Vote on what breed I should get!

[black_cat]

those are great choices! Your neighbor must not of spent time with his/her chicks. everyone I know that has them they are so sweet! (That’s a lot of chicken people by the way lol)

My neighbor's flock is hilarious. The BA (named Roo, because of gender questions early on) is top of the flock and is generally a bit grumpy and doesn't appreciate being picked up, but tolerates it. They have the BA, a BO, an EE, two cochins, a BR, an olive egger, a buckeye, and a partridge rock. They actually spent a bit too much time with the chicks, as one of them died from stress. (my friend was VERY young at the time, with her siblings even younger, so don't judge.)

 

[EggSighted4Life]

we went with barred rocks because from what I had read they weren't aggressive (which is apparently incorrect) and because my mom likes them best.

Please do consider others' experiences but do NOT base YOUR selection on that!.

I LOVE barred Rocks. They have always been head hens in my flock that rule with a gentile disposition.

Any introduction of new birds, especially a bantam cockerel that isn't done correctly can go very wrong. My large fowl hens NEVER accept a bantam boy and if they do it surely will NOT be a cockerel.

I've kept a LOT of those breeds. It's simple.. NO two birds are the same, personality wise.

What many are calling aggressive is actually confidence.

You won't get better production than a RIR and white Leghorn.

The darker the egg the longer it takes to make it.. Olive eggs, blue eggs, and chocolate eggs.. every other day at best once fully mature.

Agree about avoiding Sex Links for stated reasons.. longevity is not their specialty.

They actually spent a bit too much time with the chicks, as one of them died from stress. (my friend was VERY young at the time, with her siblings even younger, so don't judge.)

Never had that happen and not sure it's possible.. Likely was going to happen anyways and had nothing to do with time spent. Chicks are highly adaptable and not nearly as fragile as folks lead on.
But, absolutely there is no room for judgement here, just sharing and support!

Orps, over rated in the friendly department to me and pushy among the flock. Speckled Sussex are beauties. How cold are your winters? Are you considering adding your general location to your profile?

I realize you are close to MPC.. for informational purposes, lots of hatcheries offer a 3 chick minimum.

A few breed comparison charts from different sources..

https://livestockconservancy.org/images/uploads/docs/pickachicken.pdf

Chicken Chart

Breeds of Chickens

100% your idea to get a few now or 2021 and a few more in 2022.. will help you combat winter lull in eggs when your older ladies start to molt. Sometimes I sell off a couple while still laying earlier in the summer to make room for the new additions each year. It allows me to try many breeds and someone else gets a layer without raising chicks.. always disclosed that they WILL molt that fall/winter and return to lay again when daylight increases and feathers have been refreshed with new ones.

Hope this helps some and happy adventures!

 

[black_cat]

Please don't consider others' experiences but do NOT base YOUR selection on that!.

I LOVE barred Rocks. They have always been head hens in my flock that rule with a gentile disposition.

Any introduction of new birds, especially a bantam cockerel that isn't done correctly can go very wrong. My large fowl hens NEVER accept a bantam boy and if they do it surely will NOT be a cockerel.

I've kept a LOT of those breeds. It's simple.. NO two birds are the same, personality wise.

What many are calling aggressive is actually confidence.

You won't get better production than a RIR and white Leghorn.

The darker the egg the longer it takes to make it.. Olive eggs, blue eggs, and chocolate eggs.. every other day at best once fully mature.

Agree about avoiding Sex Links for stated reasons.. longevity is not their specialty.


Never had that happen and not sure it's possible.. Likely was going to happen anyways and had nothing to do with time spent. Chicks are highly adaptable and not nearly as fragile as folks lead on.
But, absolutely there is no room for judgement here, just sharing and support!

Orps, over rated in the friendly department to me and pushy among the flock. Speckled Sussex are beauties. How cold are your winters? Are you considering adding your general location to your profile?

I realize you are close to MPC.. for informational purposes, lots of hatcheries offer a 3 chick minimum.

A few breed comparison charts from different sources..

https://livestockconservancy.org/images/uploads/docs/pickachicken.pdf

Chicken Chart

Breeds of Chickens

100% your idea to get a few now or 2021 and a few more in 2022.. will help you combat winter lull in eggs when your older ladies start to molt. Sometimes I sell off a couple while still laying earlier in the summer to make room for the new additions each year. It allows me to try many breeds and someone else gets a layer without raising chicks.. always disclosed that they WILL molt that fall/winter and return to lay again when daylight increases and feathers have been refreshed with new ones.

Hope this helps some and happy adventures!

They had told me that it was stress because it was right after they decided to play barbie dreamhouse with the chicks (again, friend was like 5, with younger siblings) I'm not planning to have any cockerels/roosters (parents will NOT go for that, no matter how cute the cockerel is...it also may or may not be illegal, I'm not sure). I didn't know that about egg production, with the darker colors taking longer! I love having varied egg colors, which is why I love the breeds that lay green and blue and the like. I had come up with the idea for getting a few this spring, and a few 2022 simply because if I suggested that we get 8 chicks all at once my parents might faint. This is also so I can enjoy raising chicks twice! I would love to continue this cycle for adding, but I can only build a coop big enough for 8 chickens that fits with the space that my parents want me to use, and that's with pushing the space a bit. I am located in Connecticut (my profile isn't saving it for some reason) I want ALL the breeds that are on my list (but again, parents) Thank you so much for helping out!

