YO GEORGIANS! :)

[GAFarmGirl87]

Hello! I'm new to the thread and fairly new to the site. I live in Barrow County. I currently have a small flock of 15(until someone starts crowing). They are about 6-7 weeks old and mostly breeds I have never raised(GLW, light Brahma, Buff Brahma, OEG, and Tetra Tint) with one or two of my favs thrown in (BO, sebright). I still help maintain a flock of auracanas at my Mom's too!

Welcome!

@ChickDancer

So sorry about your troubles!! I completely understand, as I've lost several birds since I started out. I've had to learn to deal, but I still cry every time I lose one!

 

[amandarc]

Welcome!! Don't worry, you'll get lots of advice on this site.  But in the end, it's about trial & error, and finding out what works best for you and your birds. 

Can't wait to see pics of your setup (Pics are mandatory, by the way ), and to hear about what breed you decide to get. Chicks are awesome! I started out with pullets, and personally, I'm glad I did. I was NOT ready for babies when I first started out. 

Good luck on your chicken journey, and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask! 

Thanks!!!!
Tell me why you liked having pullets first? I am on the fence with either chicks or pullets. Heard advantages both ways. What breed chickens do you have now? I will post pics once the rain stops.

 

[GAFarmGirl87]

I am covered up, so you just say when. It's awesome knowing their sex before they even dry out, and I have never seen a more beautiful egg color than the pale blue of the Crested Cream Legbar. Thanks for the compliment.

Ok, I'm already impatiently waiting next year.

I may have to get from eggs from you next spring...

 

[Rocky Rhodes]

Ok, I'm already impatiently waiting next year.

I may have to get from eggs from you next spring...

Well, if you get too impatient, I am collecting plenty of fertile eggs everyday. There's no better time than the present.

 

[GAFarmGirl87]

I meant to comment about the Gold Comets, and had a reply earlier, but it didn't go through. So now I have a chance to sit down and type some more, I'll say it all again, lol!

Gold Comets are just a different name for "Red Sex Link" chickens. They are a chicken bred specifically to be colored according to sex right from hatch. That way, anyone can sex them without any experience. The females are red or "gold" and the males are usually black.

They also have other names including Gold Star, Red Star, or just Red Sex-Link. And their genetics are complicated - so much that even I forgot most of it already, and I just cheat using the Chicken Calculator now. So they really are just a mixed breed. One of the breeds I believe is involved is the RIR, which gives it the red or gold color. I'm not sure of the other breed.

The good news about gold comets is that you know you'll have nothing but hens, right from the start.


Many of us here live in Metro Atlanta, but not inside of the perimeter like you do. So while we may have chicks or chickens available, it'll be a little drive out. I live roughly 45 minutes south of the airport, but I usually have chicks available year-round. Abmaddox may have some available, depending on what she got and what she still has from her easter hatch. GAMarans and Roboduck live on the west side, and they usually have some available too - although I think they keep most of them.

We do have a "map" of where we all live, located at THIS LINK which you might use to find chicks closer to you. The one source I strongly recommend NOT using, is the breeder who spams craigslist with chicks in Villa Rica, and goes by the name John Barras or JJ's Chickens and Rabbits. But here on BYC, and especially in this forum, I'd trust most of these breeders.

I personally plan to own and breed: Sumatras (breeding now), Easter Eggers (breeding now), Frizzles (possibly breeding now, waiting on first eggs to see if they have frizzle feathers), and in the future I will also have Phoenix, Polish, Wyandottes, Large-Fowl Cochins, Cuckoo Marans, Bantam Cochins, Bantam Frizzles, Silkies (had these but predators recently took the last of my adults, waiting on their offspring now to re-establish them), and Silver Sebrights.

And I have to giggle at the comment that you don't want to get in too far over your head, too fast. YOU HAVE NO IDEA! Lol!

@amandarc I have a few Golden Comets, and I love them! My girls are super layers, very docile, and very pretty Personally, I love my barnyard mixes better than pure breeds. So far (

) I haven't had any illness issues with any of my mutts. They are hardy, good layers, pretty, and sweet. It took them a while to get used to me, but now they come with I call, and they get all underfoot whenever I'm outside.

Nothing wrong with hatcheries, I have some hatchery chicks myself, but definitely buy local if you can. It helps support your local backyard chicken keepers, plus you can see the birds before you buy, which is always nice!

I second the giggle about getting over your head.

Before you know it, you'll be wishing you had more, and more, and MORE!

 

[GAMarans]

Well, if you get too impatient, I am collecting plenty of fertile eggs everyday. There's no better time than the present.

He really does have gorgeous birds, y'all. Great drive up there ... wonderful people ... it's a win/win/win.

 

[RoboDuck]

"Golden Comet".. Red star,same difference right? If so, I have one and while she's not miss personality, she is my best chicken as far as upkeep. She is lightest in body and is the best forager in the bunch. She lays the largest eggs of all my girls and probably the most eggs too. She's "mean" as all get-out when I have to catch her up for a check- scrappy ol' thing!! But I don't mind because I like a chicken with some fight for predators.

And lastly, somehow, she's the ONLY one of my hens I have yet to find a single bug on, even with the rest fairly covered in lice. I tell her they don't like her cause she's too mean.

Explains why you don't have lice...

 

[GAFarmGirl87]

Thanks!!!!
Tell me why you liked having pullets first? I am on the fence with either chicks or pullets. Heard advantages both ways. What breed chickens do you have now? I will post pics once the rain stops.

Well, my reasoning is pretty simple to explain. I was impatient to get fresh eggs!!

This year, I bought some chicks (hatchery) and then I took eggs from my own chickens to a neighbor to incubate for me. So now I have 28 babies running around, and they are growing so fast! But I still have to wait 2-3 more months before I start getting eggs from this bunch (in other words, before they start earning their keep

)

Which reminds me, I need to post the recent pics I took...

Well, if you get too impatient, I am collecting plenty of fertile eggs everyday. There's no better time than the present.

Enabler...

 

[GAFarmGirl87]

He really does have gorgeous birds, y'all. Great drive up there ... wonderful people ... it's a win/win/win.

AND - if I get this new position I'm trying out for with my organization, I may be working over towards Gainsville/Cumming.
So of course I could make a detour to Ellijay...

NO!!

Stop it y'all!

"I don't need more chicks. I don't need more chicks. I don't need more chicks. I don't need more chicks. I don't need more chicks. I don't need more chicks."

 

[Rocky Rhodes]

AND - if I get this new position I'm trying out for with my organization, I may be working over towards Gainsville/Cumming.
So of course I could make a detour to Ellijay...

NO!!

Stop it y'all!

"I don't need more chicks. I don't need more chicks. I don't need more chicks. I don't need more chicks. I don't need more chicks. I don't need more chicks."

Okay. Okay. Okay, no more chicks. But if you change your mind...