Backyard Chicken Choices

There are many breeds of chickens that you can choose from and there are different categories of chickens. There are meat or egg only chickens, dual purpose breeds (good for both meat and eggs) and show chickens. Your first decision needs to be what do you want your chickens to do for you. If you are looking for primarily eggs than choose a breed which will be good egg layers. After you decide what function your chicken will perform there are a few other considerations.

First, I will answer a common question I get asked. You do NOT need a rooster for your hens to lay eggs. Many city ordinances will allow hens but not roosters. If you will keep your chickens in an enclosed place or a small backyard, you will want to choose a breed which is not known to be an active breed or likes to range.   These breeds do better in larger spaces. If you have not had a lot of experience with chickens or they are going to be around children, you may want to consider a breed which is known to be more docile versus flighty or aggressive. If your winters are very cold, you should get a breed which is known to be cold hardy.
Different breeds of chickens lay different colored egg shells. You may want to factor this into your decision.

This last consideration requires some explanation if you are new to backyard chickens. Some chickens are known to become "broody" easily. Being broody means that they like to sit on eggs so they can hatch (by the way this is when you do need a rooster). If you do not want baby chicks then broodiness is probably not a quality you want in a hen. They will stop laying while they are broody and will sit in your nests and dirty them. The table I referenced yesterday tells how broody a chicken breed is known to be. Pick a breed which is not known for its broodiness or is a good setter if you do not want baby chicks. It will even out your odds of getting a problem chicken who insists on becoming a mother of unfertilized eggs.

Having backyard chickens is a rewarding experience. The best part is you do not have to get all the same chicken breeds. You can mix and match. Just make sure they are compatible with each other. The biggest consideration is their temperament. Mixing aggressive breeds with docile breeds could head you into some trouble. It is important though to do research ahead of time before bringing those first chickens home. You will be glad you did in the end. 

Choosing Chickens

Several of my friends and I are getting together to order baby chicks this spring. We all want just a few and the minimum order without spending tons of extra money is 25. We order from McMurray Hatchery (.McMurray Hatchery ). We like them because you can mix and match breeds as long as you have a minimum order of 25 chicks. The reason that 25 is a minimum order is that this is the amount of chicks necessary to fit in a small box tightly packed together so they can maintain each others body temperature while they are in the mail. The catalog carries a wide variety of breeds.

One valuable internet tool that I have found is from the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC)   ALBC Breed Comparison Chart. It is a chart which compares the different qualities of each chicken breed. You do not want to get just any breed of chicken. Even if your friend loves them, it does not necessarily mean that you will love them or it is the right breed for your situation. In my next post, I will try to go over some of the considerations in choosing chickens for your backyard. In the meantime have fun cruising through the McMurray Catalog. It is amazing the variety of poultry types and breeds which are available to purchase.