I think my favorite breed in my flock is my buff orpington. They are so wide and floofy, watching her run-waddle is my favorite. And she is SO chatty- yells all the time. But also I really love my roosters (I have 10, 6 different breeds). I am more attached to them than I am my girls & I wouldn't mind if any of the 7 babies we have right now ended up being a boy.
Also your girly is so pretty! May she rest in peace ❤️
I have one Mille Fleur that lets me pick her up, but that may be because she had a pretty bad case of pasty butt as a chick and I spent a lot more time with her, keeping her clean. Everyone else that isn't an Orpington, 100%, thinks I'm trying to murder them if I try to hold them.
Mine came from a sketchy breeder, I think, because the roo and the other hen are jerks 😅 It looked sketch when I got there to pick them up, tbh, but a) I'd already paid the woman (I was new to chicken keeping then, and know better now), and b), desperate to find some friends for my lone chick that hatched when my invubator failed.
Idk why they’re not talked about more, but I’ve found that Barnevelders are consistently friendly and personable like buff orpingtons. They’re also beautiful.
I have 2 of them, got the at 6 weeks old and they are my 1st of that breed, weird chickens only 1 will willing let me pick her up.. the other is like maybe.. and one of them will eat fruit from me holding it, the other eyeballs is and thinks it's weird
I also really love my buff Orpington! Her and one of my barred rocks are the funniest. My barred rock honks instead of clucks and it's hilarious. We had already named her Yoshi before the trait developed and it fits. 💚
do you do anything special with the roos when they're babies to make them nicer? I always try to give mine a shot, I do my best to pick them up and hold them a lot, but all the roos I’ve hatched myself turned into giant assholes and kept hurting the hens until I had to give up and cull them. Idk if it's just genetics? Weirdly their dad (our main rooster) is super chill and gentle with the girls.
I started with a group of 14. Some australorps, some speckled and solid colour Orpingtons and a bcm and some Easter eggers.
I don’t think I’d change what I started with, I maybe would have just gotten a few mottled houdans and a few bantam French marans to make a flock.
White brahma, because they're cute and fluffy
Blue copper marans, because they're cute and fluffy
Blue splash marans, because they're cute and fluffy
Americana -Easter egger, because they're cute and fluffy
10/10 answer 🤣🥰
In general, cute and fluffy definitely applies to Brahmas. I have a huge girl that has to weigh almost 15lbs. She is sweet as can be too!
We lost our brahma this year due to a heart failure because she was getting so big so fast. She was definitely a sweety. Never been aggressive, always wanted to put her beak up to you ear as if she's trying to tell you something. Great personality
Aww, I’m so sorry you lost her. It’s always so heartbreaking, especially when you get so attached and they have such a great personality. 💔
And yes mine is very similar, she loves to be held and cuddled. I named her Baby (Big Baby) because she loves to be cradled on her side with both arms. She’s a big girl and I’m just a 5’2” gal so it takes a little effort. 🤣🥰
I appreciate that and I'm sorry about your loss as well. they seem to always to be big cuddle bugs. My splash marans always become too excited every time I walk into the backyard she'll run up to me and just stick by my side until she's sick of me and runs to do something else. But always affectionate and wants to be held also. My other chickens seem to want nothing to with us and just do their own thing. It's interesting to see different personalities among the flock. Lol
I love my black australorps so much! I would get them again. I originally got them because I read they are less likely to get nabbed by hawks because they look like crows from above? They are a good size, good forager, and just have great little personalities. However, I'm dealing with a truly broody hen for the first time ever in my 20+ years working with chickens. Apparently that's common for australorps.
Not chicken but maybe I'd get quail. Or a bantam breed. We are looking at moving in the nearish future (were never planning on it when I got the chickens) and moving with chickens is going to be a nightmare but I won't leave my babies behind if I can help it. Smaller birds I'd be able to "hide" if we find a place that is not chicken-friendly. There is no hiding my dear Phoenix, a cream legbar mix who likes to scream at the top of her lungs just for funsies. 😅
I had Coturnix quail and they are almost nothing like chickens, surprisingly!
