…… chicken help

[tpatt]

Hi folks,
I hope the main is the right place for this. If need be move at your discression.

I could some opinions from you who are knowledgeable about chickens. We live in eastern Tenn. And have decided to give chickens a try. But we are not sure which breed to start with. We are looking for great egg producers with decent meat production that will do well in our climate and atiltude (2000 ft). If some of you could give me your ideas I would really appreciate it. Thanks so much in advance!

 

[Dozdoats]

Get some chicks from a neighbor with a successful flock ...

 

[Mushroom]

I have raised Buff Orpingtons with success. They even lay all winter altho less than spring. They are decent meat birds and consistent layers. They will get "nesty" and raise chicks if you need them to. They have always been very even tempered for me. A ratio of 10 hens to one rooster is adequate if you want to raise chicks as well. They kept my lawn free of most weeds and bugs so they kept their value even after they slowed down egg laying. All around good birds.

This time around I wanted Bielefelders but apparently the bird flu put the kaibash on my plans. Maybe after they lift the ban on selling chicks I can get some.

 

[Barb]

I, too,would recommend Buff Orpingtons.

 

[phloydius]

Before thinking about what breed you want, consider what you want them to do. And by that, I don't just mean egg to meat production ratios.

First, are you going to have roosters and breed your own flock? If not, you might want to have at least 2 breeds, one for egg production, and one for meat production. Meat from older laying hens that are not producing as well, make great stock or very slowly cooked soup, but is not palatable by most people as a main course on a plate (such as grilled chicken breast) compared to what they get in the store. If you are breeding your own flock, you can butcher the males at a young age for some reasonably tender meat in dual purpose birds (but it won't be as tender or big as the Cornish X birds at the super market).

Do you want them to free range? Are you planning on feeding them commercial feed? Or do you want to try to feed them "off the land as much as possible"? Some breeds do very well getting their own food, others are not as effective at it.

What predators are in your area? Larger breeds with reasonable cover can free range without too many loses due to hawks, but can't fly to get away from foxes. Ones that can fly away from hawks are probably small enough for hawks to carry far away.

How are your neighbors & fences? Smaller breeds (and some larger heritage breeds) fly better than others.

If you feel comfortable enough to put a few comments about these questions, we might be able to give a slightly better set of options.

 

[ioujc]

I have repeatedly ordered the "Brown Egg Collection from Murray McMurray hatchery and have been very happy with the results!!

This allows you to try out several different breeds and see which ones you like best. I have had Bielefelders, Brahmas, but I think my favorite was a Black Star, who literally would come and seek me out and have conversations with me!! It all depends on what you like.....if it is egg production you are after, the Orpingtons are great, but I really enjoy interacting with my chickens, so am interested in a variety of breeds.

 

[Samuel Adams]

Buffs are my favorite.

For all purposes mentioned, I also like Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks and Black Australorps.

I also really like fried chicken.

 

[poppy]

For egg production, you won't beat the sex link cross breeds for brown eggs but they don't have much meat. They lay nearly every day but egg production drops about 15% every year after that and they do not live as long as regular breeds. Leghorns are best for white eggs but the ones I've had were flighty and acted like I was going to kill them every time I walked in the pen and they have little meat. The breeds others mentioned are good dual-purpose birds.

 

[TxGal]

We've had Barred Rocks (our first), several generations of them. Then tried Light Brahmas (loved them), not as good layers as Barred Rocks, in our opinion. Then we got more Barred Rocks. We also got some Golden Comets by accident, were told they were RIRs. Okay layers, but the darn things were far-ranging and really fast. During the early stages of the Covid mess, we got 4 RIRs hearing they are the best layers. They are good, but I think we still prefer Barred Rocks.

Almost forgot one year we got an assortment of Bantams, feathered legs. Oddly, I think their eggs taste different. They are, without a doubt, excellent setters. They'll sit on anything, even duck eggs.

Only Buff Orpington we had was a rooster...he was definitely the boss. I often wonder if cross-breds would be more long-lived.

All the breeds mentioned above are good, in our opinion. It really comes down to the ones you like the best. :-)

 

[LYoung8]

Whats works for some may not work for you. This will let you get an idea of what each breed can do. Just remember it is not cast in stone. A bunch of things can play into how chickens act and produce.

http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html

 

[Hfcomms]

Best place for research is the backyard chickens forum.

