Chickens for Dummies

[TexanDuke]

Alright tbh, I would like to get a couple of hens and a small coop at the house. Tips, tricks and advice welcome.

What type of hen should I seek out? I’m NE of the Houston Metro.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jomw10]

I'm assuming this is for eggs. So I will go with a production red from tractor supply. Keep their water clean and out of the sun, let them roam but provide with enough chicken food appropriate for their development. Build a couple of nests for them to lay eggs, once they are a few weeks old. And enjoy!

[SaltwaterSlick]

Go to www.backyardchickens.com
There's a whole world of folks out there that can be very entertaining to read about and watch on that site!! It will teach you everything you ever wanted to know about raisin' hens n gettin' eggs...

[Walker]

You won't get any eggs for 6-7 months.

[powderburner]

So you can go a million ways with birds.
First question you need to answer is what egg shell color do you want.
Sounds stupid but white and brown eggs are easy.
you can get green, purple, black, just to name a few.
We started off with Buff orphingtons (sp) but have moved to the easter eggers now. Those are the ones that lay colored eggs.
Order meal worms off amazon for treats. 6mo is about the time they start laying.
they eat anything.
If you let them roam the back yard they will go back and roost each night. but crap all over everything.
I keep mine in a coop all the time.
I have 5 large birds and 6 batam birds. in two coops.
hit me up if you have questions.

look up sea breeze hens on facebook. She is in San leon but delivers all over once a month. she has tons of birds and some really cool looking ones.

[diamond10x]

If it’s for eggs you’re gonna be waiting, that is if you don’t mind waiting. If you don’t want to wait, go with quail.

If just wanting chicken to have chickens well there’s tons of different ones and really just comes to preference.

[TexanDuke]

If it’s for eggs you’re gonna be waiting, that is if you don’t mind waiting. If you don’t want to wait, go with quail.

If just wanting chicken to have chickens well there’s tons of different ones and really just comes to preference.

It is indeed for eggs, I wasn’t aware of the wait, but it’s no problem


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[D-BULL]

Our best layers are the Cinnamon Queens.

[SaltwaterSlick]

For friendly type birds that lay good eggs, Rhode Island Reds are hard to beat and they are hearty birds. We also have had good luck with Giant Rocks (we have white ones that look like a foghorn leghorn on steroids, Big Birds).


One note of caution: IF you get chickens and they are not free-range, you'll have to be there constantly to feed/water them unless you provide automatic feed/water/shelter for them. That's what we did... We can be gone for 2 weeks and the chickens are self-sufficient with water, food and shelter (that is pretty much predator proof).

[diamond10x]

It is indeed for eggs, I wasn’t aware of the wait, but it’s no problem


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The best layers in all my experiences are Rhode Island/Production Reds, Barred/Plymouth Rocks, ameraucana (lay green eggs throws some people off), leghorns, jersey giants, and Sussex. There’s a lot of other great layers but those are just the layers I have experience with. Never had much luck with silkies, they were always real fragile birds.

[Quackerbox]

For friendly type birds that lay good eggs, Rhode Island Reds are hard to beat and they are hearty birds. We also have had good luck with Giant Rocks (we have white ones that look like a foghorn leghorn on steroids, Big Birds).


One note of caution: IF you get chickens and they are not free-range, you'll have to be there constantly to feed/water them unless you provide automatic feed/water/shelter for them. That's what we did... We can be gone for 2 weeks and the chickens are self-sufficient with water, food and shelter (that is pretty much predator proof).

Agreed

Barred Rocks and Rhode islands are tough birds. I got one that will judy chop our JRTs if theyre not careful. Buffs are cool also the 2 we have are very social.

We free range ours daily but dont have the chicken ritz hotel Saltwater has. I have to walk out and close the door at night. Its more section 8 at our coop

[Dusty Britches]

I live in the country and I'm starting to think I'd like to just get some yards birds to run around the barn and house and working pens. But then I think... the bobcats, coyotes, hawks and owls would like that, too!

[Lone_Wolf]

If you just want eggs, and you don't care about color. Leghorns are hard to beat, and they do the best in confinement. If you only want a couple, I'd find some pullets on craigslist that are about to lay. We're getting less and less daylight hours each day, so if you want eggs every day, or almost ever day, you'll have to add supplemental light through the winter, starting now. Just one regular old light bulb will work, and put it on a timer to come on in the morning so they get light 16 hrs a day. You'll have eggs all winter.

Heck if you were closer I'd give you a couple. I got all kinds.

[Calitexembalmer]

Raccoons will be trying to get to them.

[Shake N' Bake]

Alright tbh, I would like to get a couple of hens and a small coop at the house. Tips, tricks and advice welcome.

What type of hen should I seek out? I’m NE of the Houston Metro.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We have a few videos on our YT channel that might help.

http://youtu.be/NATVkxcvwKY