If you've decided you want to raise chickens, CONGRATULATIONS!! You've joined a growing number of people who realize all the benefits these wonderful pets have to offer. This chapter will help you decide how many chickens to get, which breeds are right for you, whether to start with baby chicks or grown chickens, whether to get roosters, and finally where you can buy your chickens.
How Many?
Chickens are social birds and they do not fare well on their own, so you should have a minimum of two. As a rule of thumb, two hens per family member should cover your egg needs, or three if your family really loves eggs. Which Breed?
Did you know there are over 400 varieties of chickens? With all those options it can be tough to choose! Below are a few things to think about. (Also, check out the Which Chicken tool on our website: it's a fast, easy and free tool - no strings! - for recommending breeds.)
Standard vs. Bantam
The first decision to make is whether to get Standards (normal-size), also known as "Large Fowl" chickens, or Bantams. At just one to two pounds each, Bantams are a fraction of the size of Standards and are kept mainly for ornamental puposes. Being cute and flashy, they make great pets. But they lay less frequently and their eggs are small, albeit edible. They are also more susceptible to predators - for instance, crows will take your bantams but wouldn't dare to go after your large fowl chickens. For ourselves, we prefer Standards because of their larger eggs and reduced susceptibility to predators (but we do love those adorable Bantams too!)
Some breeds such as Silkies, Belgian Bearded D'Uccles and Sebrights are only available as Bantams; others only as Standards; many as both. The good news is that you can combine them in a flock, so if you want both types, you're free to mix and match! Many people worry that if they mix their flock, the Bantams will be on the bottom of the pecking order, but we haven't found that to be true at all. Besides, no matter what breeds you ultimately decide on, one bird will be at the bottom of the pecking order and another will be at the top.
Cold Weather
If you live in a cold climate (regularly gets below freezing during part or all of the year), there are certain breeds to avoid. In general, Standards are hardier than Bantams and heavier breeds fare better than lighter breeds. Combs and wattles also come into play: the smaller they are, the less susceptible they are to frostbite.
Especially cold-hardy breeds include:
Plymouth Rocks
Wyandottes
Chanteclers
Orpingtons
Langshans
Sussexes
Hot Summers
If you live any place that regularly gets over 100 degrees, you want to avoid the fat, fluffy and feather-footed breeds. Bantams do well in the summer (except the feather-footed varieties), and the best Standard breeds for hot climates are:
White Leghorns
Light Brown Leghorns
Blue Andalusians
Golden Campines
These birds were developed in the Mediterranean; their large combs and close feathering help them handle the heat well. You might also consider Turkens, a.k.a. "Naked Necks". They were bred in France to have fewer feathers so they'd be easier to pluck, and while not really used for that purpose today, they're a fun, goofy addition to a heat-hardy flock!
Egg Production
Some breeds are valued mainly for meat, some for laying eggs, and others, called "dual purpose", for both. Still others are kept primarily for ornamental purposes, including all Bantams. At My Pet Chicken we only have experience keeping chickens as pets for eggs, so we discuss laying (production), dual-purpose, and ornamental breeds only.
If you want the best possible egg production, limit your search to the laying breeds. Understand, however, that many people feel the best layers (like White Leghorns) have a tendency to be more flighty and nervous and to avoid human contact. Our experience is to the contrary, but there are many people who would advise you otherwise. In contrast, dual-purpose and ornamental breeds are usually more docile and friendly. (Think Jack Russel Terrier as opposed to Old Yeller.) We have had some VERY friendly layers, and dual-purpose birds that didn't like contact with us at all, so this is just a generalization. How friendly your birds are is in large part based on how accustomed they are to human contact and their individual personalities.
Great egg-producing breeds:
White Leghorns
Rhode Island Reds
Stars
Dual-purpose breeds that also lay well:
Plymouth Rocks
Wyandottes
Marans
Australorps
Orpingtons
My Pet Chicken
Continue to Part Two
