Which chicks do you recommend for a newbie?

[Judy]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=158061&p=1

 

[Sequin]

Everyone has their favorite breeds and ways of doing things that fit well with their lifestyle and preferences. For our family of chicks we like to start them in the house where I know they are completely draft free and I can watch them closely as well as comfortably spend cuddle time with them. Then I move them to an outbuilding(like a garage) and finally into their coop.

When we first started we started with one breed of chicken, Black Australorps. They were cute, friendly/outgoing and not easily frightened. This year we brought in a few more breeds and while my favorite chick is an EE, overall I like the calm sweet disposition of the BO's. I have 7 from 3 different orders, and they are the most consistently sweet/calm chicks of the group. They are supposed to be great layers and hardy as well. Either way, no matter what breed you start off with, you will love them because they are soo adorable(and honestly addictive).

 

[kycklingmamma]

I have been a very happy chicken owner for about a year, and we first did a lot of research. We wnated hens that would be friendly, especially towards our kiddos, be good to great egglayers as well as not overly flighty.
That being said we started with Buff Orpingtons and Australorps. We loved them dearly and so did everybody in our family abd friend circle. We now don't have them anymore, they were given to my Father in law, and we got some babies to start over. The buffs are very sweet and will come if I just poke my head out the door, and they lay an egg almost everyday, the Australorps are better at the egglaying, but maybe a little more reserved.
Now we have a bunch of other breeds ( we addopted some after hurricane IKE, they were in desperate need of a home so we took them in)
2 of the girls are Welsumers and they lay huge dark brown eggs, but they talk alot, meaning they walk around and chitchat with eachother, it is quite funny to see. We also have one Ameracauna, she lays enorous pale blue eggs, but more on the reserved side.
The cochins are very sweet and friendly, don't lay eggs every day though. ANd then we have a whole brooder of various breeds and they are all o ver the place, some rally curious and friendly others more scared and frazzled.

As far as were to brood them, I would say do it outside if you can. We have ours inside but the dust is getting to be unbearable, they are about to be kicked out. So long as you have a draftfree and warm ( with heatlamp) place that is predator proof you are good.
Hope this helps,
Kycklingmamma

 

[Chicks R Friends NOT Food]

I think your logic about "replenishing" the meat birds naturally makes sense. It's cheaper and easier to let chickens do the babymaking the the yard instead of constanly ordering and shipping them. Remember that you will get roosters if you do this. You will have to cull (kill), sell, or give them away if you don't want them.
**Make sure you pay close attention to the predator threads, you don't want to lose any birds to them. **

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Light Brahmas. Very friendly and calm chickens. Even the roosters are sweet. They lay very large brown eggs.