Raising Chickens 101 - Chicks, Breeds, Coops, Tips

Does your pet make you breakfast? Tips & Tricks for raising chickens, building chicken coops, & choosing chicken breeds + ask questions in our community forum

www.backyardchickens.com

Probably most of us that have chickens are either members over there as well or have done research there. They have an entire section that addresses what the best breeds are as to cold hardy or hot hardy or if you want egg layers or meat birds or birds who do well for both, etc.

 

[Nopie]

If you want stupid chickens that lay a lot of big eggs, get Rhode Island Reds. If you want pretty eggs then get Easter Eggers/Amerucana chickens - their eggs will be blue or green.

if you want sweet chickens that are friendly and will make for good mamas for chicks then get Buff Orpington or Speckled Sussex or Black Australorp chickens.

All of these breeds will be good at your elevation. I’m at 3K+ foot level and my chickens are thriving.

I let my chickens free range but I also have a LGD that lets the chickens eat out of his food bowl while he is eating... nothing is going to happen to my birds while he is around.

Chickens are so much fun and better than a soap opera. The girls are sweet yet conniving and when there is a rooster or young chicks involved, the drama gets ratcheted up!

I love my girls and I love their eggs even more.

 

[Nopie]

Best place for research is the backyard chickens forum.

Raising Chickens 101 - Chicks, Breeds, Coops, Tips

Does your pet make you breakfast? Tips & Tricks for raising chickens, building chicken coops, & choosing chicken breeds + ask questions in our community forum

www.backyardchickens.com

Probably most of us that have chickens are either members over there as well or have done research there. They have an entire section that addresses what the best breeds are as to cold hardy or hot hardy or if you want egg layers or meat birds or birds who do well for both, etc.

I just found a new place to check everyday. Thanks HFC!!!

I spent all weekend finishing a new coop for my chicks and their mamas. I’ve been letting hens go broody to increase my population. So far, out of five chicks, I’ve had four roosters and one hen. Finally, I am going to learn to butcher chickens. Nobody needs four roosters.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

Buff orpingtons are some of the friendliest and easy to handle birds for the beginner.

I began with 4 buff orpongtons and 4 rhode island reds.

I do NOT recommend pairing those two breeds together - the reds would bully and even peck violently at the meeker, more well mannered buffs.

I ended up getting rid of my rhode island reds.

Now, having said that - I have learned through years of experience that buff orpingtons - no matter how charming they might be - are NOT the best egg layer/meat producing combo for a beginner.

I would recommend either black copper marans, light brahmas, or else Delawares Iif you want a duel producer.

Why?

1, Buffs are big and can produce alot of meat when full grown, but they are not one of your better producing egg layers. And their eggs - while they are adequate quality - tend not to be as high of quality as the black copper marans (though they are the same quality as the light brahmas). Delawares eggs are a bit higher quality than the light brahmas and the buff orpington eggs. And I do not say that because maran eggs are a darker brown. It is not egg color. I just find black copper maran eggs to be the best quality of the duel purpose birds, IMHO.

2, Buffs tend to go broody quicker than alot of hens. That is good if you want a lady to hatch a few eggs for you every now and then, bad if you have only a few birds and want maximum egg production. A broody hen quits laying until she breaks the brood or delivers a clutch of baby chicks.

3, Buffs are cute as a button, and - especially beginners - learn to love them. All chickens have a personality, but most of the time it is hard to see that. But not with buffs. They have a loveable personality from day 1.

Sesame Street’s Big Bird was based on a buff orpington rooster. Buff orpingtons - male or female - are so personable that most beginners give their first batch names. Once that happens, you will NEVER eat them, no matter hungry you might be.

Would you eat Big Bird?




In the 1930’s, the go to egg producer/meat bird was the Light Brahma.

That is why you see the light brahma in so many pictures from that era. So many depression housewives - when they did cross stitch - cross stitched Light Brahma roosters.

 

[Nopie]

Barry made a lot of good points. You need to decide what your goal is with having chickens. Meat? Eggs? Broody chickens to make more chickens? If you want it all, variety is the key... and a lot of space for the girls to be in.

Jump in head first and try a variety of birds... you’ll figure out what works best for you with experience.

 

[Dennis Olson]

Hi! Please use the HELP prefix whenever asking the membership for assistance.

Changed.

 

[bbbuddy]

For a self reproducing fast growing flock that has meat almost like a broiler but are also good egg layers the Slow Whites from Welps are my choice.

Summerthyme found and recommended them years ago, and I've been very happy with them.

 

[KMR58]

We have Barred Rocks and Silver Laced Wyandottes. Both are cold and heat tolerant.

