new to keeping chickens

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briansnarr

briansnarr

Chirping
6 Years
Joined
May 23, 2013
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327
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Location
Spanish Fork, utah
Hey all I'm new to raising and keeping chickens. Still need to pick out the right ones that will work best in the utahs cold/hot months. I also have questions about letting the hens free graze. Do they always go back to the coop themselves or do you have to wrangle them up every time? What hens would be the best choice for laying lots of large eggs, are very sweet and can tolerate the cold? I'm leaning towards the barred rocks, anconas, cuckoo maran, delaware and new hampshire reds. Anyone out there know what would be the best? I will be ordering online at mcmurray.com.
 
welcome-byc.gif
maybe you could decide after checking out the Breeds forum. Or go to 'where am I, where are you." section so you can post on your state thread and get recommendations that will do best in your climate.
 
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Greetings from Kansas and
welcome-byc.gif
! Pleased to have you aboard! Below is a link to a chicken chart that compares characteristics of various breeds. Personally (and this is just my opinion, Anconas don't fit the "very sweet" criteria...I think they tend to be nervous, noisy, and jumpy...at least the ones I've had have been. Good luck in your search!

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html
 
Welcome to BYC!

I grew up in Utah, in Ogden valley. We had Barred rocks, and they did fine, except that the combs would freeze in the winter. During the very hot periods, they struggled a little with the heat.

Currently I live in southern Colorado and have Dominiques and Easter Eggers. The Dominiques don't lay quite as big an egg as the Barred Rocks, but they do very well in the cold. They have rose combs, and it has gotten quite cold during the winters and they do fine with no supplimental heat or lighting, and continued to lay during the winter, though they did slow a bit.
 
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Hello and welcome.....so glad you joined BYC

Good luck to you finding your perfect breeds.

Enjoy the site
 
Thanj you guys for the quick replies. Ya I did more research and decided anconas are not the bird I want to start off with. I think I'm going to get 2 buff orbingtons, 2 rhode island reds and either 2 barred rocks or 2 delawares. I kind of want a variety. But since its my first time around and raising chickens I want the ones thatwill be easiest. Especially in the weather utah has. I've read that the buff orbingtons tend to be somewhat 'broody' but I think I wouldn't mind to have a broody hen or 2.
 
I wouldn't mind aslo getting a easter egger. They are a nice looking bird. I love the jersey giants as well and like how big they are but I think I will need a bigger coop for one of those.
 

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