Baby Chickens?

Question

I would like to purchase some baby chickens this spring when it warms up. I have never owned chickens before, so I was wondering if anyone could give me any care tips or anything else. I've done my research, but does anyone have their own opinion on what breeds of chickens are the best layers, or breeds that have a good temprament, or both. Just give me your opinion, anything will help.
~THANKS~

oh ya, one more thing, does anyone have any good websites to buy chickens from.

Answer 1

I prefer Americaunas (a mix of American breed and one from South America). They lay different colored eggs. Everybody gets a kick out of that! Another good breed is the Australop (a breed from Australia). I find the Australops are very good pets as well. Good temperaments. Just stay away from Longhorn roosters..they can get quite testy. The Australops tend to lay a nice hard-shelled large egg and are very good layers. As for their care...just be quite sure you have a good protected area. My biggest problem was predators...hawks, stray dogs, possums and raccoon. Although the temperatures here in the south do not get that extreme, i hung a heat light in my hen house for those nights that temps did get to freezing. Also i provided my hens with lots of good fresh hay in the house. I pampered mine! HE HE
Enjoy your chickens..they can be very rewarding.

Added note: I usually buy my chicks from local feedstore where i know what i am buying.

Answer 2

Chickens are really easy to raise and keep. While they are still chicks they need to stay under a heat lamp, at about 100 degrees. When they get all their feathers and the nights are in the low 50's, without rain, they can be placed in a chicken house. If you turn them out and leave them you probably won't have any left by the end of the week or sooner. Even grown chickens need to be put up, when you are gone for an extended time and always at dusk, away from the predators, including dogs, unless you aren't planning on keeping them very long. I really enjoy the Plymouth Rock chickens, they lay brown eggs and usually if they are well taken care of large eggs on a regular basis. The Araucana lays greenish-blue eggs and can lay up to 2 a day. They aren't one of the prettiest but the eggs are cool. Good Luck

Answer 3

Buff Orpingtons are great to work with. Barred Plymouth Rocks or Barred rocks are also of great temperment. The Hybrids like the "Golden Hall Cross" lay the most eggs but are much more high strung and harder to deal with. Keep feed and water in front of them ALL the time and use only MASH not Pellets because it takes them longer to eat mash and chickens that get bored peck and kill each other. (an idle beak is the devils workshop!) And heres the hard part, Let them lay for one solid year and then kill them for the stewpot or sell them off. Once they go into moult you lose money bigtime. Start your new chicks every spring and when they are laying, get rid of the old flock any way you can or you will be stuck with feeding a flock of non laying birds for weeks on end come fall and winter. Only keep the new flock through the winter months. Stick with the brown egg layers, Why? I dunno, but I always thought there was just something wrong with white eggs! get involved with a Slat floor system and use covered nestboxes filled with plenty of sawdust Not Hay, it too hard to clean out. OH yeah, almost forgot, throw them a handfull of crushed clam or oyster shells once in awhile to help with their digestive tracts. Most of all have fun Good luck!!!

FURTHER NOTE; Murray McMurray hatchery is a really good place to get your chicks! also don't forget your local feed store usually has them to order.

Answer 4

Leghorns would be the best for laying production. They have a great disposition as well. Any standard breed would be fine though, it all depends on what color, what color egg, and what size you are looking for.
Check out www.mcmurrayhatchery.com
Good Luck : )

Answer 5

redrock chickens are good layers. and usually chickens are not gonna harm you. at night time they sleep and you can pick them up, and they wont even notice it, lol i love chickens.