 

[WalknTrot]

I don't like Buff Orps. They are too big for their own good, not that great layers, and not that great meat birds. Plus, the roosters have been the meanest damned things I've ever owned in 50 years of raising chickens.

Contrary to all the hype, there are no good multi-purpose birds that will be good layers, but will also make a decent table bird (anything resembling what people buy in the store...I mean ANYTHING like it). A layer breed will take so long to get to a size past 2 lb dressed that they get tough as shoe leather. A straight meat bird will not age well/lay well - they get too big to stay very healthy and tend to go lame and not be able to handle getting up and down from the roost.

Slow White Broilers (Welp Hatchery) - are about the best multi-purpose bird around - sold as slower growing meat birds - but they come with their own problems. The pluses are that they can be butchered at 10 weeks for a NICE sized tender broiler, the hens will lay the quickest of any breed I've ever found, and the roosters are mellow. They can breed naturally, so you can incubate your own eggs. They do get big as they mature though, eat a lot, and can have lameness issues.

If I HAD to pick a breed for a homestead bird to do both jobs, would go with Slow Whites, then Cuckoo Marans, then something like a heavy version of White Rocks. Personally, at this point, I keep Cuckoo Marans and Ameraucanas for layers, and raise a batch of CornishX broiler cockerels if I want meat birds (full size and GONE in 8 weeks).

 

[patriotgal]

If short on space and housing chickens and ducks together, bantys or banty mix chicks fly well enough that they aren't always drowning in the duck pool.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

For a self reproducing fast growing flock that has meat almost like a broiler but are also good egg layers the Slow Whites from Welps are my choice.

Summerthyme found and recommended them years ago, and I've been very happy with them.

Are the Slow Whites another name for what many call Delawares?

 

[bbbuddy]

Are the Slow Whites another name for what many call Delawares?

No. They're a breed only available from Welps. They must have developed them.

Summthyme discovered that they keep their characteristics when bred, so not a hybrid like the broilers.
They grow a few weeks slower than broilers, and have large meaty breasts almost like them.

They breed true. They are good in winter and at altitude.

Unlike WalknTrot I haven't had any lameness problems.

 

[joekan]

I've had many breeds over the years but always kept White Leghorns. They out-produce all the others that I have had. They are a little skittish however and they will not sit on eggs if you ever go that route.

 

[Tonic]

The Tennessee Valley Poultry Club is a good place to start to meet local breeders in East Tennessee. They’ll have a big show in Knoxville in December where breeders come from many states. Good place to see grown birds and talk poultry.

 

[Tonic]

Are the Slow Whites another name for what many call Delawares?

No, Delawares are an American breed recognized by the APA. Considered a dual purpose breed and commonly used in sex linked birds

 

[Wildwood]

I like a mixture and I love a variety of color in my carton.

I got Americaunas for their pretty blue eggs and the variety of color in the bird itself. I've found them to be tough, long lived and fair on egg production. Crossed with a brown egg layer, you can get several shades of green. I intend to always keep them but don't count on them to hatch eggs for you. On the rare occasion they get broody, it never last much longer than a week.

Buffs are my favorite all around chicken. They are easy to keep, will stay on the nest til their eggs are hatched and do a good job of it and unlike others, mine were the best egg producers ever if you do a yearly average because they will lay when nothing else will and stick with it all winter.

I liked the Rhode Island Reds and Barred Rocks but when these are gone, I probably won't get more but that's just because I like a few other breeds more.

I currently am trying Cream Legbars but the jury is still out on them. They are pretty and dainty and have a very sweet disposition. They are suppose to lay a bright blue egg and be pretty self sufficient. World wide, they are suppose to be the most common chicken and were very popular until blue eggs fell out of fashion. We've not had them in this country long enough to have much of a following. They are hard to find and it took me a while. Mine are only about 3 months old.

