Chickens chickens, im getting chickens!!

[MsPony]

Other half wants chickens!! We already have 4, but one doesn't lay and the other 3 lay in random spots that only my field labrador finds. So he wants more!

For a coop (no we dont have one LOL, my current moms girls sleep in cages in my moms dining room!) we are going to take my old bearded dragons handmade cage, wood all the sides since it was screen, and put it on legs so its off the ground. It hinges up from the front to let chickens out/get eggs out.

For chicken choice, I think my choices are Australorp, Delaware, New Hampshire Red, Sussex and Wynadotte. NHR and Wy. being top two, as they are listed as frequent broodies, the rest being chosen on egg size, production and temperament. Anyone have any opinions on those chickens?

Also, is there a pro to getting chicks or could I find a young hen of those breeds easily? I live in So Cal....

Yay! Thanks guys for all help and opinions

 

[k0xxx]

Congratulations on getting some new girls! I can't help on those breeds, as I only have experience with Orpingtons and Cinnamon Queens, but I'm happy for you.

I have 10 Buff Orpingtons and 5 Ameraucanas chicks doe to be delivered this Tuesday. I can't wait!

 

[Aidenbaby]

I really like my Delaware. I've got 5 girls; Easter Egger/Ameracauna, Delaware, Faverolle, Andalusian, Dominique. My Delaware, Balari, has never gone broody in the year that we've owned the girls. The one that went broody is my faverolle, Xanthe. If I were to go into breeding, I would go with Delaware's and use Faverolle's as broody's (but only because Xanthe goes broody every time I forget to collect eggs for more than 2 days). I love the looks of the Delaware breed and they seem to be pretty winter hardy as Balari is almost always one of the first to brave the snow.

 

[ORChick]

I have had 2 NHR, and I am very fond of them. Henny is 26 months old now, and my best layer. Penny was killed a few months ago but she was second best in terms of numbers, and best in terms of size. (Out of a flock of five, so not a lot of competition ). Neither of them have gone broody, but I never leave any eggs for long in the nest. They both are/were very friendly, quiet birds. I can recommend them.

Edited to say that I mean they have a quiet temperment; they can cackle just as loud as any of the others

 

[Farmfresh]

I would probably go with the Australorp as top bird and the Delaware a close second. Both are great dual purpose birds and have nice sweet personalities.

I have never been able to get a hold of a quality Wyandotte so no opinions there and the Sussex I have had in the past were really not the best of layers. The New Hampshires seem to fall in two categories the old fashioned and the modern. The old type birds usually bred by a farmer for his personal flock are GREAT birds, wonderful layers and nice. The average NHR from a hatchery ... not so much. They DO lay lots of big eggs but in my opinion they are flighty and even nasty tempered (especially roosters). NHR are one of the breeds used commercially when brown egg layers are needed. They just lost something when they bred for high production.

Probably my all time favorite bird is the Ameraucana. They are hardy, sweet and good layers to boot.

 

[Bettacreek]

Ha! Looks like my list of breeds! I mean, really. Minus the wyandott and you don't have faverolles on there.
Anyways, the australorps are supposed to be very broody, yet, one laid the record number of eggs (364 in a year). I went with them, all except that my eggs never developed. I then went with bantam cochins, since I can just buy eggs from a local guy for $1.50/doz.

 

[tamlynn]

Yay! There are some feed stores that carry chicks, but I don't know what's still in stock. Escondido Feed is the one where I got my first chicks!

 

[MetalSmitten]

yay! congrats! i have 15 month-old chicks right now, 5 buff orpingtons, 4 red sex links and 6 mystery black chicks that were supposed to be australorps but i'm not sure hah. the buffs are totally mellow compared to the others.

if you do make a coop, i've heard that you can temporarily start keeping them locked in the coop a little late each morning (to give them no choice but to lay their eggs in the nest boxes inside) and after a week or so they'll often just continue to lay in the boxes.

 

[hwillm1977]

NHR are one of the breeds used commercially when brown egg layers are needed. They just lost something when they bred for high production.

I have four of these... I'm assuming... I bought them from the farmer's co-op as 'brown layers'... two of them are nasty, two of them are sweet, funny, goofy birds. They are great layers, but I guess I was kind of hoping for four good tempered birds, instead I have two that charge at me every time I open the door of the coop. They don't seem to peck hard, but it's irritating to work around.

Mine may not be NHR though... I have no idea what they really are.

I bought mine as 'ready to lay' birds instead of getting chicks... it was only a few dollars extra and I only had to wait 3 days to start getting eggs.

 

[freemotion]

Buff Orpingtons make great baby goat babysitters......just saying....