What breed would you suggest for a newbie?

[fargosmom]

Whatever you get I bet you'll love them - but I vote for easter eggers because they're really mellow and sweet (well, my two are) and the novelty factor of the colorful eggs never gets old.

They'll do fine in San Diego - just make sure they have shade and fresh water in the summer. Enjoy your chickies!

 

[joletabey]

If you want eggs for the whole family, I think you need more than two hens- and you can mix breeds easily- Delawares are fun and friendly birds, good layers, and a lot of people like Barred Rocks for the same reason. Easter Eggers would be fun, too, as well as the Buff Orpingtons- lots of people say they are very sweet.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

I would start with at least 60. They ARE addictive!

 

[bluebird]

We have just two I bought as pullets, a bantam cochin and a bantam polish/silkie cross. They are funny, friendly birds and I love their quiet chatter. They lay small eggs. So if you want larger eggs you will have to get a standard size bird. Buckeyes are becoming more popular, are very friendly, good layers and will catch mice for you! What ever you get, 2 or 3 hens for a beginner (I am too) is a nice flock to start with. LOL....but you will want more! I do!

. . . . and WELCOME to BYC!

 

[Shadowhills Farm]

Buff Orpingtons are great egg layers, so are Rhode Island Reds. Both breeds are friendly.

I would recommend for a newbie to get 2 to 3 day old Baby Chicks.

 

[the75]

Terrific information! How bad is the smell from 4 chickens going to be? I live in a suburban area with neighbors on both sides and I don't want to create any problems. Thanks.

 

[cowman910]

I think silkies are the best breed ever. They are VERY friendly, quiet, good egg layers, poop A LOT and are very good mothers. The are also very pretty birds and are very clean.

Mike

 

[lildinkem]

Orps are good layers, and very social. I have one who has his own room, gets to walk around here till we get above freezin. I also like EE's for the colors. And the eggs are usually a variation of Blue Green or pink. And are huge eggs. Ee's may be a bit more flighty. I love my Cochins, but they lay far too few an egg to be economical. But they create some poop. lolol

 

[kid-n-chickens]

Well I am going to suggest Rhode Island Reds and Black Australorps. Both will lay medium to large eggs year around. My Daughter got 4 RIR and 2 Australorps in clover kids as day old chicks. She handled them a lot when they was smaller so now they tolerate being picked up and messed with. She loves going out and collecting the eggs. From the six chickens we get 4-6 eggs per day. During the winter to help keep them warm and to make sure they get there 14 hours of light we kept a 60 watt light on in the coop. If you get them as chicks you will need to keep them in a brooder box until they feather out, with a light for heat you can read more on BYC for that. Start small they will become addictive and you will want to get more chicks just realize depending on the breed they dont start laying until they are 20-24 weeks of age. As far as the smell, I have been at bigger farms with 40 or so chickens and you can't smell anything in her yard and very little in the barn/coop. With our 6 chickens we have our coop and laying boxes bedded with wood chips and cant smell a thing in the pen or coop. I dont think your neighbors will notice anything but the chickens. HAVE FUN!!!

P.S. Yes you can get each one a different breed, it doesnt matter, it is best if you get them at the same time though, that way they dont pick on the new one!

 

[the75]

AHA! Great suggestion getting them at the same time! I was going to buy one here and there, but that makes sense! Awesome info!