I saved the Bielfelders for last. Considered by many to be the preppers chicken because they are a good meat bird and a good egg layer...probably the meatiest of the dual purpose birds. They were developed in Germany and brought to this country by the same folks who brought in the Cream Legbars. I wanted these chickens so bad and for so long. I finally had to buy an incubator and order hatching eggs to get started. My first hatched a little over a year ago. I ended up with two roosters and four hens. I kept them in until the heat broke and finally put them in their own coop. Within a week, they piled on top of each other and two pullets on the bottom of the pile died. They tend to do this a lot when they are young. The two left started laying early and eventually produced very nice big brown eggs and started laying daily right away. I was happy. The roosters, even though docile with humans, are the most aggressive breeders I've ever seen and I eventutally put the two hens in with the other girls and booted the boy out. I had a dozen eggs for my incubator and hatched out ten, mostly pullets. They did great and when it got warm enough, I put them in a coop with the cream legbars who were just a little older. I then got my first case of cocci ever and lost one CL and five Bielefelders before I got it stopped...I learned a lot. Just as everyone was doing fine, we had buffalo gnats that killed both my bielefelder hens and a CL pullet. We got over that and had a flood that tore up my chicken coops and my garden. It killed the rest of the Bielefelder chicks and all but three cream legbars...all my adults survived. Meanwhile, when the hens died, I stuck all their eggs I had in the incubator. I now have five little Biel pullets and one little roo. One of my original roosters fell over dead a week or so after the flood. Bottom line, I'm not sure my climate is suitable for them or maybe it was just a lot of bad luck. Those hens that died were not in the best of shape after being in with the rooster for so long...should have pulled them much sooner plus they were so docile, it took them a while to fit in with my other girls. These last five baby girls are the end of the road for me and Biels if they don't make it any better than the rest. They are auto sexing so you know what you got as soon as they hatch. For fun I stuck in a couple Americana eggs in the hatch, also bred with my Biel rooster. They auto sexed too and are hard to tell apart from the full bloods. I just want to see what happens with some of that tough Americauna blood mixed in. We aren't use to that kind of loss. We may lose a couple chickens a year to old age, as a rule. Our girls are more pet than anything.

 

[Jackalope]

Here in middle Tennessee, we have Buff Orpingtons and Rhode Island Reds, about 10 of each. No problems with the breeds getting along. The Rhode Island Reds are definitely better layers, and I've found them to be more friendly. I'll be purchasing our next generation of layers soon and I'll be getting Rhode Island Reds again. The Buff Orps are too broody, and they get cranky when they're broody.

 

[tpatt]

Hi! Please use the HELP prefix whenever asking the membership for assistance.

Changed.

Thanks Dennis!! Been a reader / lurker for years. And as I expected the great folks here are happy to help.
Been putting off getting chickens. Seemed to be more than I could manage to build the coop and an enclosure just to have chickens for eggs. Has been cheaper to just buy the eggs and chicken directly due to my health. But I am feeling better now, incredibly out of shape and pretty much without help. But it is starting to look like the TEOTWAWKI I have been seeing heading for us for Many years may indeed be nearly upon us. Time to add to my families ability to survive a several months long collapse. Either way, no more egg purchases just chick feed. This will be an adventure. Always thought it would be nice to try raising poltry as pets and egg producers and a few chicken breasts to boot! Plus, I have heard that they are really lovable pests too. (Smile)

Looking for mostly good egg production, limited meat production but would be nice to be able to enjoy the birds that need to be culled. The ability to produce more chickens to replace the missing or older chickens would be a plus too!


I am leaning toward 8 slow whites and 8 buff orphington (spelling).
Are these compatible / socialble breeds? My wife would kill me if the breeds I chose were hard to get along with each other and us.
.

Thanks so much for the advice so far!

Tell me how crazy I am at this point.

Thanks Again...

 

[Chicken Mama]

Those two breeds will serve you well, get along fine and are good foragers.

 

[tpatt]

Those two breeds will serve you well, get along fine and are good foragers.

Chicken Momma,
One more question if I may?
If I could only get one breed, which should it be?

Buff Orphington OR Slow white. ( Gotta admit we are leaning toward the Buff's.

 

[ginnie6]

Buffs are great. RIRs lay eggs like nobody's business but the meanest roosters I've ever had were RIR. Well them and a Black Maran. Never turn your back on a rooster though. Now I only keep a few hens for the family to have eggs.

 

[Nich1]

Tpatt, even though you seem to be coming to the conclusion about what breed(s) to get, I can't resist speaking up for Barred Rocks, Black Australorps, and Rhode Island Reds. All of these breeds have done well as far as egg production. For setting, not quite as much. When I've wanted chicks, I was always hesitant to let them set on their own eggs because I didn't want to get a bunch of roosters. Roosters will fight with one another, especially if there are not enough hens "to go around."

But, the 3 breeds I mentioned have all been friendly and compatible with one another. The Rhode Island Reds are the last that I introduced and because they were at the bottom of the pecking order, they were not aggressive. I've had birds live to 10 years and still lay eggs. No, they don't lay as often but they keep chugging right along. I'm one of those that won't eat something that I've named and cared for!

