Okay, I have a ramshackle 4x4 chicken coop right now and 2 chickens. Since one of mine started laying and I am anxiously awaiting the other one to lay, I thought I might want to add 2 more chickens. According to my husband, he wants a rainbow basket, so we're waiting to see what color my other easter egger will pop out as her first egg. I was told they could be blue or green or even pinkish, so until she starts laying, I'm going to wait to get any other birds. My only laying girl lays a greenish-blue egg, so we're hoping the other easter egger will lay a different shade at least - or hope beyond hope- a pinkish egg *crosses fingers*. We just enjoyed the 5 eggs I've collected from my laying girl and my husband is all for getting a few more as I think he could eat them every day. OMG-delicious! but that is another thread.
In preparation for the inevitable additions, I am thinking black copper maran, welsummer or whatever other chicken lays a dark brown egg, an olive egger if I can find one, and if not, maybe a true ameraucana or auracana (sp?) for something bright blue/turquoise. Since joining BYC I have found out the difference between my sweet mutt easter eggers and those two blue egg laying breeds. I wish I could find a pink egg layer, but I'll take what I can get I know I will probably have to go to a hatchery unless someone on this forum near me has some. Of course, I only am looking to add 2 birds, so a lot of the mail order places won't even take my order, so I will have to look locally.
I was wondering if the breeds I mentioned above good together? Will 4 of them fit in a 4x4 coop? I let my current 2 out into the yard to forage during the day so they really only go inside to lay and sleep or in inclement weather. I would introduce them at night when my current two are doddering off to sleep and it's dark.
Another question, is taking care of 4 any harder than having the 2 I already have? I am thinking I'll have to scoop the coop poop more often, but I do that every other day as it is. Any other special considerations? The two girls I have right now are 21 going on 22 weeks now. I hope to be able to find some pullets in that range or a little older or younger, although I would be up to raising a couple of chicks inside again, as they were so much fun (a lot of worrying, but a lot of fun). Then I would wait until they were big enough to introduce to my two right now. If I were to get point of lay hens I would also separate them for a week or so to make sure they weren't sick.
Hope I didn't go overboard with all the questions. Strange how getting just 2 chickens makes you want to get more. Soon, I'll have to buy a new place to live just so I can keep more chickens
In preparation for the inevitable additions, I am thinking black copper maran, welsummer or whatever other chicken lays a dark brown egg, an olive egger if I can find one, and if not, maybe a true ameraucana or auracana (sp?) for something bright blue/turquoise. Since joining BYC I have found out the difference between my sweet mutt easter eggers and those two blue egg laying breeds. I wish I could find a pink egg layer, but I'll take what I can get I know I will probably have to go to a hatchery unless someone on this forum near me has some. Of course, I only am looking to add 2 birds, so a lot of the mail order places won't even take my order, so I will have to look locally.
I was wondering if the breeds I mentioned above good together? Will 4 of them fit in a 4x4 coop? I let my current 2 out into the yard to forage during the day so they really only go inside to lay and sleep or in inclement weather. I would introduce them at night when my current two are doddering off to sleep and it's dark.
Another question, is taking care of 4 any harder than having the 2 I already have? I am thinking I'll have to scoop the coop poop more often, but I do that every other day as it is. Any other special considerations? The two girls I have right now are 21 going on 22 weeks now. I hope to be able to find some pullets in that range or a little older or younger, although I would be up to raising a couple of chicks inside again, as they were so much fun (a lot of worrying, but a lot of fun). Then I would wait until they were big enough to introduce to my two right now. If I were to get point of lay hens I would also separate them for a week or so to make sure they weren't sick.
Hope I didn't go overboard with all the questions. Strange how getting just 2 chickens makes you want to get more. Soon, I'll have to buy a new place to live just so I can keep more chickens