Newbie here with tons of questions!!! Help!

[ChickenCanoe]

I think single breed or mixed flock is totally up to you. I wanted a diverse colorful looking flock so I went with different breed but went with all cold hardy (I'm in MA), docile, and good laying breeds. If you are thinking of breeding then it seems to me a single breed would make it easier without having to keep breeds separated.

X2
Growing up we only had white leghorns and Cornish rocks. As an adult I started with 3 breeds (JGs, BOs and Barred Rocks) for the colorful flock and about 3 months later I added 18 more breeds. 6 months later I added 3 more breeds. ^Talk about an addiction!!!!
I'm back down to 3 breeds because I'm breeding Black Penedesencas and have limited space.
Quote:

Anyone have advice on good western Kentucky chicken breeds? Im almost in Tennessee so it gets hot as hades in the summer and cold cold in the winter....if you don't like the weather in Kentucky just wait five minutes! Lol

Worry much more about heat than cold. I can't imagine losing a healthy chicken to cold in our climate. (I'm in MO so very similar) It is very easy to lose chickens to heat though. I lost a Welsummer in last summer's extreme heat.

These breed charts should be studied by anyone choosing a breed or breeds.

http://www.albc-usa.org/documents/chickenbreedcomparison.pdf
http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

 

[jdoane]

Thanks! Just curious since you seem to have the same needs as I do....what breeds do you have?

I have 1 Barred Rock, 1 Black Australorp, 1 Gold Sex Link, and 2 English Orpingtons (one is Blue/Black and one is Splash although I am almost positive the Splash is a roo).

If heat is more the issue for you - I do find my black chicks much more affected by the occasional hot day we still have (they will pant when none of the other chicks are). My Gold Sex Link is my favorite so far. She is super friendly. And my Barred Rock and the Black Australorp are right behind her. My Orpingtons are much more skittish.

 

[jdoane]

Here's a list from My Pet Chicken for Heat Hardy breeds. They have a list for cold hardy too

http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Especially-Heat-Hardy-c69.aspx?page=3

Two of mine our on there. The Barred Rock and the Gold Sex link (which they call Golden Buff). Plus there are a bunch I would love!!!!

Can't wait to hear what you decide to get!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Here's a list from My Pet Chicken for Heat Hardy breeds. They have a list for cold hardy too

http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Especially-Heat-Hardy-c69.aspx?page=3

Two of mine our on there. The Barred Rock and the Gold Sex link (which they call Golden Buff). Plus there are a bunch I would love!!!!

Can't wait to hear what you decide to get!

I looked at their list. Some I agree with but not the Welsummer. We had weeks between 100 and 110 last summer and my Welsummers were the most severely affected. In fact, a Wellsummer was the only one I lost among about 10 breeds.

Most Mediterranean breeds handle the heat pretty well but aren't the friendliest.

 

[chikachika]

Free ranging; you have to think it through. I free range my flock in a neighborhood backyard and still know that even if I'm in the yard I probably can't protect them from a swooping hawk. Free ranging allows them a more healthy diet, and more interesting life but just be sure they have adequate cover from overhead predators and are all in the coop by evening. If you make them your pets then ask yourself how you and perhaps your family will deal with the death of any one of them from a fox, dog, cat, or hawk. You really come face to face with the "circle of life" when you free range.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If they're pets you probably don't need a rooster but if you free range, either a rooster or properly trained livestock guard dog is very important.

Besides preparing yourself for death from predators, also prepare for what you'll do when laying slows or stops.

The rooster is also good for replacement birds. Well managed, you won't have to buy birds again.

 

[SwedishDude99]

I put my chickens away at night after they free range, so night predators aren't a problem. The area they range in is covered by trees, so hawks also are no threat. However, I have lost one chicken to a dog. I've been free ranging my chickens for a year, and have only lost that one. Your situation may be different if there are clearings where they free range that have a big visible gap from the sky. If so, you would probably want to think about a rooster and maybe even some other type of guard animal, if predators are a problem in your area. Hope this helps.

 

[kentuckychicks]

Sorry my kids have had pink eye and strep! Ugh! Thanks for all the wonderful advice?

 

[kentuckychicks]

I put my chickens away at night after they free range, so night predators aren't a problem. The area they range in is covered by trees, so hawks also are no threat. However, I have lost one chicken to a dog. I've been free ranging my chickens for a year, and have only lost that one. Your situation may be different if there are clearings where they free range that have a big visible gap from the sky. If so, you would probably want to think about a rooster and maybe even some other type of guard animal, if predators are a problem in yourarea. Hope this helps.

We have a small wooded area and more established trees closer to the house. That being said we have an acre veggie garden and a two acre field that i have been adding fruit trees to every year. I have 20 trees so far but none are older than three years so not a lot of coverage in those areas. So that's not going to be sufficient coverage is it?

 

[kentuckychicks]

I had thought of going totally with bos but now i think i might do a mix of three no roosters for year one (so my kids can get the chicken hugging out of their systems lol) might try to let them free range some when we are in the yard putting them up before dark. Im thinking of going with the buff orpingtons, the jersey giants, and t black australorps. Just to see which we like the best. Does this sound ok to my chicken pro friends?