What type of chickens should i buy

They are almost 3 months old now and was wondering if it is too early to get them on pellets? They seem to be resisting the size change. Hi Claire, We are new to the chicken game and trying to find good friendly chickens that are good layers and can handle the Montana winters.

Do you think these would be good for us? I really enjoyed your site!!!! Thank you Alissa K. Hi Jeff, Thank you for getting in touch! You want to get Rhode Island Reds, they will lay nice brown eggs for you with lovely golden yokes. I got 2 chicks from my local feed store that were supposed to be Ameraucanas but I am unsure because I have looked online and have never seen Ameraucanas in this color. Could these maybe be Easter Eggers? They have beards and muffs and only one of them has slate colored legs.

Marigold petals are often fed to chickens to help give a better color to the yolk. Turkens Naked Necks give brown eggs, mature early and mine follows me everywhere- even to feed the cows.

Hi Fire bird, Show him this website, and also the article I wrote on why to keep chickens! Should I be worried. Can you tell their approx age by their comb? Because hers is quite big and floppy and very red. They free range during the day. Should I regularly worm them? Thank you.

A big friendly breed for Brown eggs would be Barred Rock. They are bigger and smarter also. Where can I get these birds that are ready to range feed.

I purchased 6 RIR chicks in early April and raised them. They are still not laying eggs yet, am I doing something wrong.

I really would like chickens, and I want two on your list, but what are your thoughts on the Colombian Wyandottes and Ameraucanas? I have just come across your website and have found it very helpful.

Just a couple of things I wondered if you could help me with please. We were given some chickens by a neighbour who no longer wanted them but did not want to kill them. She had diarrhoea for a couple of months so I took her to the vet who felt that she may have egg yolk peritonitis and gave me Enrofloxacin and Amoxyclav to give her.

They made no difference. That was about 9 months ago and she is still walking around and eating and does not seem in any discomfort. She always has a dirty bottom. However, she still goes to the nesting box and sits as though she is going to lay an egg and after a while, gets up and does the clucking thing as though she has laid an egg.

Do you know what is going on??? The other thing is I have a Frizzle bantam who is extremely clucky. Can you tell me how to get her out of it as she is starting to be clucky more than not. Thank you so much for your help.

Sorry to go on for so long. I would also be giving her some cider vinegar in her water to help with her loose stools. I guess old habits die hard or they just enjoy taking a stroll down memory lane! Gotta love the old ladies! Thank you so much!!! This post has been so helpful! Dad has been wanting chickens for ages and mum and I are finally looking at getting him some for christmas maybe — or just the coop so he can pick his own.

What about Easter Eggers? They will not be free ranged. They will be mostly used as pets for my teenagers and for laying eggs, so they obviously need to be friendly. This is our first time with backyard chickens. What breeds that I mentioned will fit those elements the best? Hello, I live in Queensland Australia and even though I have had my 2 Isa Brown girls for less than 1 week, after reading your good advice I reckon I made the right choice.

I just need to decide about clipping their wings when I give them free range for an hour or so during the day, how to manage one of my dogs who has become obsessed with these little creatures and how to deal with providing correct nesting and roosting.

My girls are about 16 weeks, no eggs just yet. They are currently sleeping on the ground even though there is a bar off the ground for them to roost upon. The chicken expert at the local produce store said not put in a nesting box or give kitchen scraps until they start to lay.

I feed them premium mash which I was told contains adequate shell grit I have provided them with hay and lucerne even though they can peck at the grass and eat bugs, fresh water and good shelter.

The tractor pen is about 3m long and 1m wide. I think they are getting to recognise me now. I am a staunch opponent to wing clipping! Most chickens have a rather limited flight ability to begin with but often enough, it can get them into a not so high tree when being chased. You never really mentioned why you wanted to clip their wings…… I also have Heritage Turkeys who fly as well as the wild turkeys. They love to fly everywhere and their ability to fly has saved them multiple times from unforeseen predators.