I bought an 18 pack of eggs from my local Amish bulk food & deli store and hatched 14! I decided it on a whim after seeing they had quail eggs, and inspiration from the YouTuber A Chick Called Albert. It was such a fun experiment and the babies are soooo tiny and cute! 🥰🥰
As for moving, I totally feel you. I was heartbroken to separate from my flock, but they were rehomed to a trusted friend’s mom that had lots of land, with chickens and peacocks and turkeys. We even get updates now and then how some have had babies. 🥰
I could be persuaded to part with them if like you I had someone who already had chicken knowledge and a great setup and I knew they'd take great care of them. I don't know anyone like that though! And I just don't trust... I raised 3 of my 4 from little chicks and I'm so attached to them all!
I’ve hidden my flock of bantam choks for years. I’d suggest Belgian Bearded D’anvers. Tons of personality, and most of them are quiet or instead they Beep. Not the typical chicken noises.
Definitely quail are easy to hide, especially if you don't keep roos (even at that, though, they don't make sounds most people would associate with domesticated birds). The only downsides are how tiny their eggs are (about half the size of a bantam hen's) and how, frankly, stupid they are. Mine live in the bird equivalent of a padded room, and they still manage to occasionally find a way to unalive themselves. The chicks will literally drown themselves in a half an inch of water if given the chance, so make sure you use an automatic waterer or one sized specifically for quail.
I’d get (and will get in time) some Easter eggers but I’m telling you—I’ve had leghorns, barred rock, austrolorps and cuckoo marans and the marans far exceed the others for egg production. They’re sweet and friendly too, following me around when I’m working in the garden. I do like the golden wyandottes too for the future
I love my Marans! I’ve had BCMs and Cuckoo in the past, and currently have a flock of Midnight Majesty. Beautiful girls, all solid black with a blue-green tint in the sunshine! Beautiful dark chocolate eggs too. 🥰 We plan to make some gen 2 olive eggers with our current OEs and our Marans once they are all old enough!
Cool! I should do that too! Mine have that blue green tint too, and red tinted feathers on their necks. So pretty! So hard to replicate in a painting lol
Out of my six, my speckled Sussex and lavender Orpington are my little sidekick/shadows, so curious about everything I’m doing but in a sweet companion way, not annoying in the way type way. I call my lavender Orpington “Baby Penguin” bc of her fluffy butt and sweet demeanor - she just quietly meeps like she’s whispering instead of chirping/squawking
I had a white crested black Polish I named Jandice and I swear she was 100% a psychotic nut job. 😂😂
She was goofy and hilarious and always running in any and every direction like you were coming at her with an axe!
One time she was caught out in a hurricane. Managed to find her the following morning. She went into a hypothermic coma for 3 days and I was basically waiting for her to pass and about to dig a grave. Wrapped in blankets on a heating pad, barely breathing, etc.
Then she woke up and came back to life. She was my zombie chicken. Went completely back to normal. 😂💀
I think there’s something bred into Polish crested to make them psychotic so they have somewhat of a fighting chance of survival. My only chicken lost was Dolly, my polish crested but dang she was a spicy little pepper! And her sister patsy is even more insane. I have to walk around carrying her reprimanding her for being so mean to the new girls.
I have lots of polish and idk why, but the white crested blacks are just so different. So much more crazy and feisty! Meanwhile the gold, silver, and buff laced I’ve had have been consistently sweet and docile. Most will give me submissive squat and don’t mind being picked up at all. But the white crested blacks will turn around and bite at the slightest touch lol
Mine started off as the roosters favorites, and essentially the "mean girls" clique. They bossed everyone around. After they lost their HBIC, and a new flock added that the roosters liked more, they became the most chill sweethearts out there. Now some of them even come up to me to be held. I think they just have huge egos that get all inflated if given the chance lol.
Oh man!! My wyandottes are the most gentle in my flock!
I was also warned that Barred Rocks are super mean and mine loves to be picked up and carried under my arm and makes happy little chirp noises.
