Purchasing laying hens

[TheChiggens]

Welcome!
You should try some older breeds! They are beautiful! And lay plentiful eggs!

 

[sourland]

Hello, and welcome to BYC.

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

Good evening and welcome to the BYC flock!!! Sorry I'm not much help as I picked my breeds from looks and not laying ability. Good luck on your first flock though!

 

[gtaus]

Welcome to the BYC forums

I got my first backyard flock of laying hens this year. I ordered 10 chicks - 10 different breeds. I had no idea which would work out best for me, where I live, so I picked 10 different breeds that are supposed to be cold hardy for Minnesota. I enjoy looking out at my girls and seeing a variety of breeds.

I have an ISA Brown, which is a sex-link bird like the Golden Comets. She is by far my most people friendly bird. Every morning, when I go out to open the pop door in the coop, she jumps up on a ledge and lets me pet her, even hold her. None of my other birds will approach me unless I have food in hand. She was bred to lay eggs. She was my first hen to lay eggs, large brown eggs almost every day. I am a big fan of my sex-linked bird, but I have heard that they have short life spans.

You mentioned you are new to the "chicken business." Many of us have backyard flocks for lots of reasons, but not just for egg production. Are you getting laying hens as a "business", for pets for many years, or maybe just a backyard flock that rewards you with some eggs and/or meat? If you could let us know what your goals are, then maybe you would get more targeted answers.

Having said that, 10 different people here on BYC forums will probably give you 10 different breeds that they consider their favorite. Go with the flow on that one and try to work out what you think would work for you.

 

[drumstick diva]

Welcome to the pulse beat of the chicken community, BACKYARD CHICKENS

 

[Pennys Mama]

Hello down there in Decatur! I use to live there as a child & still have ALOT of family in that area!
Welcome to the BYC family. I look forward to seeing what you ultimately decide on, make sure to include photos.
My flock is a Heinz variety group.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC.

Here are some links to useful resources:

• List of guides on how to use the site - “How to...” guides
• Great go-to resource - Learning Centre
• Good starting point for browsing the site - Articles
• Insightful feedback on how members manage their flocks - Topic of the Week back-catalogue
• Excellent sources of local information - U.S. States thread list

Best wishes

Pork Pie

 

[rjohns39]

Hi and welcome to BYC We're so happy you've decided to join us

 

[Ted_Harrell]

Ideal Hatchery is in Texas and I have had good luck with their Leghorn hybrids, they are really good layers if not a little flighty...

 

[sealer39]

My suggestion would be to consider a chicken that is heat tolerant being that your in Texas. Any bird you get will be able to handle the winter but the summer heat can be brutal for chickens. Depending on your coop set up that could be an issue.