what breed should I buy

[Autumn T]

hope this is the right place-

in my city I am allowed up to 5 chickens of either sex as long as they are penned in.


so...
what sort of chickens should I get?

I have looked at the large breeds and know that is the sort we want. Prefer friendly birds cause of the dc and clean legs. we like colorful birds...not fond of the buff orp look. Dh wants awesome layers.

dc want us to have chicks too so I guess I will need a roo.
will a roo be happy with just 4 hens in his harem? the chicks would have to go to a friend's house where they would end up for dinner table. so I really don't know if it is worth doing.


we are also planning on buying meat birds for the friend's coop.
leaning towards red broilers just cause those white ones make me think of the poultry farms


TIA

 

[ChickenToes]

Almost any breed will be friendly if you handle them and get them used to being around people from day one.

A rooster should be just fine with 4 hens.

Most of the heavy breeds are good layers. If you want different colored eggs, check out Cuckoo Marans, which lay dark brown eggs. Easter Eggers can lay blue or green eggs.

Some colorful birds...well I personally like the Speckled Sussex, and Easter Eggers are usually colorful. Rhode Island Reds are nice as well.

 

[hcammack]

Welcome ! I an not sure how to help you Wyndottes and Easter Eggers are a good colorful layer option a rooster will not be happy with only 4 girls and no I don't think its worth it to hatch these breed of chicken or any layer breed is worth it for the table red broilers sound good though.

Henry

 

[Mahonri]

I'd say with only five... no rooster.

If you want egg production, Cinnamon Queens (or some other Red Sex link), Black Sex links, Australorps, Buff Orpingtons (My Buff just LOVES to be held and she almost falls asleep if you pet her around her head feathers) My Leghorns (from Cackle) lay almost every day... don't eat much and give us HUGE white eggs.

There you go!

My Pet Chicken will allow you to order just 5 so you can pick what you want... Remember, variety is the spice of life.

 

[cherrychicken]

I would only get pullets, not because four hens is not enough, but you said you live in a city, and with a limit, Im assuming it is because lack of space. Hens can get along better in close confinement. As for good layers and colorful, I would definitely go with Wyandottes. These birds do not, however have a particularly colorful egg color.

Hope this helps

-jenny

 

[Chicken Woman]

Production Reds, red sexlink, and rod island reds will be your best layers. I have 2 RIR's and 2 red sexlinks and in the clodest part of the winter (-0 tmps at nite) all four are laying everyday. They are all friendly and like to be held.

As for them being friendly I would agree that you need to spend time holding them and talking to them when they are young. Then really almost all chickens will be tame.

I wouldn't get a rooster . If you want to raise chicks you can always buy them when they are a couple days old from most feed stores in the spring and then as they get bigger sell them.

If your limited to 5 you probably should not be hatching more as you wouldn't be able to keep them and trust me you get attached to them really fast. (especially kids).

Good luck and let us know what you get.

 

[Autumn T]

space is not an issue. we have about a 1/2 acre for our lot which is just a block from city hall. our hens will have a nice huge storage shell converted for their home that is about 8x12 or so and tall enough to walk in...the fenced area will be as big as we can get it and keep them safe

we have about 40 feral cats on our block so I will have to make the fence really high I guess or go smaller and cover it.

if I don't kill the pear tree (lightening struck and not safe)and put a garden there I would love the hens to get access as that ground is cover summer and fall with nasty pears and wasps they could clean up.


brb someone at door

 

[Autumn T]

ok, ACO said we can have 15 birds. City hall says 5.
who do we believe?


our city limits go about 10 miles out to the next town...just a merge of towns really with lots of pasture and cows, donkeys, chickens thrown in.
I have seen others in 'city limits' with loose birds and WAY more than 15


egg color doesn't matter to me.
I hate eggs to eat. dh is dc love 'em though.


can anyone recommend a hatchery near DFW?


there is a 'Homestead' community near me that sells chicks yr round. very rare breeds. they are hormone, drug free...is that good? week old chicks are $2/each unsexed

 

[allisojo]

I know you said you don't like the buff orp look, but they're great birds. I have BOs and RIRs and with the exception of one puny RIR that is still scared of me, they're all very sweet. My sweetest girl, however, is an Easter Egger, who just can't leave me, or anyone else, alone. None of them have started laying yet (all too young, coupled with the time of year), but I wouldn't trade any of them for another breed. My guess - and it's obviously just a guess - is this: if you take time to spend with your ladies, you'll find that they're all very nice with very different personalities.

Also, as others have mentioned, I wouldn't get a rooster for only four hens. The roo won't be happy, and the hens won't either. I've heard that one rooster for every eight to ten hens is a good ratio. Of course, you should do what you feel is right. That's what I do, and it's been great so far. Good luck!

 

[allisojo]

What's ACO?