How many Chickens??

[Cali_Bassman]

Hi Folks
Hey, I was thinking of getting some chickens, How many would I need to just have a half dozen fresh eggs every day?
Any advise is always welcome...
Thanks

[roho627]

Hello, I've raised chickens "OFF & ON" all my life but do not claim to be an expert on them....I love to watch them cause they are SOOOO funny & COOOL! I can't beleive I said that. Well if I wanted to get a half dozen eggs a day I've start with about 8 to 10 chicken....But think about six eggs a day that's 42 a week & 168 a 4 week month.....You'll be giving eggs away after a little while....I suggest Aricana(ms), they are called the EASTER EGG CHICKENS because they lay a lite green or lite blue egg which is a conversation piece in its self...Hope this helps and maybe we'll get some advise from some real experts... roho

[JoeR]

If you buy peeps, it will take them at least 26 weeks to mature enough to start laying eggs. If my memory is correct, chickens usually lay one egg every 26-28 hours, and only during daylight. So if the 26th hour is at night, the egg won't be laid until morning. As the chickens get older, their production will drop off. Some breeds are better at egg production than others. Some of the best egg layers are Leghorns which have white eggs, Rhode Island reds, and New Hampshire chickens which produce brown eggs. You do not need a rooster for the hens to lay eggs. I also strongly recommend a good nest box and some fake wooden eggs to give the chickens an idea of where to lay their eggs, otherwise, you will be on an easter egg hunt trying to find where they left them... Tractor supply has some good books on barns and building which have some nice chicken coop plans.

Good luck.


Joe

[kellenw]

Get yourself half a dozen buff orpingtons. They are good layers of large brown eggs, and they even produce pretty well in the winter when many other breeds tend to go on "strike". Collect your eggs daily as they do have a tendency to go broody, even without a rooster.

[miss_thenorth]

Hi, I hAve 6 red rocks, and in the summer, I was getting 5-6 eggs a day. now with the colder weather, I am getting anywhere between 2 to 6 eggs a day.
For me , this is plenty for a family of 4, with eggs to spare.

Hope this helps.

[kellenw]

Red Rocks would be a good choice too.

Really, most any "heavy" breed is a good choice for decent year-round production.

I do prefer buff orps, but there are plenty of other heavy/dual purpose breeds that should fit the bill.

[Cali_Bassman]

Great info everyone...
Thanks so much....
Ya'll Rock....... [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Reosdad]

What a great site you all have here. I found it this morning by accident (looking for information on chicken houses/coops)and have been reading for hours. I would love to build a small chicken house and raise a few chickens , a small garden and grow older with my dogs.

I will soon be leaving the city life for the country and am so anxious now that it is driving me crazy.

If anyone can direct me to chicken house plans I'd be forever grateful. BTW...you guys might get tired of seeing me around here! [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img] I'm gonna pick your brains to pieces!
Thanks in advance and nice to meet you all.

[egon]

Google it. Lots of plans available.

Others use whats at hand. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[gardeningangel]

Hello Reosdad, I worry they will get tired of me too but oh well, this is such a cool place its hard not to ask questions.

I am so excited for you there is so many things to do in the outdoors. Whatever you do if something don't turn out the way you planned, see it as a lesson not a failure. [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
I have had lots of lessons and enjoyed most of them [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]