New to Homewood (IL), New to Chickens

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AliciaWA

AliciaWA

In the Brooder
Jul 24, 2015
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Hi everyone,

We just moved to the south suburbs of Chicago, and have wanted to try raising chickens for a few years -- but life kept getting in the way of starting (a new baby one year, moving last year, etc...). Anyway, fast forward to a few months ago, we had the opportunity to participate in a 4H incubation project and decided that that would be our launch out into the world of chickens. We have three chickens from that project, though looks like we have a rooster in the mix that we have to get rid of (per city ordinance), now that it is easier to sex them.

We are just thinking of keeping two or three chickens total, and don't know much about all the varieties of breeds out there. We are literally starting with what we were given from the incubation project (2 leghorns and a barred rock, I believe). Have lots of questions, but just sorting through this site, seeing which ones are already answered and which are new ones.

Just wanted to say hello for now!
 
You can post photos of your chicks at "what breed or gender is this." That way you will get others agreeing if he is a cockerel or not.
 
Welcome to BYC!

There are so many interesting and beautiful breeds out there, choosing which ones to raise is part of the fun. There's a really good article in the Learning Center for choosing the best fit for your circumstances (weather, flightiness, egg production, etc.):
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...cken-guide-to-picking-backyard-chicken-breeds

There are also breed reviews written by members that may give you more insight into the breeds you are considering:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/products/category/chicken-breeds

I think it's a good idea to keep at least 3 or 4 birds...things happen and you don't want to end up with a single chicken that misses the companionship of others.

Good luck to you, if you have questions, always feel free to ask.
 
Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. Murray McMurray has an excellent "chick selector" tool at https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/chick_selector.html to help you determine which breeds would be best for you. Just be sure and click on "show more characteristics." Even if you don't purchase your birds from Murray, the "chick selector" is a valuable tool. If you haven't done so already, definitely check out our Learning Center at https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center. There is loads of useful information there that will keep you from making beginners' mistakes. :eek:) Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck with your flock.
 

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