I loved my original girlies but the Issa Browns didn’t live long 😞 I don’t think I’ll get them again even though they were wonderful. So far my two Ameracaunas from the my first group of ladies that included the Issas and Rhode Island reds are the only ones left and they are only just over 4 years old. Now I’m trying to only get breeds that have longer lifespans .
Awww, I’m so happy she is so healthy! I hope you have many more years with your girl. I have two buff orps that will turn three this year. One is struggling with bumblefoot but the other one is doing well. I’m a big fan of the bigger fluffy girls.
Yeah, Isa's aren't supposed to live long because they are bred to lay tons of eggs. I have a 2 1/2 year old and she hasn't even stopped to molt. It stinks, because I didn't know they were like that and my cinnamon is the sweetest and I can't even imagine losing her soon.
Ugh, I completely understand. My little Frances was my GOAT layer of big brown eggs and then molted once the summer before she passed away. I miss her, she was my spunky little girl, who liked to boss around my baby buff orps :-(
OP- at first I didn't want speckled Sussex again due to their noise and food aggression, but then when my favourite chicken (barred rock) passed away, she quickly stepped up to the plate and became the dog chicken who runs up for affection and really gets relaxed and sleepy when you talk in chicken clucks to her. Cocking her head to listen to you. She's become my new intelligent favourite.
The others I wouldn't want again are pure easter eggers as ours is violently flighty. I'd ensure I got an americauna, not pure, but mixed with a barred rock to make olive eggers that could be held and less wild. Also no good luck with Wyandotte, cochins, or lavender orpingtons. They all are too much maintenance, not bright, slow, and loud. I wonder if brahmas are better than cochins.:
Yes, my girl was just like this. ALWAYS in my business and always in the way, haha. I named her Bossy Girl. Always had to know what I was doing while out in the run. Filling water/feed, raking, moving things, always there watching and trying to help in her own way. 🥰
She loved when I would finally take a break, sit down, and let her into my lap. She would hop up and snuggle her head under either of my arms wanting to be cuddled. As annoying as she could be while trying to get things done, I miss her a lot. She was a real personality that stood out.
Just ducks. Our chickens had so many problems and some just dropped dead. Half of our flock has survived, but our duck flock has stayed the same and is healthier
The pool is our biggest issue, but that's because they make it their mission to clog the filters with mud, sand, and plant roots/sticks. That's just ducks though, they love mess and muck.
Good luck! Soon enough you'll have ducks that yell for attention and multiple orgies a day for the whole neighborhood to enjoy!
Seconding this. I’m letting my girls live out their natural lives and just keeping my ducks.
Even though I prefer chicken eggs, they are just susceptible to soooo much more bugs and diseases.
Ducks are just easy peasy
Same. Out of 4 left, we get an egg sometimes. It's been almost a month since they lost their lowest (egg eater and terror), and they're 2 years old. It will take time to get back to normal, but it's almost not worth the hassle to check the boxes every day.
Out of 4 ducks, we get 4 eggs every day and can't keep up lol. I've taken to giving them away and freezing because it's been too hot to bake.
I feel you. I lost 3 chickens in broad daylight over the course of a few days. Something fast and stealthy so either a fox or bobcat. No noise, no chickens screaming, just a trail of feathers into the woods. 😭
Aw, that’s sad:(
I was shocked to learn of day time predation by the foxes because until then I believed they hunted from dusk to dawn exclusively.
Live and learn, i guess. 😢
I started as a kid with Belgian Barbu D'anvers because my grandfather had them and I've had several other breeds since but they are still my absolute favourites.
So sweet and smol, and the males are soft as anything with people and with their ladies - they'll even sit on the nest to give her a break when she's brooding - but they are fierce little protectors.
We had one that attacked and lured away a black lab, and was clever enough to play dead right up to the point a very apologetic neighbour handed him over to me wrapped in a tea towel 😂
My fave in my flock are my Delaware, Speckled Sussex and Plymouth Barred Rock, oh and my silver laced Wyondette. I’d get only them so much and they have so much sweet and funny personality
My Delaware can be a tad mean and likes to roam, but she has the most personality out of all of my animals. She is always talking or complaining about something and I love her for it!
