Question about getting chickens?

Question

can you give me sites on wat living shelter chickens need and wat is the best breed of chicken to get for laying eggs.

Answer 1

rhode island red hens

http://www.sunrisehaven.net/images/farm/...

are very good egg layers and as for housing you can convert a shed into a coop or just google chicken coops for ideas

Answer 2

I found that buff orphingtons are a great bird.  They lay large brown eggs.  The hens are very docil and allow you to take eggs from under them with no trouble.  I have had many different types of chickens but I have found them to be the best all around bird.

The shelter should be as big as necessary for the number of hens, waterproof, and warm.  I dont know where you live but please make certain that it is safe from predators.

McMurry is a great hatchery and their catalog has a wealth of information on birds, shelters, and characteristics

Answer 3

The best layers I think are the sexlinks.The red sexlinks or the black sexlinks both make wonderful layers.I have collected eggs from my moms hens that were so large the egg carton wouldnt close.They are both a mix breed chicken using a rhode island red rooster.If you want a pure breed then the rhode island red is the way to go.good luck !

Answer 4

You already have good answers about the birds. Orpingtons are a heavy breed and eat a lot, but lay large eggs. The Leghorns eat less so your feed to egg ratio is better.

But these are my Coop Rules:

make it either short enough to be able to touch the ground from the outside through the open top (2.5 feet high chicken tractor) or tall enough to stand up in (at least 6 feet)

make it larger than you think

make it easy to maneuver in

make it easy to clean

Answer 5

If you only want eggs, Leghorns are a good idea.  They come in a variety of colors including Dark Brown, Light Brown and White.  (All of them lay white eggs.)

If you would like pets as well as eggs, try Rhode Island Reds, Buff Orpingtons, Light Brahmas, etc.  (These lay brown eggs.)

Light Brahmas should be housed in a cooler climate as they are built for cooler temperatures (small comb, feathered legs).

As for building a place for them to sleep, they will need approx. 1-3 feet to sleep on.  They will need a roost to perch on at night and you MUST have a nest box for the hens to sleep in.

The birds will also need a "run."  This run will be the place where the birds roam freely during the day.  The birds MUST have at least 3 sq. feet to themselves.  If you have 3 birds, you will need at least 9 sq. feet for the birds to move around in during the day.  Make sure that the birds cannot get out of this area and that no predators can get into the run with the birds.