*Jenners*

UTRachel84

I remember that you had bought some chicks last spring and I had a few questions for you.  We are going to get some chicks this spring mostly for eggs at first and then possibly some meat chickens in future years.  I was wondering if you had any tips for me as I start building their area and preparing for them in the spring.  Also, what breed would you recommend?  Thanks!

JEStrange

Just butting in to give my two cents but we raised chickens for 3 years before moving into town. When you are building a shelter make sure it will keep out predators. We had a barn with an outside area that we ended up having to bury bricks under ground below the fence because we had both a skunk and a possum dig to get in. We raised to kinds of chickens. Our egg layers were rhode island reds. They laid medium to large sized brown eggs (my girls laid 1 egg a day starting when they were about 6 months old. My girls laid all year round although I've heard some stop laying in the winter months. Our meat chickens were Cornish cross. One suggestion is don't put them together . The Cornish cross are like chickens on steroids. They were fully ready to butcher in about 8 weeks. They eat slot though and if you have any baby rhode island reds they will kill and eat them sometimes. Other than that chickens are very easy!! Fresh water, a heat source when they are little, and chicken feed available to eat!!

UTRachel84

Thank you!  We have about 1/2 an acre fenced in right now and I want to build them their own area in a corner of the yard.  I know the farm store sells the rhode island reds in the spring, so that is good!  I'm not quite ready to get meat chickens yet, but good to know about the separation.  When we build in a few years I want to get a cow so I will get the meat chickens then.  Thanks again!