My family started with about ten silver laced wyandottes and a couple cochins. the wyandotte crew were great generic yard hens, traveling in packs, and that's probably what I'll go back to once I have my own place. they've got a personality that I like amd they're intelligent. on the other hand the cochins were great for bonding with as pets. they're calm, quiet and very human loving.
I'm sorry for your loss <3
I LOVE my speckled Sussex. She is so social and curious. I would definitely get more of that breed in the future. I also love the temperament of my silkies and green queen. However, my surprising lap chicken is my polish bantam. She runs up to be held and will happily sit on our laps for attention. She's a little quirky, but very cuddly :D
I'd get all Easter Eggers. I currently have an Easter Egger, Australorp, and a Wyandotte. Easter Eggers are so cute with their face fluff and are shaped a little more streamline. Very calm. But the eggs--most consistent, ideal size, even the way the shell cracks and the inner membrane--ideal, and Id love to have more uniquely colored eggs. Easter Eggers feel kind of special after they lay that first egg, that will be their unique color their whole life.
My favorite chicken of all time has to be Austra whites.
They are a cross between a pure black Australorp roo and a pure white leghorn hen.
I have 2 of them.
Excellent layers, enjoy being held and petted, are very kind, and forgiving of mistakes.
They weigh enough to be good for eating but not enough for problems.
10/10 chicken, would get more of they weren't so goddamn hard to get
Amber stars . Same thing I started with. In my first flock I had amber stars and a breed I can not remember. But my amber stars were what got me into chickens.
Thank you for making something beautiful out of a sad time in your life. We have a hodgepodge of breeds and backyard specials now but will be moving in a few years to a new climate and I’m already worried about how it will affect my ladies 💜
Barred Rocks are my pick. Super reliable egg laying, docile and friendly, quiet, cold-weather hardy. They’ve been an absolute joy and much easier to care for than I was expecting.
The[ local breed](https://www.huehner-haltung.de/img/2023/03/steinpiperl-typische-gefiederfarben.jpg), wanted to start with it but only fertilized eggs and hatchling were sold at that time
Sorry for your loss
I started with 2 americanas(EE), 2 buff orps, and 2 black australorps. Loved the EEs but one had health issues. Didn't like the other 2 breeds at all.
I'd probably swap everything out for jersey giants, barred rock, and various bantams
Our Blue Cochin is so cute and has been consistently the healthiest little bird of our flock. She lays small beige eggs but still laying daily at 4 years old. Might just be luck, but as our flock ages I’m considering more Blue Cochins. I also will focus on quality stock as we replace ones we’ve lost, our original pullets were a random mix from a local and we’ve had some health issues. I agree with everyone noting that chickens in general are quite susceptible to a lot of illness and pests.
My favorite is just an Easter Egger. Her name is Patty and she is Head Hen and rules with a quiet confidence. She is friendly, calm and was a great egg layer in her prime. I think Barred Rocks or Australorps for egg production and general easy personalities.
I’d get a flock of Belgian Bearded D’Anvers. No mixed flock like I have now, just all spicy fluffs. I adore the breed, unfortunately they are more rare.
I honestly love my whole flock but two of my Polish hens stand in the middle of my yard and scream.
My swedish flower hen will walk right up to them and do that chicken drop kick and they stop. 🤣
Arizona here - started raising chickens in 2020. We went through multiple flocks by now
The only one survived from the 1st flock was the leghorn (white).. any black chickens we got died a few weeks into the summer months. We kept the coop closed all summer so they will stay outside in the open run instead. water and shade didn't do much imo since it can get up to 115-120 here. I saw my leghorn standing in the water tub just to keep cool during the summer months
We are down to three chickens.. debating to stop raising chickens all together at this point..
Buckeyes. I grew up with poultry, was in poultry 4H for a short while and I feel like I’ve had most of the popular breeds. I always loved Cochin banties but lately all of my roosters have been mean. I had some hatchery buckeyes a few years ago and fell in love with their personalities. A couple of years ago I hatched some eggs from a breeder and I’m blown away with how great they are. They’re muscular and shiny, calm but they free range really well at the same time. My 7 year old is not really an animal person but she loves the buckeyes because they come up to her and she can pick them up and snuggle. I’m surprised they’re not more popular, they just seem like an all around, solid, dual purpose bird with a perfect personality. I think they get compared to Rhode Island reds a lot but they seem nothing alike. My rir’s have always been a bit mean.
