Well today I made a start to my chicken clock today. I've been workin on the chicken tractor gettin it ready and gathering the supplies I needed. I've done a fair amount of research on chicken breeds to try and figure out what kind would work the best now and long term in a PAW situation.

I decided on Buff Orpingtons for a variety of reasons. They are pretty good egg layers, averaging around 5 or so a week/chicken. The hens will get 6-7 lb's and lay eggs very well for about 2 years then taper down over the next year. Rooster average 8-9 lb's, so there is a decent amount of meat when slaughtered per chicken. They can tolerate temps up into the 90-100' with shade, and down below Zero if protected from the wind. ( That means I gotta get the Coop built and finished by this fall).

The other excellent thing about the breed, they go broody very easily (they will sit on their eggs to hatch them out. They also are suppose to be very good mothers at raising their young.

Hopefully this will work out and I can get a good flock going and learn what all I need to do.

Do we have any other farmers on here? Ideas you'd care to share with a rookie?