Well, I am plotting to get chicks at our local 4-H animal auction in the spring. Don’t worry, people look at the animals to make sure they are healthy. And, 90 percent of the money goes to 4-H. I am plotting on getting laying hens, (about 15). There are no certian breeds usueally, at the auction, they divide chicks into 3 catagories. Layers, meat breeds, and banty hens. I want the layers, and I want to know any chicken tips. I have ALOT of land to fence in for the chickies, and I have a coop and 4 nest boxes. Any tips about chickens would be appreciated.
P.S. I have had chickens that I bought from this auction before, but it was like 4 years ago so i am a small rusty on my chicken facts.
Related posts:
I suggest looking at
http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html for information on breeds
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKPoultryPage.html#Chickens for pictures of breeds
Keep in mind that since you are showing you want excellent quality birds. Therefore hatchery stock should probably be cut from your list as poultry suppliers. As a chicken owner with many birds, who has ordered from hatcheries, I can tell you their poultry is rarely show quality. So if you want a well-bred bird, I suggest looking at a breeder, or searching for some fertile hatching eggs.
Tips: Best layers are breeds that tend not to brood. White egg layers are mostly very excellent layers, but have difficulties handling the cold. Pick fowl cut out for your climate, and they shall lead longer, healthier, and more productive lives.
Hens will lay better if you provide them will egg laying pellets, instead of just scratch, or corn.
If you have any specific questions, as I am unaware of what you know, and do not know, you can email me,
Excellent luck,
Jamie/Rhode Runner
Do you really need to fence them? If you have a lot of land, just let them free range. Make sure there coop is well kept, have food and water in there and roosts. I turn on a low watt light bulb in the coop at night. My birds always come in at night and I lock the coop at night to protect from predators. Feed excellent quality layer mash and a small corn, always have water available. Excellent luck.