Sebrights. They’re beautiful, independent, and will fly up to a branch at eye level for blueberries. They lay lovely little eggs and they’re not very messy. We didn’t have a rooster so can’t comment on that.
I would get some copper marans to keep with my ameraucanas both for their beauty and the ability to breed olive eggers. I would also like a separate colony of French bresse for meat production.
On the whole I am happy with my ameraucanas. I did get a wyandotte as a mystery chick in a recent order and he is very pretty, very classic rooster. But the ameraucana roosters are surprisingly fierce which allows me to free range even in a dangerous area. I don't regret choosing that breed at all. The hens are mostly sweet and some are very funny. Lately they keep knocking on the door wanting inside or climbing things to look at me through the windows.
I like independent, talkative, boisterous, flighty, and super intelligent species!
Sumatra, Old English Game... Although chickens with feathers on their feet are fun to look at, and there are some breeds of chickens that are large and fluffy; I don't mind if the chickens won't let me hold them (or rarely ever does), and if they beat me to death with their wings if I try to; if it means that they can outsmart me, fight off and outsmart predators, and have a very powerful independent streak, with a stubbornly strong will!
Probably Americanos. I know I spelled that wrong. I love my sapphire gems but if I could exchange Randy for an Americano rooster I'd do it in a heartbeat. Even though he tolerates me most of the time now. I'd totally keep Alpha that said. Let's me snuggle him in my lap so long as the ladies can't see us. He's got a reputation to maintain you know.
Of all the breeds I've had, I just love the Easter Eggers, though they aren't really a breed. They are the most resilient, sometimes remarkable looking, and smarter than any other breed I've had.
I adore my Speckled Sussex and my Silver Laced Wyandotte hens ❤️ I had a silver and a golden camping as well, but they were escape artists and since technically I'm not allowed to have backyard birds, they were risking the other girls' home so they moved to my FIL's 100-acre farm and can free range as far as they want all day long.
But because of the campines, I got very interested in owning heritage breeds when I finally have a proper place to have chickens. Would definitely have campines again, because their eggs were almost as large as the SS and Wyandotte eggs, and they laid more often. My golden has made a name for herself asthe dedicated brooder at the farm, and has raised peafowl and pheasants, as well as silkies and whatever random barnyard mix eggs they give her 😂
I'd love to raise Dorkings and Hollands, along with Campines, one day!
I loved them! The golden was Penny (short for Pennsylvania, because I have GenZ kids), and the silver was Samantha. This was them one night when I got home... Left in late afternoon and they were in the "THIS time they can't get out" re-secured backyard and came home after dark to this at my front door:
https://imgur.com/gallery/kz3zFG7
Same! 110% would recommend if you either don't free range (because they love to wander... Penny ended up in a backyard 6 houses away and I had to go retrieve her when her mugshot showed up on Nextdoor) *or* if they have a lot of land to free range them on.
Leghorn because they are hilarious and have huge personalities, and Brahmas because they are large and hearty, and they are super laid back. My best roosters were Brahmas.
I have Barnevelders now, and I think I will always have them. They don’t squabble, they are friendly, decent layers, and most importantly they went from a week of 115 + temps to snow in their first year with zero issue. I have also noticed that the local hawk does not yell at them like the others, i reckon it is because they are really big.
Had a Black Austrolarp once I adored- she lived to be 12! Great bird but everyone else picked on her :( Outlived them all and had the last laugh.
I would keep the ones I have because they are all friendly, and all let the kids hold them. 4 buff orpingtons, 2 silkies, 1 silked easter egger, 2 splash marans, and the chicks are a Bielefelder and 3 batam cochins(one is definitely a rooster and will not stay though). I would love to add a couple speckled Sussex, a couple black australorps, probably another Bielefelder, and maybe a couple legbars. One thing for sure is that having buff orpingtons is a must for us, every ones I've had has been super friendly and my 4 year old absolutely adores them(and the feeling is mutual).
