What would you buy?

[Kacey Elle]

If your coop/run are both predator and weather proof so they can use the run as an extension of the coop, that will help. However, I can not in good conscience ever condone less than 4 s.f./bird in the coop no matter what the circumstances. This especially holds true if you EVER intend to integrate any new birds to an existing flock. Do people ever run their coop space tighter, yes they sometimes do. Do they succeed? Sometimes. But, it's a calculated risk.

Thanks for the response and the opinion. I respect that you want the best for the chickens, even if they aren't yours! I don't have anywhere near your level of expertise (I'm assuming, since you've been a member since 2012!). That being said, I care for a flock of chickens at my school right now that has the same square footage in their coop that I plan to have in mine, and the same design (three walls only, open on the fourth side to the predator-proof run). The chickens are all happy and have had no problems with weather or each other. They have at least one foot each of roost space--a little under 3 square feet/coop total--and that seems to be all they need for the small amount of time that they are in the coop.

I'm afraid we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

 

[PirateGirl]

If going with
Brood #3:
Ameraucana
Barred Rock
Black Australorp
Silver Laced Wyandotte
Speckled Sussex

If going with
Brood #4:
Ameraucana
Cuckoo Maran
Delaware
Silver Laced Wyandotte


I feel like Delawares are not particularly popular or discussed on BYC, but I randomly got one without knowing much about the breed. She is such a great fit in my flock. She is large and fluffy and soooo docile. She is my largest bird and at the bottom of the pecking order. She also lives with a SLW, a GLW, and an Ameraucana, and a barnyard mix. So a very similar combination of birds you could get from brood #4 and there has been no major drama/injuries, just normal mild pecking order stuff. I also get a variety of egg colors (unplanned bonus) with these girls.

 

[Kacey Elle]

If going with
Brood #3:
Ameraucana
Barred Rock
Black Australorp
Silver Laced Wyandotte
Speckled Sussex

If going with
Brood #4:
Ameraucana
Cuckoo Maran
Delaware
Silver Laced Wyandotte


I feel like Delawares are not particularly popular or discussed on BYC, but I randomly got one without knowing much about the breed. She is such a great fit in my flock. She is large and fluffy and soooo docile. She is my largest bird and at the bottom of the pecking order. She also lives with a SLW, a GLW, and an Ameraucana, and a barnyard mix. So a very similar combination of birds you could get from brood #4 and there has been no major drama/injuries, just normal mild pecking order stuff. I also get a variety of egg colors (unplanned bonus) with these girls.

Thanks for the information! A quick search tells me that Delawares have good egg production. Do you find that to be true? To be honest, Delawares weren't really on my radar--not sure why. But I love that our mixes would be so similar! Hopefully that means I can get as nice of a flock as you have.

 

[Peppercorngal]

Hello,

I'm looking to start my flock in the next few months! I've been doing tons and tons of research, have a plan for my coop/run, and have been "practicing" as I helped to care for a flock of chickens at the school where I work. Now that it's almost time to reserve my pullets, I'm having breed indecision. The place where I plan to purchase my pullets sent me the following lists. The problem: I don't want to have to go to buy them twice (it's about an hour away from my house and I don't want to deal with integrating new birds four weeks later) so I need to buy the breeds only offered on one of these lists. But I want some of the singletons that are only offered on either month.

My for sure breeds: Silver Laced Wyandotte and Ameraucana (probably one each or two Ameraucanas and one SLW). That leaves three or four left from the other choices. Also, I know they are great layers but I really don't like the attitude of the RIRs that I currently care for so those are off the list....Sorry for the prejudice. Help! Which other breeds--and how many of each--do you think I should get to start my small backyard flock of six laying hens?

Brood #3: 5 ready to go @ end of April
Ameraucana
Barred Rock
Black Australorp
Rhode Island Red
Red Stars
Silver Laced Wyandotte
Speckled Sussex

Brood #4: ready to go @ end of May
Ameraucana
Cuckoo Maran
Delaware
New Hampshire Red
Red Stars
Silver Laced Wyandotte
Speckled Sussex

What are you looking for? Large and regular egg layers or "pretty" chickens that don't lay as much or as nice and large an egg? Barred Rock, Red Stars along with Rhode Island Reds (which I guess you don't like, but my two are sweet) are excellent and constant layers of good sized eggs. Wyandottes lay well, but the size of the egg is much smaller and not as desirable, especially if you will be selling eggs to friends and neighbors! Any Wyandotte, Silver or Golden laced, or Columbian (I've had them all and the eggs are smaller than the rest). That's as far as my personal experience goes. I have 3 Americaunas and a Sussex so I'll find out in a couple of months how they lay. I do sell eggs so my goal was to get mostly egg producers and a few "pretty chickens" too! Good luck, whatever you get you will love!

