New to having chickens

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Maybe you can hatch some.

I'll have eggs to sell soon.

I have FBCMs, WMs, Wellies, Ameraucanas, Salmon Favs and Penes. I also have Polish. If you want a chick that lays and is fun to watch............Polish! LOL

Whatever you decide, remember that if you buy at the feedstore, they are basically hatchery chicks. Nothing wrong with them, but they don't always have the same things going on for them that one fronm a good breeder would have. Most are bred for production though, so if you don't care much what you have and want eggs you will get them, but they tend to stopp laying as well after the first or second year.
 
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from Ohio - Just three?
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go for at least 5 and mix them up so you can kinda tell which breed is laying the best and learn from that.
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Hello from Concord, NC!
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We started this chicken adventrue one year ago and what fun it has been!

We have Easter Eggers (for the pretty gree and olive colored eggs) They are fun little chickens to have around too.

We also have 3 sex linked hens (daddy was a RIR and momma was a white rock hen) The Sex links are great layers...nice big brown eggs almost 6 eggs per bird per week. They are also fun.

I have one black australorp who is such a sweetie...she gets picked on sometimes because of her gentle nature so have to watch her...I am expecting her to start laying any day now...but got her because I read about their great natures and great egg laying.

I started with an incubator and built what I needed as we needed it. They lived in a refrigerator box in my garage for a few month until we got the coop built. Built a decent 4x8" coop out of pallets...still cost $400
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. So be prepared the star up costs is almost comparable to buying a dog...I guess.

I saved the first egg we got last summer...I made it into a christmas ornament...afterall it cost $400.

Now all the eggs are free!
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you can view my BYC page for a pick of our coop...its pretty basic but so far it gets the job done. I am glad I didn't build bigger or else we would be over run with chickens right now...they are very addictive

Be prepared for some losses. We lost a few to dogs and have had a close call with a hawk...now we have a cattle panel run surrounding the coop so we can put them up when we are not home. Just had to learn as we went...and ALWAYS search this website when you need an answer or idea to fix a problem!!!

Good Luck!
Susan
 
Welcome to BYC! I started with chickens over the summer and the people of BYC have been great. Please visit my BYC Page for links to my blog that you may find informative or amusing.

The rule of thumb for coop planning is:
* 4 square feet per bird for the coop -- where they can have food, water, roost, nest box, and floor space
* 10 square feet of enclosed run -- where they can have food, water, dust bath, scratching, and "outdoor" space

Always build bigger than you expect. Chicken math will get you!
 
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and
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from a cold and snowy Ohio. So glad you joined. I'm sure you have figured out by now that there are a lot of enablers here.
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I have to agree with Wild Trapper and go for at least 5. It is easier to raise them together now than raising more later and trying to introduce new birds into the started flock.
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For many starting out, if you are going to build, the thing to do is build an 8'x8' walkin coop. Uses standard materials and hold supplies, also does not require the trouble or expense of external nest boxes. Slant the roof to one side and leave about a 6" opening under the roof, all the way across, for good ventilation. Many, many people start with 3 or 3 and soon find they want quite a few more, and this gives you room to put them.

Of course if you are really sure that 2 or 3 is all you will ever want, this is more than you need. Chickens can't have too much space, though. You might want to divide it off with chicken wire and use part to store garden tools or whatever, rather than build a tiny coop.

Remember that chickens tolerate cold much, much better than heat. You will not need to heat your coop in your climate, really, but you will want shade and lots of breeze in the summer. You will be glad to face it so it picks up lots of those coastal breezes. Actually you could no doubt have a 3 swided hot weather coop there.

Lots of good reading on here. So many people regret their first coop and wind up building a better one, then another better one. Be sure it's big enough the first time and you won't be planning a new one next year. Very small coops are difficult to ventilate and keep cool and warm.

And plan ahead for roosters. About one rooster to 10 hens is a good ratio; they can really punish the girls if there are too many. Hatchery sexing is only about 90% accurate and of course if you hatch chicks.... The simplest thing is to process and eat extra roos. It is difficult to find a home for a roo who you don't want to eat and don't want eaten. Something to decide on ahead of time.

Some breeds go broody (wants to set on eggs and hatch them) more than others. The simplest way to break a broody is let her hatch eggs or buy a few chicks and let her raise them. Henderson's breed chart will give you this and a lot of other info on the various breeds.

Chickens are individuals and not fully predictable, but in general, RIR tend to be mean and attack other chickens, and Leghorns tend to be flighty, afraid of people, and hard to handle. Some of the other breeds already mentioned are much friendlier, but there are lots of other friendly breeds, too. You should also think about whether you want bantams or standard size (large fowl or LF) chickens.

Good luck!
 

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