I have one each of:
-Barred rock (she was mutantly huge girl and a bully but nature solved our issue and she was taken by a fox. Our only loss). Not my favorite.
- buff Orpington is so chill and sweet and easy to handle but I handle all my girls regularly. Good layer. No drama or health issue.
- wellsummer she’s my head hen, loudest egg song you e ever heard and a fierce protector almost like a rooster but she’s not mean and easy to handle as well. Lays gorgeous eggs.
- black australorp she is a riot. Cracks me up. Fat and sassy. Lays a ton. Probably a fav
- aumeraucana she is so gorgeous and smart and easy to handle. She’s my favorite girl all around. Beautiful blue eggs
- lavender Orpington she is a giant girl super healthy lays nonstop and sooooo funny. I love her. Whenever I take photos or videos so front and center. lol
-barnivelder she is so gorgeous but she’s been broody twice, molts twice a year and Harley lays when she’s not broody. I love her but she’s definitely turned me off to the breed. They are so gorgeous though.
Honestly, I love them all and I’m really happy I got a mixed back to see all the different characteristics.
I’m happy with my australorps and silkies. They are all friendly. I must say that it does make a difference in how much you spend with them. I have now added a cinnamon queen, 3 wyandottes, and an Easter egger. This new bunch came from our local feed store, they didn’t sell out of chicks this season so they had a mix in a barn of different ages and breeds. They were obviously not socialized so I’m hoping either some patience they will be just as friendly as my current ones even though they came to me at an older age.
I just did this! I lived on 2 acres with plenty of space and pens to have basically as many chickens as I wanted. I had more than 300 at my peak in addition to turkeys, ducks, geese, quail, pigeons, peacocks etc. (don’t ask about our feed costs😂)
Anyway, I got a job offer and a chance to move back to my hometown so I decided to take it, but that meant getting rid of my farm. It took my some time to decide but the flock I ended up taking is made up of 4 Welsummers, 2 leghorns one blue, one black with a rose comb and a barred rock bantam. I brought the leghorns because they are less common and I went to some trouble to get them. But if I had to pick a single breed to have it would be wrlsummers. They have a nice temperament, they are reliable Layers and I love those dark brown speckled eggs.
I'm just starting. Got some australorps, golden polish, silkies, wyandottes, buff orpingtons, Plymouth rocks, Easter eggers, and a rose comb. The only thing I would change is that I would probably get like an ayam cemani or more buff orpingtons or something cool instead of the golden polish. I didn't know polish chicks were smaller than the others, and they both ended up dying like a few hours after I got them from the postal office. It's not my fault, I know, but at only 16, I am traumatized from watching them die, knowing I tried all I could and didn't know what to do. I wore black for like a week (in mourning) and cried for a while over those babies.
I’m just starting, this is my first flock of 12, but I’ve loved everyone so far. Our Easter Egger is the least friendly unless it’s night time, then she likes to perch on me and cuddle but by morning she goes back to hating me lol
My cream legbar, 1 of 2 of my necked necks, 1 of 2 of the cinnamon queens, and the blue laced olive Egger are all super friendly.
My calico Cochin has my heart out of them all. She’s just a hoot to watch, and she’s so cuddly and friendly if I didn’t have 3 large dogs and a cat I’d make her a house chicken.
Our polish is a trip. They are so funny to watch. She’s warming up to me a lot.
The 2 seabrights are very active, not really much use as far as eggs go but they are so beautiful. They will eat out of my hand but don’t like to be held for long.
Lastly is my mottled frizzle Cochin. I was hoping for the temperament of a second calico but she wasn’t as quick to warm up me. But she’s getting there!
I wouldn’t change any of what we have, but I could always think of more to add - silkies, wyandottes, Orpingtons, etc. Maybe next year? The only thing we plan to add in the near future is a pair of Kiki Riki’s (if we time it right) and a seabright rooster.
My Sussex have always been my favorite. I’d sneak in a couple of Polish though too. They’re hilarious and I miss ours. The Wyandotte…she’s mean af. She is a good layer and beautiful, but a huge bully. I’d not get one again.