Despite this ability, they do return to the barn at night and roost among their friends. I am kind of young not to share age and I am obsessed with all things chicken. I thought that the Buff Orpington and the Plymouth Rock chickens were absolutely adorable. They will definitely be one of my first chickens! I have really learned a lot from reading your site.

We are brand new at raising chickens. We live in Arizona were is gets upwards on degrees in the summer. I was looking into the speckled sussex and the Rhoad island red.

Will they be ok out here? Also will those breeds get along ok? Is this true? Both breeds are known for being able to withstand hot climates. Are some more avid bug hunters than others? If I want three hens for my yard can I get three different breeds?

Thanks for the help. My sister is getting a chicken for her birthday, and I have to help choose it. She wanted a pretty bird that lays green eggs, but I still think she should get a Rhode Island Red.

Thanks for all the help! Do you have any advice on sexing baby chicks? Anything specific to buff oringtons? Any advice would be helpful! I am a first time chicken owner and I think I did ok with the pick of my chicks. I have 6 chickens and my partridge rock has turned out to be a rooster.

My hens are a Rhode Island Red,1 Buff Orpington, 2 black sex links and 1 golden comet,they are free ranged for a few hours every day and have a large inside outside coop,all are doing well. The 5 hens roost together at night and the rooster roosts by himself,is that normal? Hi Terry, Yes it can be.

Do you have separate roosts or does the rooster sleep outside? I loved my first chickens so much that I gradually got more and more: As babies from the feed store, from nearby people who did not want them, and in May we had our first set of eggs hatch with our Buffs and our Rhodey Rooster as the parents. Now I have around I probably purchased only 10 of them. I keep them even when they get old and get new ones to support them and they eventually die of natural causes.

Is there a way to tell if a hen is old? The big costs are the chicken coop, the chicken run and the chicken feed. For example our Eglu Go is perfect for housing a couple of big hens whereas our Eglu Cube is nicely suited to house up to 10 chickens. In short, you should only consider getting Cockerels if you want your hens to reproduce. A good ratio to stick to is one Cockerel for every 5 hens.

It is an age old wives tale that you need a Cockerel for your hens to lay eggs. Hens will lay the same amount of eggs whether there is a Cockerel around them or not. The only difference is that the eggs your hen lays have a chance of being fertilised if there is a Cockerel about. Fertilised eggs can develop into chicks but only if they are incubated or sat on by a broody hen.

There are lots of places you can buy chickens from. A quick search online will reveal hundreds of different sellers ranging from farmyards and ex battery rescues to backyard breeders. If lots and lots of eggs is your goal then you'll want to choose breeds that are known for their laying prowess.

If you live in a hot climate, it's wise to choose breeds that do well in the heat. Chickens in general don't handle heat very well, but these breeds tend to do better. Articles may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy. Help Choosing a Breed in Beginner , Chickens ,. What kind of chickens should I raise?

There is no one best breed. Choosing a breed or breeds comes down to your ultimate goals for your flock. Although most chickens do just fine in cold climates, if you live where it gets really cold for much of the year, then choosing breeds specifically bred for the cold isn't a bad idea.

Whether you are looking for the friendliest chicken breed hint Can't make up your mind? Mixing different breeds in a single coop is no problem at all. In fact, like a well-appointed room, a "curated flock" is all the more alluring.

Now you're probably asking, "I've decided what type of chicken I want to raise, but where can I buy chicks? But she advises purchasing only from a hatchery certified by the National Poultry Improvement Plan, such as mcmurrayhatchery. Local farm-supply stores, such as Tractor Supply Co. Now you better get to tackling that coop.

To get started, check out these inspiring and easy to build DIY chicken coops , or if you'd rather click and buy, shop these backyard chicken coops you can order today. If you are a first-time chicken keeper, also check out our handy guide to everything you need to know to start raising chickens.