NY chicken lover!!!!

[PhoredaBurds]

Most go for different egg colors. You go for the colors of the chickens? You want these then Lol!

I was thinking red white & blue chickens would be very patriotic, but why not go disco colors w them

 

[tao chick]

Structure looks great! And the turkeys look so happy!

x2 Great work!

 

[BakerzDozen]

Pretty much all done. Need to get some more mesh to fix the pop door, but have it safe for now. Also need to get a bigger tarp, but for now I have a little one that I put over the roost bar. Snowball was strutting around for the first time. I think that he likes all the room

Wow, nice job!

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Luv...nice job on the coop! Your birds will be living large!

Tao...you are going to find many conflicting opinions on the breeds you are researching. I've had wyandottes, barred rocks, red sexlinks, silkies and hatchery reds and heritage rirs. All have pluses and minuses. I will tell you that my barred rocks anD heritage reds are great meat and egg birds. Cold hardy, good foragers, decent temperments. Sexlinks are great egg layers but very little meat, handle the cold okay, tend to be either assertive or standoffish. My silkies are cold hearty, lay in periods, are easy to handle, never ate one. Wyandottes are mellow, decent egg layers and okay meat chickens. Really you should choose something you like, get a few and see how you like them. Chickens, no matter the breed, all have different personalities and like people, some do well in extremes of heat and cold and some do not. Took me about 3 years before I settled on my heritage rir. I keep a few barred rock girls as well for eye candy and laying. Point is, try on some breeds then go with what you like. Oh, straight comb does alright in winter. My roo lost just the tips of his comb this past winter but since I don't show, it don't matter. Duke doesn't care either cause the ladies still think he's the man!

 

[boskelli1571]

I keep forgetting about EE not being a breed. Faverolle, Ameraucana and Aracauna have the muff, beard, feather-leg combination that I really like.

Brahmas are on my short list. As are Marans for egg color. My goal is mostly eggs with edible roosters (truly dual-purpose). I wouldn't mind broodiness, but because I would like to keep my family in eggs, and I'm not sure we can keep a rooster or continue to buy hatching eggs, I'm still undecided on whether it's important to me to decide based on broodiness (not too much not too little). Cold hardiness is very important. I'm not heating the coop which is an old barn. Not flighty. When I read flighty or skittish I usually stop researching. So, docile and social is good too because I have 3 kids and live in town. The EE roo from the flock I got my chicks from is awesome. He doesn't crow constantly. He is more mellow than the Orpington roo was.

I've been on Henderson's chart. I've read reviews on MPC, BYC, and several other online sites. There is conflicting information sometimes so just when I think I have it figured out it all changes. I truly value local opinions and information. So, thank you!

Welsummers! They have gorgeous plumage, lay dark brown speckled eggs. Very cold hardy, not 'cuddly' chickens tho' -

 

[Metella]

Luv - great project ! well done.

Pharmmom is right - get an assortment now and see what you really like - then find a breeder (not hatchery) in the same climate you have and make your purchase.

How could I forget Welsummers ! they are great and I have their bloodline in my backyard mix, will be alternating a welsummer roo to keep my mix hardy and in dark egg color. The boys can get big too - so good for eating.

 

[tao chick]

Thank you so much. Advice from local owners of each breed is great! After a thorough investigation, my current wish list is Welsummer, Wyandotte, Plymouth Rock, Maran, Ameraucana, and Brahma. I did find a breeder on craigslist that will have a couple of those breeds near me. I'm going to talk to my SIL about other hatcheries and breeders.

The cockerels started a "crowing" contest this morning. Almost 3 months old.

 

[Pyxis]

Thank you so much. Advice from local owners of each breed is great! After a thorough investigation, my current wish list is Welsummer, Wyandotte, Plymouth Rock, Maran, Ameraucana, and Brahma. I did find a breeder on craigslist that will have a couple of those breeds near me. I'm going to talk to my SIL about other hatcheries and breeders.

The cockerels started a "crowing" contest this morning. Almost 3 months old.

Good wishlist! Just so you know, it's marans The breed always has the 's' on the end, whether you are referring to one bird or multiple birds. It was created in a town named Marans, and that is how it got its name.

 

[rancher hicks]

Welsummers! They have gorgeous plumage, lay dark brown speckled eggs. Very cold hardy, not 'cuddly' chickens tho' -

Seems to me the more chickens you have the less time you have to cuddle them. Me I only have a few with names and they're the ones I hold.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Most go for different egg colors. You go for the colors of the chickens? You want these then Lol!

now that's just funny. They would definitely be the talk of the town. One heck of a trick for the kids though.