Which chicks do you recommend for a newbie?

[Domestic_goddess]

I started my first set of 6 chicks a year ago, they are Barred rocks. Just a great breed- very friendly and hardy! and....they are great layers. I love my girls, of course I would recommend them. I always start them off for the first 6 weeks in the house...in a wooden framed cage with chicken wire all around. I also have 4 cats and they loved to watch the chicks, but because it was covered in chicken wire--they couldn't get to close to them. This year I got 2 Brown Legorns and 2 buff orpingtons. I did the same thing with them and it worked out great. As far as the breeds, I don't recommend brown leghorn or any from the leghorn group--they tend to be skittish and flighty and have been a lot of work for me. But the buff orps are angels, their calm and friendly...I would recommend them too! My 4 chicks are 6 weeks now and I just put them outside in the coop, with the light on only at night and so far so good, I will gradually reduce light time too. I'm chicken addict myselfI can't wait to get a bigger place with more land, so I can just go crazy. Good luck!!!

 

[Renee]

I don't know that I would start small. It's work to raise the babies, and to introduce new birds, so you may want to consider starting with a sizeable number. It is also possible/likely that you will lose a few chicks.

I picked mine for egg production, temperament, and beauty. I bought Silver-laced Wyandottes, Columbian Wyandottes, Speckled Sussex, Silver Campines and Cream Brabanters. I gave most away.

My favorites are the Wyandottes. They are beautiful, cuddly, not noisy, and they lay six eggs a week (they are starting their second year). The Silver Campine is talkative and friendly, and very curious. She has big, brown, Audrey Hepburn eyes, and she is also laying six eggs a week.

 

[Garden Gal]

Thanks for all the input - I appreciate it! If anyone else wants to chime in, I'm still making my list and will be checking it twice, or thrice oh heck,

many, many times!!

 

[azelgin]

I like my Wyandottes for both eggs and meat. The BOs are better personality wise. Here's a thread with a lot of ideas about brooding inside vs. outside:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=161608

 

[Mahonri]

My first group 19(ordered online) was outside in the coop from the beginning in a brooder box.

My second group 12(first hatch from a bator) spent the first 10 days in a small box in the kitchen, then to the porch in a larger box. now they sleep in a dog kennel and free range on a fenced section of lawn.

If you only want to start with a few.

2 white leghorns
2 Barred rocks or 2 brown leghorns
2 Buff orps
2 Red sex links (Cinnamon Queens... egg layin' machines)
2 EEs.. and then I personally would get an Ameraucana roo... either white or blue to breed with the above.

 

[Renee']

I went on McMurray's site and started looking at the descriptions. Once I determined that they used the word "gentle" for friendliness I did a search for "gentle" on their site and it showed me all of the breeds that had the word gentle in their description. You need to determine a priority list (eggs, pretty, gentle, broody, etc.) and go from there.
I also agree to get the whole batch at once because introducing newbies isn't the easiest thing to do due to feed needs and pecking order.
Good luck.

 

[Garden Gal]

Quote:
Many thanks... I had already found that thread and all the talk of stinky and dusty is what made me ask about MAYBE not in the house!

However, I'm a sucker for anything "baby" and fluffy...

 

[Judy]

Here's another good link, My Pet Chickens "chicken selector tool:" http://www.mypetchicken.com/breedQuestions.aspx

I brooded in the house -- never again. People a lot further north than you won't, and experts recommend against it because of the STUFF you will be inhaling. You can get plenty of warmth for them in a cool room because the heat lamp heat is radiant, warms the chicks but not the air.

I have about 9 large breeds in my current batch, including BO, but the friendliest by far are the Australorps. Leghorns aren't mean but they are very flighty and do not like to be touched, even on the roost, though they are great layers.

Why do you want a roo among your meaties? Are you thinking of breeding them? This is unlikey to work if by meaties you mean Cornish X. There are other kinds of chickens that people raise for meat, and can breed, but there are disadvantages, and you will only get the familiar tender type of grocery store meat from Cornish X. My approach is to get heavy breeds like BO, BR, BA, RIR etc. and butcher the roos, but the meat is different. There are a few breeds that are closer to "meaties," like dark Cornish or colored range broilers from JM Hatchery; Ideal also has some sort of red or black broiler. Lots of info here on BYC; you will want to read more.

I didn't read this thread word for word so if I repeated someone, pardon me.

 

[gritsar]

Mojo Chick'n :

I always suggest Light Brahmas (or any brahmas) because they are big fluffy girls and egg laying machines and they are so friendly and outgoing. They are great if ya got kids around - fat fluffy chickens with good attitudes - even the roos are great birds. My brahmas are my favorites. (I just ordered 25 more of them

)

I'll chime in again and agree with this. I adore my brahmas. The girls are sweet and my rooster is goofy, but protective of the hens. He's respectful of humans and always makes me laugh.​

 

[Garden Gal]

Quote:
Okay, I know I may have all of you rolling on the floor by what I'm saying here - remember - I'm NEW at this!!! LOL!

By meaties I meant chickens we will use for meat, not just eggs. I don't plan on going with Cornish X but couldn't have told you why!

My reasoning for wanting a rooster for the "meat variety" bird is since we will be eating some of them, this is the group we will need to have fertile eggs for to replenish this flock.

I wasn't planning on a roo for the "egg heads" since we won't be eating the birds, we don't need fertile eggs. Plus I'm a bit unsure about roos and am not sure I want to crowing their heads off every morning.

PLEASE let me know if I'm looking at all this incorrectly! Thanks for all the great info.