So it looks like my chicken dreams are about to become reality. What chicken dreams? The dreams I have to raise my own chickens for eggs.
Chickens are pretty cool. They are pets that also make breakfast for you. Raising chickens is quite cheap. Chickens are fun. I want them!
I would like to raise chickens from day old chicks. They take a little bit more work that way because chicks require 90 degree heat and frequent care. They are also more vulnerable to disease when they are teeny. The reason I would like to get them young is that if chicks are handled frequently, they will grow up to be friendly pets. I would love it if Little could help to care for the chickens!
I am probably going to be getting our chicks in about a month. Right now I'm looking into what breeds would be good for us and where we can get them.
Here's the breeds I would like to get. We can only have four chickens so we would get one of each.
Buff Orpington. These are large friendly birds. They lay eggs dependably but occasionally decide to hatch their own (called going broody). This would be a problem for us since we would not have a rooster.
Australorp. These are the Australian version of the Orpington. They are also large friendly birds although they may actually be better layers.
Easter Egger (also called the Ameraucana). These are sweet birds who lay a whole range of egg colors including blue and green. I can't wait to get a few weird eggs! Another bonus of this breed is that they hardly ever go broody. Awesome.
Barred Plymouth Rock (also called the Barred Rock). These birds lay prolifically and are known to be extremely sweet birds. Aren't they pretty too?
Because of the season that I will be getting my chicks, most feed stores won't be selling them so I am looking at buying them online and getting them shipped to me. Buying chickens through the mail seems so weird but I want them soon so I guess I'll try it!
Do you raise backyard chickens? What breeds do you like? Have you bought chickens by mail?
Linked at http://www.iheartnaptime.net/
Chickens are pretty cool. They are pets that also make breakfast for you. Raising chickens is quite cheap. Chickens are fun. I want them!
I would like to raise chickens from day old chicks. They take a little bit more work that way because chicks require 90 degree heat and frequent care. They are also more vulnerable to disease when they are teeny. The reason I would like to get them young is that if chicks are handled frequently, they will grow up to be friendly pets. I would love it if Little could help to care for the chickens!
I am probably going to be getting our chicks in about a month. Right now I'm looking into what breeds would be good for us and where we can get them.
Here's the breeds I would like to get. We can only have four chickens so we would get one of each.
Because of the season that I will be getting my chicks, most feed stores won't be selling them so I am looking at buying them online and getting them shipped to me. Buying chickens through the mail seems so weird but I want them soon so I guess I'll try it!
Do you raise backyard chickens? What breeds do you like? Have you bought chickens by mail?
Linked at http://www.iheartnaptime.net/
Raising chicks are so much fun! We had all of these breeds when growing up and I have to say the Barred Rocks were the friendliest girls ever! All great layers!
ReplyDeleteWe never bought through the mail and I was condsidering it as well. You'll have to keep us updated!
We have raised our hens from chicks on up. They are all very friendly. We whistle and they come running.We have a mixed flock Barred rock,Easter egg-er,Buff Brahma,Rhode Island Red,Hamburg,Cochin,Frizzle,Sussex,Orpington and a couple ducks.We got a variety because they are so funny to watch. We love the Cochin and Frizzle they are extremely gentle and so cute with the curly feathers.But they do lay a really small egg perfect for out 8 year old.
ReplyDeleteMy inlaws just got 6 girls and I am so jealous! They aren't allowed in my "city" (at 7000 people, we're definitely more country yet we aren't allowed to have chickens) but where I used to live, with a population of over 100,000 they allow it. Ugh! I'd love to have a few girls and one or two really fance, crazy looking girls. No roosters of course, I don't want the noise or surprise of finding a baby in an egg! We have the shed, we have a fenced in yard (although we'd build something better since we also have dogs)... I'm all ready! Good luck!!!
ReplyDeleteMight be worthwhile to check craigslist for local farmers that may have off season chicks for sale - local is always best, but if that's not an option, then go for mail order. Just be prepared for the possibility of higher death rate. I've had laying hens for 2 years (2 Ameracauna/Easter Egger, and 3 Phoenix cross), and now have chicks (1 Bantam, 1 Buff Orpington, 1 Wyandotte, 1 Silkie, 1 Barred Rock) - they are a delight! The Bantam was the only surviving hatching egg I purchased for a broody Phoenix cross hen (who abandoned them all as soon as it hatched - alien chicks, eek!), and the others were purchased locally. The Bantam is a snuggler - you can pick it up and it will just settle into your hand, settle it's head down, and get ready to nap while you pet it (it, because they're still too young to tell if they're boys or girls...fingers crossed for girls, since I can't have roosters). I recently added 5 laying hens locally off craigslist; now I can keep up with demand from my egg purchasing customers lol Good luck, and enjoy the ride; raising chickens is fun, rewarding and very very addictive! :)
ReplyDelete