Suggestions on all levels...

[poochgrmr]

Help me decide please... I would like to have about 8 chickens. I'm not sure about getting a roo to go with the flock.
Right now I am not interested in hatching eggs and would rather not get a breed that is pron to brooding. I live in NH and I plan on getting the chickens through the mail this spring unless I can find someone within driving distance. I'd like to get three day old chicks. There are so many choices but would like to purchase heritage chicks, weather tolerant, friendly towards kids/people in general. I'm a big bird lover and this will be a new venture for me.

 

[maybejoey]

Any leghorn would most likely not go broody. Just not big chickens a.k.a meat birds. Get egg laying birds.

 

[ChickiKat]

I would suggest getting a mix because they are so cool to watch. My barred rock has been the sweetest of all we have. Cochins like to brood, but my BR has brooded too.... EE give lovely eggs.... Oooooh I want 8 more!! Good luck.

 

[Debbi]

It would help us to know what you want the chickens for. Do you want great production type layers? Do you want dual purpose (meat & eggs)? Do you want an occaisional or small egg, but primarily a pet type, as in cuddly? So many breeds with so many different purposes out there!

 

[poochgrmr]

Hi,
I would like layers. Dual purpose ok but will just have as layers. Don't want a breed that is more prone to flying as they will free range also as well as in a fenced in area. They will also be treated as pets. My 2 neighbors have RIR's and white Ply Rocks. I'd like something different...why? Just because....

 

[kfacres]

I would suggest getting 10 pullets and 15 cornish cross birds. Most hatcheries require a limit on number of chicks to be purchased, and from there it's almost always 25. Keep the better 8 pullets for hens, butcher the rest.

Now on to breeds, the next question is do you want white, brown, green, or blue eggs? Or all colors...

There is a chicken breed selector on this website, which could be very helpful for you. I don't have the link, but I imagine it would be very easy to find.

 

[Debbi]

Here is the link to the "Breed Selecter" page here on BYC. Have fun! Lots to look at!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/breeds/breed-chart

 

[Souffle]

I'm close to the NH border and was able to hand pick the breeds and quantity. I got them at a Farmers Exchange for a few dollars each. I chose 2 Brahmas and 3 Barred Rocks. Check out these breeds. They have speckled sussex, silver laced wyandottes, wellsummers, auracanas, australorpes, leghorns, jersey giants to name a few. Every week or so they get between 4-8 different breeds in. My girls started laying at five months! One laid huge double yolkers for2 weeks, bigger than large supermarket eggs. I love to watch them run around. The Brahmas have feathered feet and are gorgeous, like to fly...but to me, the Barred Rock looks like the quintessential chicken. The Farmer's Exchange also had ten different full grown hens on the premises which was why I ended up with Brahmas. I'm looking over a list they put out last spring and there are at least 20 types of chickens available from spring into summer. You can buy one at a time if you like. Other stores had told me I had to buy a minimum of 6 of one breed, so this was like being in a candy store! Personally, the color of the eggs doesn't thrill me. I spend a lot more time looking at the birds. One turned out to be a rooster, I had to send him to a breeder down the road, and another of my girls was lost to a hawk a week ago. I suggest if you're going to let them free range to buy a few extra. I got started 3/23/11 with the first shipment of the year. Hope this helps.

 

[gjensen]

Quote:
Since you live in NH, get some NHs.

 

[Cakela]

I'm in Southern NH, and I have a few different breeds.

New Hampshire Reds lay large brown eggs, and being from NH I'm sure they can deal with the New England winter.

I have 4 of them, and they are nice birds.