# Chickens



## ShellyTheTortoise71 (Jan 23, 2017)

Hey everyone! My family and I are considering getting some chickens, maybe six or so. We are getting them for eggs, not meat. I was just wondering if any of you have any recommendations or tips, as we've never had farm animals before. Our family has kids, so we want to find a chicken that is docile/friendly and also is a good egg layer. Thanks for the help


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## Yvonne G (Jan 23, 2017)

I always enjoyed my chickens. Quite entertaining to watch them. But, in my opinion, you MUST have a coop and pen for them. If you allow them free range, be prepared to have your flower beds dug up and to find chicken poop all over your lawn furniture and b-b-q. The little silkies were always my favorite, and the frizzles come in a close second. But for egg laying, you want something like the Rhode Island Reds or the Barred Rocks.


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## ShellyTheTortoise71 (Jan 23, 2017)

Yvonne G said:


> I always enjoyed my chickens. Quite entertaining to watch them. But, in my opinion, you MUST have a coop and pen for them. If you allow them free range, be prepared to have your flower beds dug up and to find chicken poop all over your lawn furniture and b-b-q. The little silkies were always my favorite, and the frizzles come in a close second. But for egg laying, you want something like the Rhode Island Reds or the Barred Rocks.


I was thinking of having a coop for sure, since there is a lot of foxes where I live. Thanks for the recommendation, I'll check them out


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## ZEROPILOT (Jan 23, 2017)

I also "free ranged" some when I was a kid.
There are no good memories....And I've never liked eggs.
There are some fancier ones that are kind of fun to look at and lay the same, edible eggs.
The fancier ones probably also don't cost a lot.


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## ShellyTheTortoise71 (Jan 23, 2017)

ZEROPILOT said:


> I also "free ranged" some when I was a kid.
> There are no good memories....And I've never liked eggs.
> There are some fancier ones that are kind of fun to look at and lay the same, edible eggs.
> The fancier ones probably also don't cost a lot.


Thanks for your input, Ed


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## Maro2Bear (Jan 23, 2017)

https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/index.html

Greetings.

Checkout Murray McMurray's online catalog. Their catalog has lots of good descriptions about their chickens and the eggs they produce. I was really happy with the Black Australorps that I ordered from them. Nice big, docile birds that produced very large brown eggs.

So check out Murray McMurray! Ogh, they have all kinds of foul to include turkeys, ducks, geese, pheasants, quail and more.

Link to the Black Australorps https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/black_australorps.html


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## leigti (Jan 23, 2017)

I have 12 chickens. They are a lot of fun. All the ones I have are friendly. And they lay eggs pretty darn well also. Check out backyard chicken dot calm for a lot of good information.
Easter Eggars give various colored eggs, I also have two speckled Sussex, to Silverlace wyondottes, One black australorp, , One Road Island red, one barred rock, one bath rock, one white rock. Silkies are great but they don't play as many eggs. But they are gentle.


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## Tom (Jan 23, 2017)

I like them too. I'm partial to the barred rocks, but we have all sorts of them. We get them from a local feed store every few years, and I just get an assortment of whatever is there. I don't even know most of the breeds. We get green eggs from the aracanas and brown eggs from the barred rocks. Guess what color eggs the white chickens lay. WHITE!

Its kind of fun having them around. My daughter loves them and I think it will be a great experience for the kids.


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## KevinGG (Jan 23, 2017)

Silkies!

I know city shelters often have chickens available. Perhaps watching them grow is too enticing though. 

Here is a book about keeping a garden that can coexist with chickens. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1604692375/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20 Also includes complete care and lots of interesting ideas.


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## KevinGG (Jan 23, 2017)

These are silkies. Not great layers but very personable, good moms, and bad flyers. 

http://photorator.com/photos/images/silkie-chickens--30013.jpg


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## leigti (Jan 24, 2017)

Cochins are also friendly.


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## Ed mitch (Jan 24, 2017)

I love my chickens I have at the moment!


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## ShellyTheTortoise71 (Jan 25, 2017)

Thanks for the responses everyone


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## Yvonne G (Jan 25, 2017)

This is a frizzle cochin:







But check out these frizzle buff lace. If I had a spot for chickens I'd surely send for a few of these:


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