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blackraven

blackraven

In the Brooder
5 Years
Sep 19, 2014
10
0
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My grandmother's neighbor in England had chickens. Some the "common" red & browns and a few speckled.

It got my interest as a kid.

Now with my education coming to a close I've decided to give chickens a shot. They seem, in the simplest ways [and I'm probably wrong], easier than most barnyard stock - horses, cows, etc.

Any info would be great.

Colder weather here in Canada though we do get some rather hot summers. Last 2 years there's been a lot of rain - would that be a major concern?
 
Hi and welcome!!!
Plenty of folks up your way keep chickens - they are far more hardy than most people think they are. You might want to wander to the "Where am I/Where are You" section and see if you can find a thread for the folks close to you to get some "inside scoop" on the things that work best for your area.
IMO, chickens ARE easy - I think the biggest advantage they hold over some of the larger livestock (have also kept) is their size for the simple matter of how much space one needs for them.
 
blackraven said:
My grandmother's neighbor in England had chickens. Some the "common" red & browns and a few speckled.

It got my interest as a kid.

Now with my education coming to a close I've decided to give chickens a shot. They seem, in the simplest ways [and I'm probably wrong], easier than most barnyard stock - horses, cows, etc.

Any info would be great.

Colder weather here in Canada though we do get some rather hot summers. Last 2 years there's been a lot of rain - would that be a major concern?
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Rain and chickens doesn't make a good team. Get some ducks to keep you entertained on the rainy days. Make sure you have a dry spot for the chickens to gather when it rains. Most breeds can handle the hot weathers. I think a Rhode Island Red is a perfect chicken for the beginner and the person living in a cold climate. You fit both criteria. They are not a friendly breed which is fine. You probably weren't planning on hugging them and take naps together anyways.
 
blklangshandude said:
They are not a friendly breed which is fine. You probably weren't planning on hugging them and take naps together anyways.
Click to expand...

Can't say that I was. Though by non friendly does that also apply to other chicken breeds? Or merely what they would deem "predator" / intruder.
 
blackraven said:
Can't say that I was. Though by non friendly does that also apply to other chicken breeds? Or merely what they would deem "predator" / intruder.
Click to expand...

I have two Rhode Island Reds and 16 other chickens. They all live together except one excess rooster. They aren't friendly to the other chickens but are not aggressive. It is very difficult to catch a Rhode Island Red and when you do she is going to claw and kick like crazy. They are good at avoiding predators. They run from humans. They just aren't going to be your best buddy like a silkie, cochin or other friendly breed. My friendliest chicken is a Serama but I don't think that is a stereotypical trait of Seramas. I don't have a Rhode Island Red Rooster but I hear they can be aggressive towards humans. Sometimes individual chickens don't live up to their breed's temperament.
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You have to leave a little room for miscalculation but if you got 5 Rhode Island Reds I'd guess 4 or 5 of them will be unfriendly and prone to run away from you unless you were feeding them. They change their attitude when food is involved. Almost all chickens will eat out of your hand. This doesn't mean they are sweetie pies.
 
Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. I've raised dozens of breeds over the past 50 years and would recommend going with Black Australorps. They are extremely hardy (both cold and heat). I raised them in northern Kansas where the temperature dropped to 30 F below zero one winter, and in CA where summer temperatures frequently reached 117-118 F (123 F once), and in both climate extremes, my Australorps came through like troopers. They are very calm and gentle birds. My children, and now my granddaughter, made lap pets out of ours. In addition, they are the best layers of the standard, brown egg laying breeds. A BA holds the brown egg laying record with 364 eggs in 365 days, and while none of mine ever reached that kind of production (and likely never will), I had a few of them lay over 300 eggs in a year. Whatever breed you decide to get, just make sure that there coop is well insulated, draft free but with good ventilation, and dry. Feathers are good insulators and for any breed of chicken, moisture is a greater danger than cold. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Whatever breed you decide to get, good luck with your flock.
 

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