Chicken Breeds

[Isobel Lewis]

We have just built a 4x4m pen for chickens and a coop. This will be our temporary pen (future quail pen) but we would like to get eggs going as soon as possible. The future pen will be larger.

What chickens would you recommend and how many?

Thank you!

 

[Letsgokate]

If you are primary looking for layers, look at Isa Browns they lay approx 300 eggs a year, are docile, friendly, great with kids. Another one is an Australorp cross layer, much the same as the Isa Browns in temperament and egg laying just black. Unfortunately due to them laying so many eggs per year it can take it out of them and they don’t live as long as heritage type breeds.

I would stay away from leghorns they are flighty, not as docile or friendly but depends on your needs and wants.

For heritage breeds well there is lots of choice and I suggest you do some googling on the different breeds depending on what you like in a chicken as far as how the chook looks, egg colour, number of eggs, temperament etc

Bantams are a great choice for kids and make great pets.

Your pen and coop should handle 6 chooks fine, nice if you can let them free range a bit.

Post some photos of your coop and pen, as well as the chickens when you get them

 

[Isobel Lewis]

Thank you for your reply.
The 300+ egg layers sound fantastic!

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This is our pen/coop. It will have a roof over the entire thing and some nesting boxes inside the coop.
This will be for our quail eventually but for now the chickens until we build their bigger run.
We play to free range them while we are present to keep an eye on them. We have a German Shepherd who is friendly as anything but I still worry about bringing new animals into the mix. He has no issues with other birds but does bark at Magpies and the postie. He's also scared of the rain

We go through so many eggs with 5 person household and everyone has a love of baked goods
I'm not sure if we will go Isa Brown or heritage.

 

[TarynS.]

Following, I’m also looking for large chickens (as I want their fertilizer) that will be great with kids, gentle, and great egg layers with large to extra large eggs. I don’t care about egg colors. TIA

 

[Isobel Lewis]

Following, I’m also looking for large chickens (as I want their fertilizer) that will be great with kids, gentle, and great egg layers with large to extra large eggs. I don’t care about egg colors. TIA

Hi Taryn,
We are going to be looking at some Hy-Line Brown chickens this weekend. Apparently they are good producers, live longer and are friendly. I had never heard of them before but we are going to check them out. I'm not sure on egg size though.

 

[Letsgokate]

Hy-Line Browns from the research I have done seem very similar to Isa Brown, Lohmann Browns in Australia. It Seems to depend on where you live that you get which one. The egg size would be about the size of eggs in a 700g egg carton from the supermarket as a guide.

 

[Letsgokate]

Following, I’m also looking for large chickens (as I want their fertilizer) that will be great with kids, gentle, and great egg layers with large to extra large eggs. I don’t care about egg colors. TIA

Sussex are a larger chicken and good layer. Trust me you will get lots of poop regardless of the size of the chicken

 

[CraftyTera]

I have a variety of hens. My Light Sussex isn't the greatest layer, but she is very useful. She is broody from April through September and raised last year's chicks perfectly. With that much broodiness, I am sure she is an anomaly in her breed, but she is friendly and a great mom.

 

[Isobel Lewis]

Hy-Line Browns from the research I have done seem very similar to Isa Brown, Lohmann Browns in Australia. It Seems to depend on where you live that you get which one. The egg size would be about the size of eggs in a 700g egg carton from the supermarket as a guide.

Sounds perfect to me. There is a local breeder who has them for $5 at the moment which seems great to me
Isa Brown was my partners preferred choice.

 

[TarynS.]

Hi Taryn,
We are going to be looking at some Hy-Line Brown chickens this weekend. Apparently they are good producers, live longer and are friendly. I had never heard of them before but we are going to check them out. I'm not sure on egg size though.

Awesome! Let me know how they are.

 

[TarynS.]

Sussex are a larger chicken and good layer. Trust me you will get lots of poop regardless of the size of the chicken

Thank you, I’ll look into them!

 

[Albert]

So much info in this page! I've been wanting chickens for a very long time, they're just so beneficial to gardens in so many ways.

 

[Isobel Lewis]

Oh My! So we picked up 5 Hy-Line brown hens on the weekend and we are so impressed. They are 18 months old so definitely laying age. We have had 5 eggs already, they are crazy friendly and so relaxed even with our German Shepherd. I've spent the morning sitting out on the camping chair surrounded by the chickens happily wandering around. Such a beautiful sight!

 

[Letsgokate]

Awesome well done, free ranging chickens are lovely and happy chooks

 

[Isobel Lewis]

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Update on the girls.
Delilah (Pictured) is definitely the head of the household. She is by far the bravest and all the girls follow her lead. They are happily wandering around the yard for most of the day and then head back in during the hottest part. Very Very impressed.

 

[Letsgokate]

Your photos aren’t showing. To up load go to the upload file button next to post a reply. Then up load the photo straight from your computer/tablet etc, just click on the photo you want to load one at at time, once up loaded click on full image to insert it into your post.

Great they are all settling in.

 

[Karla]

Following, I’m also looking for large chickens (as I want their fertilizer) that will be great with kids, gentle, and great egg layers with large to extra large eggs. I don’t care about egg colors. TIA

I got Light Brahmas. The hens lay fairly well and can get up to 8 pounds. They are long lived as well. I have 2 that are 8 years old but not laying eggs anymore. Great in producing compost poop.

 

[TarynS.]

I got Light Brahmas. The hens lay fairly well and can get up to 8 pounds. They are long lived as well. I have 2 that are 8 years old but not laying eggs anymore. Great in producing compost poop.

Thank you Karla!