What chicken breed should I start with?

[pamsnell]

Hey All, I'm brand new to raising chickens and just need to know which ones I should start with. I live in AR (Zone 7a for gardening). It does get kinda cold (around 27 degrees in winter, with some light occasional snow). It also gets kinda hot in the summer with the humidity.

I'm good on coop and run, just not sure what chickens to start with... And do you start with chicks? Do they need to be indoors (like in the house) or just have a warm safe place to grow?

Thank you!!

 

[LizzzyJo]

For breeds, my suggestion would be to start with an assortment. Go through a catalogue from a hatchery and start with 3 or 6 chicks of different varieties. That way you will have a colorful flock with different colored eggs and you wont feel pressured to expand immediately. Buy day old chicks or started pullets. For the day olds - they need to be kept very warm (95 degrees for the first week), so if you can keep them warm in a shed, go ahead - but many people without farms brood in the house. There are many articles on here that will walk you through chick raising step-by-step.

 

[Gallinarium]

Do you want layers, or meat birds, or dual-purpose, or pets...

 

[pamsnell]

Do you want layers, or meat birds, or dual-purpose, or pets...

Layers and dual purpose

 

[Gallinarium]

I've gotten all my chicks from Murray McMurray, but I think that Red sex-links are great for starting out. You never end up with an unknown rooster, and they're great layers. They also aren't as condescending as pure Mediterranean.
Other good starters are Rhode Island Reds, Plymouth Rocks, and Orpingtons.
Just look at details about breeds you like and pick a good one.

 

[3KillerBs]

Since you don't have especially extreme conditions either hot or cold you can probably raise just about any breed.

Some are better layers than others, some are noted for being active, or docile, or dominant, or laid-back, some forage better, ....

Other than breeds like game hens or silkies, that lay just a few eggs then go broody, or meat birds like Cornish X, which are bred to grow rapidly and are unlikely to live to adulthood without special management, you can probably go with whatever chickens you think look pretty.

Do you have a preferred egg color?

 

[pamsnell]

Since you don't have especially extreme conditions either hot or cold you can probably raise just about any breed.

Some are better layers than others, some are noted for being active, or docile, or dominant, or laid-back, some forage better, ....

Other than breeds like game hens or silkies, that lay just a few eggs then go broody, or meat birds like Cornish X, which are bred to grow rapidly and are unlikely to live to adulthood without special management, you can probably go with whatever chickens you think look pretty.

Do you have a preferred egg color?

No egg color preference. Thank you for the advice!

 

[3KillerBs]

No egg color preference. Thank you for the advice!

You might be happy with a random mix then.

Most people start with "one of these and one of those and one of those other ones ..." and find out what they like best that way.

 

[RebeccaRN]

I live in Oklahoma with similar weather and its my first year raising chickens. I started out with 3 day old chicks. I have orpingtons, Austrolorps and a New Hampshire red. They have all done extremely well.

 

[MarkJr]

I have had EEs, copper marans, sapphire gems, leghorns, polish, red sexlink, ameracaunas, slw, austrslorps, and bar rocks. So far, my barred rocks are by far my favorite.