6 Best Chicken Breeds for Beginners (And How to Choose) — Old Scottish Farmer’s Guide

📗 Get My Complete Poultry Guides Here: https://angusdouglaspoultry.com/ Most folk buying their first hens pick the prettiest bird in the pen, or the one that lays the most. I did exactly that when I was nine, and I lost her that first winter. In this one I rank six beginner breeds from six down to one, and I judge every bird on five things: can you pick her up, is she hardy in wet and cold, does she forgive your mistakes, does she lay enough, and will she still be with you in six years. You'll get the brown hybrid at around 280 eggs in her first year but a short run, the Pekin bantam at 100 to 150 small eggs for a tiny garden, the Light Sussex at 180 to 250, the Barred Rock at about 200 through a bad winter, the five-toed Salmon Faverolles, and the Orpington on the top step. I also go through the questions that pick the breed for you — your weather, your space, eggs or pets or the table, children, neighbours and cockerels, broody or not, and where you buy from. I'd start with point-of-lay pullets at 16 to 22 weeks, and never buy just one. Three to six is the number to learn on. The whole time I'm sat on an upturned bucket with oats in my hand and six hens loose in the run, to show you which bird came to me first and which never came at all. If you're about to buy your first hens and you don't want your first winter to put you off for good, this is the one to watch before you hand over any money. CHAPTERS: 00:00 – Why Beginners Pick Wrong 01:16 – My Grandfather's Quiet Lesson 02:36 – How I Ranked Them 03:52 – Breed #6: The Hybrid 05:13 – The Hybrid's Hidden Cost 06:37 – Breed #5: The Pekin 08:00 – Keeping Small Birds Safe 09:21 – Breed #4: Light Sussex 10:49 – A Bird For Bad Weather 12:10 – Where The Rock Falls Short 13:33 – The Hen He Chose 14:53 – Space, Purpose And Children 16:12 – Broody Hens Or Not 17:39 – Where To Buy Birds 19:00 – Breed #2: Salmon Faverolles 20:22 – Breed #1: The Orpington 21:46 – Eggs, Age And Weight 23:04 – Which Hen Came First 24:18 – The Full Ranking Recap 25:44 – Your First Three Days #ChickenBreeds #BackyardChickens #BeginnerChickens #Orpington #SalmonFaverolles #BarredRock #LightSussex #PekinBantam #KeepingHens #PoultryKeeping