 

[jward]

Other criteria to consider is where on the continuum do you want them in terms of docility, whether they are good "sitters" (hatch out their eggs or not) If they're dual purpose (meat and egg) or just one or another. . .
IIRC ourpetchicken had a good selector tool, and most of your farm and home stores that sell chickens will have lots of info too, as well as your counties extension office on which birds flourish in your neck of the woods...

Think I went with Red Island and Buff Orpington because they were docile enough, but independent, good layers, and were dual purpose. I went with Easter Eggers later on because hey- coloured eggs are magical and delight children o' all ages, up to and including me

Have Fun!
Hope this Helps:

My Pet Chicken

My Pet Chicken is your source for backyard chickens, waterfowl, coops, and supplies. Expert customer service. Shop Now!

www.mypetchicken.com

 

[Chicken Mama]

Jward posted some helpful information. The Buffs and RIR"s are consistent layers. If you're truly looking towards dual purpose though, go with the Slow Whites as Orps are intended for egg production. That said, in the time of need they can all be eaten.

I've wound up with medical problems with every single Australorp we had, and none lived past two years.

 

[tpatt]

Ok my friends. I'm in the process of building my coop. 4x8, 4' tall. The plan is for 10 chickens.

My question is do I need to insulate it? It can get below freezing here in the winter. Planning to insulate the roof and maybe the floor. I will have a light or maybe a heat lamp.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[phloydius]

It can get below freezing here in the winter.

One of the first things people think about when trying to insulate a coop is to stop the airflow. Airflow (not a breeze), even in freezing temperatures, is extremely important for chicken's health.

I personally use the deep litter method, which generates some compost heat during the winter and worked VERY well when we had those 2 weeks of deep freeze (mostly without power) last February in Texas. (But requires even more airflow!) This is not for everyone, and does have draw backs.

 

[Dennis Olson]

I hope the main is the right place for this.

It’s not, but I’ll leave it for now.

 

[WalknTrot]

No. My chickens do just fine in N MN (gets down to -40F routinely) in an uninsulated coop. They might lose the tips of their combs, but they don't the next winter.

The thing people from mild climates don't understand is, the colder the air, the dryer it is, too. As Phloydius mentioned above, a "tight" warm coop is much more unhealthy for chickens than a dry, cold coop. Without good airflow, moisture builds up, and they have respiratory problems. A chicken with stressed lungs is a dead chicken. You don't want a breeze blowing through, but the building can't be closed up without good ventilation either.

For my money, it's too risky to fart around trying to heat a chicken coop. They need supplemental light if you intend to get eggs through the dark months, (LED is cheap and cool) but heat sources are a serious fire danger with bedding, chicken dust, etc.

 

[Hfcomms]

Ok my friends. I'm in the process of building my coop. 4x8, 4' tall. The plan is for 10 chickens.

My question is do I need to insulate it? It can get below freezing here in the winter. Planning to insulate the roof and maybe the floor. I will have a light or maybe a heat lamp.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

No insulation necessary and no heat lamp. You do have to avoid drafts however. They get acclimatized to the cold just like any other outdoor bird does. They get down on their perches and their feathers cover the feet. In severe cold the combs freeze sometimes but they grow back.

For fully feathered birds no heat lamp as it's a fire hazard to begin with and if they depend on the heat lamp and the filament burns out or during a power outage they will freeze to death as they are not used to severe cold. I live in the U.P. of Michigan and know all about cold winters...they should do fine.

That size coop is small for ten birds unless you also have an enclosed run they can use even during the winter. I have a 8'x10'x7' coop for ten birds without a run and that is the smallest I would go. I free range them during warmer weather and let them out in the winter on warmer days.

Check out the Backyard Chickens forum for more ideas on building your coop, etc.

 

[pauldingbabe]

My "Bird House"

In 16 I think? We bought a closeout pre-built shed from Home Depot. We got a really good deal; 8 x 10 ft, double doors, window with screen.

We then put 3 more shed windows in, 2 solar fans in the roof, and waterproofing on the floor/ 24" up the wall.

When this house was in full swing about 12 chickens, ducks, and geese were all in the same building.

With the solar fans in the roof the problem with humidity went away, and has not been a problem. Just hose off the solar panel and cover the panel in the cold if you want more heat keept in. Air the house out during the day though.

It's just the geese left now. I am thinking about getting some chickens again though.