 

[black_cat]

After hearing about how Red Sex Links don't live long, I'm eliminating them from my consideration. Does anyone know about other breeds that lay a similar egg color?

(not my pic)

 

[black_cat]

I am going to be brooding in coop for both in house brooding concerns (two words: hunting cat) and to hopefully help mitigate some integration issues.

 

[black_cat]

Please don't consider others' experiences but do NOT base YOUR selection on that!.

I LOVE barred Rocks. They have always been head hens in my flock that rule with a gentile disposition.

Any introduction of new birds, especially a bantam cockerel that isn't done correctly can go very wrong. My large fowl hens NEVER accept a bantam boy and if they do it surely will NOT be a cockerel.

I've kept a LOT of those breeds. It's simple.. NO two birds are the same, personality wise.

What many are calling aggressive is actually confidence.

You won't get better production than a RIR and white Leghorn.

The darker the egg the longer it takes to make it.. Olive eggs, blue eggs, and chocolate eggs.. every other day at best once fully mature.

Agree about avoiding Sex Links for stated reasons.. longevity is not their specialty.


Never had that happen and not sure it's possible.. Likely was going to happen anyways and had nothing to do with time spent. Chicks are highly adaptable and not nearly as fragile as folks lead on.
But, absolutely there is no room for judgement here, just sharing and support!

Orps, over rated in the friendly department to me and pushy among the flock. Speckled Sussex are beauties. How cold are your winters? Are you considering adding your general location to your profile?

I realize you are close to MPC.. for informational purposes, lots of hatcheries offer a 3 chick minimum.

A few breed comparison charts from different sources..

https://livestockconservancy.org/images/uploads/docs/pickachicken.pdf

Chicken Chart

Breeds of Chickens

100% your idea to get a few now or 2021 and a few more in 2022.. will help you combat winter lull in eggs when your older ladies start to molt. Sometimes I sell off a couple while still laying earlier in the summer to make room for the new additions each year. It allows me to try many breeds and someone else gets a layer without raising chicks.. always disclosed that they WILL molt that fall/winter and return to lay again when daylight increases and feathers have been refreshed with new ones.

Hope this helps some and happy adventures!

We often dip below freezing in the winter, but are usually at (estimating) 35-50 degrees fahrenheit? Maybe? ish? I don't reaaaaally know that well. If I were to get a speckled Sussex, I would name it Confetti, Dottie, or Pebbles.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

We often dip below freezing in the winter, but are usually at (estimating) 35-50 degrees fahrenheit? Maybe? ish? I don't reaaaaally know that well. If I were to get a speckled Sussex, I would name it Confetti, Dottie, or Pebbles.

That's not too cold really. You could likely accommodate most breeds with proper set up/ventilation.

I like Confetti, but Pebbles.. I LOVE!

Yes, the idea is when you add more chicks yearly you sell off the same amount of older hens, the ones you're least connected to.. then you also never face actually losing them either. You don't build more coops.

Otherwise, as the two years progress, plan ahead for the production lull during molt.. Did you know they stop laying completely most of the time for about 3 months +/-. Unwashed eggs can be kept fresh inside the fridge for 6+ months and STILL be higher quality than store bought, speaking from experience and not hear say!

ETA: Now I want a Barbie dream house for my new brooder, sounds so cute!

 

[black_cat]

That's not too cold really. You could likely accommodate most breeds with proper set up/ventilation.

I like Confetti, but Pebbles.. I LOVE!

Yes, the idea is when you add more chicks yearly you sell off the same amount of older hens, the ones you're least connected to.. then you also never face actually losing them either. You don't build more coops.

Otherwise, as the two years progress, plan ahead for the production lull during molt.. Did you know they stop laying completely most of the time for about 3 months +/-. Unwashed eggs can be kept fresh inside the fridge for 6+ months and STILL be higher quality than store bought, speaking from experience and not hear say!

ETA: Now I want a Barbie dream house for my new brooder, sounds so cute!

That sounds like a very good system, but I'd be giving away about half my flock each time! I'm sure it works GREAT with a larger flock though! I'm thinking that I will probably name it Pebbles if I get an SS Yep, I was factoring in molts. My parents will probably have lights in coop during the winter to keep up winter laying a bit. If it were me I probably wouldn't do that and let them take a break, but parents. I'm sure that a dollhouse brooder would be adorable! I think that in their situation it involved removing their chicks from the brooder and playing barbie dreamhouse with them, not just letting the chicks do as they wish.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I would get a Barred Rock, Delaware, or Black Australorp. I love mine. my Delaware is pretty loud though so idk if that would be a problem lol and these three also like their personal space lol but they do fine with confinement if they have enough room. My Barred Rock was probably one of my favorite birds ever lol and I really like the other three too. Idk if it’s true but I’ve heard Wyandottes and Sex Links can be a little bit mean or bossy to other birds do with your gentle breeds idk how they’d do although that said, with them being the new ones as opposed to the established ones it might be fine.

 

[feather13]

We were given a Black Sex Link six years ago and absolutely loved her! She was a gorgeous, healthy and friendly bird who ruled the flock with a firm, but benevolent foot. She died suddenly a few months ago and we really miss her. We currently have two Black Sex Link 10-week-old pullets who are extremely friendly and sweet. So I wouldn't rule this breed out.