect with breeders in your locale so you don't have to ship. Good luck with your quest.
 
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Great advice from drumstick diva - go to your state thread, and perhaps you can locate some locally bred and raised birds.
 

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