Questions from a newbie

[jasoneflanagan]

Love the poem.

My plan now is to get 6 Speckled Sussex and 6 Buff Orpington pullets. I'm now undecided about roosters since my kids are so young. I really want their experience with the birds to be a positive one.

A few more questions:

Can I easily introduce a rooster into the flock down the road? Will this be a harder transition than if I had raised the rooster from chick with the other pullets?

Are there any concerns about inbreeding if I ordered pullets and roosters from the same hatch?

Are Orpington and Speckled Sussex compatible with regards to size? I read that they are both 7-8 lb. birds, but I trust what you guys tell me over what I read on Wikipedia.

Thanks again,
Jason

 

[mom'sfolly]

Welcome Jason. I thought I would supply a link that I've found helpful. When you build your coop, make it at least twice as large as you think you will need. It will be filled, and sooner than you think. Chickens are highly addictive.

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html


Good luck!!!

 

[jasoneflanagan]

Great site! Thanks!

 

[conroy]

How young are your kids? My 12 year old will go around the roosters but my 8 year old won't. They make her too nervous.

 

[jasoneflanagan]

When we get the chickens, my kids will be 9, 8, 3, and 1.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
IMO, your two oldest children are plenty old enough to learn how to behave around chickens. My concern would be for the two younger children.
To a protective rooster a young child that's running towards the hens in an attempt to pick one up looks very much like a predator doing the same thing. Please be careful with your children around a roo; especially the younger ones.

 

[jossanne]

From my experience, I have not liked McMurray hatchery buff orps. They were my worst pickers in my first batch of chickens. My sister currently has McMurray BO's as well, and hers seem to be the same...

 

[speckledhen]

You can introduce a rooster later on. I did. The only issue is bringing a grown bird, whose health record you do not know, risks your girls. I bought a 10 month old Barred Rock rooster from an FFA kid here for my same-age girls. After the month long quarantine, I introduced him and by the next day, he was their fearless leader and an awesome rooster.

 

[cmom]

Quote:

You can eat fertilized eggs no problem. Caponizing, rooster neutering
Here is a thread that discusses rooster neutering.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=56075&p=1

 

[jasoneflanagan]

Jossanne, do you mean your Buff Orpington's didn't produce many eggs?

What attracted me to them was that I've read in several places (including here) that they are very gentle birds and like to be handled - that in addition to them supposedly being good layers.

Re: introducing roosters later on - I hadn't really considered adding grown birds to my flock. I was thinking of introducing a rooster chick at some point. Is there anything problematic about doing that?