Newbie Question

[InkedChicken]

OK folks - decided to start raising some chickens for eggs! Few questions though from you experienced layers!!!
How many chickens do I need to lay 2 dozen eggs a week? I know this prob depends on the breed, so what is the best
daily brown egg layer? I adore two other types of eggs also Colored. Small. What breeds offer this? Maybe a silkie size for
the small? Americana or Easter Egger? So I want a mix of these chickens - daily, colored, small (for over easy )
Also how big a pen? Is the best way to do mobile or stationary? Sorry for all the questions - so much to ask =P

THANKS

InkedChicken

 

[chickens really]

Every hen is different even amongst breeds...In general a hen will either lay daily or three to four times a week...
Check out Chicken Math to get a better idea of the size of coop and run you will need...

A bit more too Chickens than just eggs...

Cheers!

 

[carlf]

Most hens lay between 4-6 eggs per week.
I would not recommend less than 3 hens for social reasons, I'd get 5.
Brown Eggs: Barred Rocks are hard to beat. I love mine. Cuckoo Marans are nice too. I have no experience with Austrolorps but they are supposed to be great.

Colored Eggs: Easter Eggers (EEs) or Ameracauna's

Egg size: Different hens of the same breed will lay varying sized eggs. Unless you really want bantams, just get regular birds.

You need a lockable coop with good ventilation (at least two closeable windows with hardware clothe screens, a lockable door that leads to the run and a lockable access door to clean it out. My coop is for 5 hens and is 4'x4' with nest boxes (lockable) attached to the back.
Your run attached to the coop and should also be lockable with strong wire and a top. My run is 8x18, my hens also "free-range" our fence back yard along with our Chocolate Lab.

I have no experience with moveable runs.

 

[Spartan22]

If you want consistent brown eggs, Australorps, Black sex Links, Barred Rocks, & Rhode Island Reds are my producers but you can't beat leghorns for 6-7 eggs a week per hen if you want other egg color, tho they are almost 3 yrs old their so prolific. On green, olive and mint blue eggs, I get a dozen/week out of 3 EEs and Ameraucana combined.

 

[InkedChicken]

Should I make the floor of wire so that the poop falls out of the coup? Or make it metal and just scrape out? Which is easier?

 

[micah wotring]

Should I make the floor of wire so that the poop falls out of the coup? Or make it metal and just scrape out? Which is easier?

People will have varying opinions on this but I'd go with a wooden floor and some bedding(straw or pine shavings(NOT ceder as it is toxic)) and clean it out every so often just because if you do a wire floor you'll need to clean out under the coop sometime anyway so why not make what you're scraping off of smooth? Again, this is just my opinion and I'm sure others may think differently.

Hope you're able to get chickens!


MW

 

[InkedChicken]

What about some type of covering or stall mats?

 

[chickens really]

I have a wood floor with lino down...And use sand in my coop....

 

[micah wotring]

What about some type of covering or stall mats?

Hmm, hadn't thought of that. I guess that would also work.

 

[InkedChicken]

How often do you clean the sand out? just sand? Maybe sand on bottom and wood chips on top?