Thinking about expanding my flock!! Ideas??

[beckycrouch5115]

I have owned chickens now for almost 4 years. I have only owned 2 breeds though. Rhode Island Reds and Leghorns. When I first started I only wanted to have eggs, didn't have any ideas of having baby chicks or any of that stuff. Well I currently have a broody leghorn, odd I know!!, and she's on a batch of fertilized eggs I got from a friend. I know 2 eggs are leghorns but the others are either red sex link or black sex link. Anyway the point of this post, I really think I want to extend my flock. Add some other breeds. I really want at least one breed that may have more of a tendency to go broody, like maybe a bluff orphington. I also want to get 1 rooster, maybe I'll have one out of the eggs that are about to hatch. What breeds of birds are yall's favorite?? How did yall get them? Did you buy eggs to incubate, did you have a broody hen do your work, did you order chicks online?? I need as many opinions and as much advice on this topic as I can get!!!! And go.......

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

You may get more answers then you intended! LOL

It’s all a personal choice honestly. I currently have (start counting) 1 brown leghorn, 1 barnyard mix, 2 French Black Copper Marans, 2 Wheaten Ameraucana, 1 Olive Egger, 1 Svart Hona Bantam Cochin cross, 5 Swedish Flowers (3 hens + 2 roosters) 1 Bantam Cochin.

I chose duel purpose breeds (except the leghorn) and wanted a colorful yard and colorful egg basket. My Svart cross has gone broody on me more then once but not my full Cochin.

The leghorn was part of my original hand me down flock. It was 6 girls that needed new homes. The barnyard mix was from a friend who hatched their own eggs. I bought the Marans and Wheatens as older chicks from a fellow BYC member looking to downsize. The Olive Egger, Svart Cross and B. Cochin were bought from a local breeder. The Swedish Flowers were hatching eggs I bought from another BYCer. Incubator hatched.

If you want to hatch your own eggs a rooster is needed. You must be prepared for boys to hatch. (Unless you figure out how to hatch only girls. If that happens you’ll be rich.)
I personally don’t want more boys. So I don’t hatch. I’m a softy and can’t bring myself to cull unless it’s to end suffering.

I’ve never gotten chicks through the mail. I try to find local breeders. It makes it easier for me to get females and a fewer number at a time.

Hope that helps.

 

[beckycrouch5115]

You may get more answers then you intended! LOL

It’s all a personal choice honestly. I currently have (start counting) 1 brown leghorn, 1 barnyard mix, 2 French Black Copper Marans, 2 Wheaten Ameraucana, 1 Olive Egger, 1 Svart Hona Bantam Cochin cross, 5 Swedish Flowers (3 hens + 2 roosters) 1 Bantam Cochin.

I chose duel purpose breeds (except the leghorn) and wanted a colorful yard and colorful egg basket. My Svart cross has gone broody on me more then once but not my full Cochin.

The leghorn was part of my original hand me down flock. It was 6 girls that needed new homes. The barnyard mix was from a friend who hatched their own eggs. I bought the Marans and Wheatens as older chicks from a fellow BYC member looking to downsize. The Olive Egger, Svart Cross and B. Cochin were bought from a local breeder. The Swedish Flowers were hatching eggs I bought from another BYCer. Incubator hatched.

If you want to hatch your own eggs a rooster is needed. You must be prepared for boys to hatch. (Unless you figure out how to hatch only girls. If that happens you’ll be rich.)
I personally don’t want more boys. So I don’t hatch. I’m a softy and can’t bring myself to cull unless it’s to end suffering.

I’ve never gotten chicks through the mail. I try to find local breeders. It makes it easier for me to get females and a fewer number at a time.

Hope that helps.

Yes that helps a lot. I'm currently looking for breeders now. Waiting a lady to call me back. I don't want to go overboard but I'd like 1 or 2 of a few different breeds. My husband would kill me if I brought home a truck load of chicks! lol! We do have 2 coops, one big one and one small one that we bought from tractor supply years and years ago so I can house separately for awhile. For some reason I am looking at the bluff orphington's.