 

[moniquem]

I too am getting my very first mixed flock ever, I am super excited. My plan is to get 2 each BR, BA and SS total of 6. This is my plan, although until they are in my brooder I could change my mind for the 1000 time!!!

 

[PirateGirl]

Thanks for the information! A quick search tells me that Delawares have good egg production. Do you find that to be true? To be honest, Delawares weren't really on my radar--not sure why. But I love that our mixes would be so similar! Hopefully that means I can get as nice of a flock as you have.

Yeah, the Delaware wasn't on my radar either, but I was picking out 2 replacement birds for my flock from a farm and the Delaware was so calm and kinda getting walked over by some of the other birds there so I kinda felt bad for her and brought her home. She fit in from day one. No drama even during integration. I probably get 4-5 eggs a week from her. Hopefully as the days get longer I will get more eggs from everyone. In a week I average out to 3 eggs a day from the 5 birds. Some days more, some less. Today I got 5 eggs, the other day I only got 2.

 

[Kacey Elle]

What are you looking for? Large and regular egg layers or "pretty" chickens that don't lay as much or as nice and large an egg? Barred Rock, Red Stars along with Rhode Island Reds (which I guess you don't like, but my two are sweet) are excellent and constant layers of good sized eggs. Wyandottes lay well, but the size of the egg is much smaller and not as desirable, especially if you will be selling eggs to friends and neighbors! Any Wyandotte, Silver or Golden laced, or Columbian (I've had them all and the eggs are smaller than the rest). That's as far as my personal experience goes. I have 3 Americaunas and a Sussex so I'll find out in a couple of months how they lay. I do sell eggs so my goal was to get mostly egg producers and a few "pretty chickens" too! Good luck, whatever you get you will love!

Can't I have a pretty chicken that lays large eggs regularly????

Seriously, though, I'd like both in a perfect world. The eggs will pretty much just be for my family and maybe a neighbor or two to keep the peace--chickens aren't usual in my neighborhood. If I had to choose, I'd probably go with one pretty chicken and the rest good layers.

I think I'm a little "racist" toward Rhode Island Reds but I suppose it's a little unfair since I care for two and only one is a jerk....but she is a HUGE jerk!

I too am getting my very first mixed flock ever, I am super excited. My plan is to get 2 each BR, BA and SS total of 6. This is my plan, although until they are in my brooder I could change my mind for the 1000 time!!!

Good luck!!!!

Yeah, the Delaware wasn't on my radar either, but I was picking out 2 replacement birds for my flock from a farm and the Delaware was so calm and kinda getting walked over by some of the other birds there so I kinda felt bad for her and brought her home. She fit in from day one. No drama even during integration. I probably get 4-5 eggs a week from her. Hopefully as the days get longer I will get more eggs from everyone. In a week I average out to 3 eggs a day from the 5 birds. Some days more, some less. Today I got 5 eggs, the other day I only got 2.

No drama sounds good. Delawares aren't as pretty as SL Wynadottes, in my opinion, but I like the idea of calling a chicken "Snow White," with a comb as red as blood. LOL!

 

[PirateGirl]

Can't I have a pretty chicken that lays large eggs regularly????

Seriously, though, I'd like both in a perfect world. The eggs will pretty much just be for my family and maybe a neighbor or two to keep the peace--chickens aren't usual in my neighborhood. If I had to choose, I'd probably go with one pretty chicken and the rest good layers.

I think I'm a little "racist" toward Rhode Island Reds but I suppose it's a little unfair since I care for two and only one is a jerk....but she is a HUGE jerk!



Good luck!!!!



No drama sounds good. Delawares aren't as pretty as SL Wynadottes, in my opinion, but I like the idea of calling a chicken "Snow White," with a comb as red as blood. LOL!

Well... I have both a silver laced Wyandotte AND a Delaware, and they both lay pretty well and get along with each other so I can't complain. Also part of my criteria is that all my chickens are different colors so I can tell them apart easily.

 

[X_and_Z]

I think beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The pics of delawares are quite appealing to me (I don't have any). Since it is most likely that your SLWs will not be coming from show lines, they will not be as nice looking as many of the glamour shots that are so common.

Below is a pic of my SLWs with dark brahmas and blue easter eggers. They have been laying 5-6 light to medium brown largish eggs a week for me (they are approximately a year old) slowing down only slightly during Nov-Jan (I am also in the south bay so I am sure that our dry warm winter has contributed to the high winter production). Note that while they are clearly silver laced and are attractive birds, they do not have the stunning feathering often seen on websites.

 

[PirateGirl]

Here is my Delaware (Cackle hatchery), Blue Ameraucana (breeder), and SLW (Cackle)