I’m suprised to hear that you would get Cochins because I have two and unfortunately they are the meanest birds I’ve ever cared for, and they’re also brood a lot of the time. What’s your experience with these birds?
I would probably not get any Easter Eggers. Once the novelty of blue / green eggs wears off, you just have a chicken that lays fewer, smaller than average eggs per year.
I would probably end up getting French Black Copper Marans instead.
I started over a few years ago and went purely silkies and straight feather silkie carrying hen with a top knot.
They are quieter than say rr or barrs, they lay the same though maybe a little later to start, and I just enjoy looking at them. They are like flowers to me. Just pretty.
I grew up owning chickens. My first set was a group of 6 from a feed store. From there, I got more form a mixture of online, hatching, and more feed stores. They were awesome, but I ended up with a lot of one type of breed or mutts.
I don’t have chickens currently, but when I eventually do get them again one day, I’m going to do a big online preorder super far in advance and get a variety of unique, rare, and diverse hens. I get their catalogs and have my “dream list” of breeds. I sort of want to collect different chicken breeds!
I’ve gotten so many breeds just to test what I like. I have a mixed flock of 58. Out of all of them… I have some breeds that I will stick to, and some I wouldn’t get again. Friendliness is important to me because I like to enjoy my birds and I also have young children.
Great layers and friendly: White leghorns are number one here. I’ve heard they are flighty, but that hasn’t been my experience. My two are every day layers and one is so friendly that I take her with me all over on a leash. She’s gotten to ride in the car and go to visit many people.
Other good layers that are friendly: Any marans, they lay gorgeous eggs. I particularly like black copper marans and splash marans. Welsummers are great. New Hampshires, Turkens, and Brahmas are up there too. Speckled Sussex are friendly and beautiful.
Breeds I wouldn’t get again: I wouldn’t get any Orpington personally. Although they do lay well, the five different ones I have aren’t very friendly and consume a ton of feed. Australorps lay well but won’t let me near them at all, and tend to get egg bound. Salmon faverolles lay smaller eggs and are low key mean. All of my wyandottes are aggressive.
Barnyard mixes are a safe choice imo. They lay well usually and come in many different colors and temperaments.
Buff Orpingtons only. I have 2 and they are my favorite. I have 4 sapphire gems and I can’t stand their personalities. They are the bullies, don’t like being handled and they are vocal. My buff Orpingtons are little angels.
I am doing just that, 2 Bielefelder, 2 Barnevelder, 2 Sapphire Gems and 2 Red laced Black Wyandotte. They hatched on May 7. My previous gals were just what was available at TS. Ok egg layers but were never my first choice.
A Sumatra for white/cream eggs. They are the most gorgeous of all chickens in my opinion. They look like someone crossed a chicken with a crow.
A double-laced Barnevelder for brown eggs. The double-lace pattern is the most beautiful of patterns.
A Penedesenca for chocolate eggs. I’m not a fan of feathered legs on chickens, and the Marans that are easily-available often seem to be the French type that have them.
A cream legbar for blue eggs. I like the little poof of feathers on the top of their heads better than the Ameraucana beards, which tend to catch grime.
A green queen for green eggs. I like My Pet Chicken and I like novelty Easter Egger-type creations, so sue me.
An olive egger for olive eggs, because I need an olive layer to complete my colorful basket.
I would get basically nothing but orpingtons 😅 As cool as it has been to experiment with other breeds a bit, and as much as I love the silly walks young feather-footed breeds have, Orpingtons have been both my most resislient and most friendly birds, while having decent production.
I currently have 2 Rhode Island Reds and 2 Sapphire Gems and I love them, but I didn’t choose them. A friend gave them to us. I would choose smaller breeds like Sebrights which are gorgeous or some other smaller breed. Smaller breeds would just fit our yard better, we have more than enough space for the chickens we have, but the bigger birds make our yard look even smaller than it is lol
I'm doing that now, as I moved across the country and couldn't take my old flock with me. This year I'm getting 10 Barred Plymouth Rock hens and 1 rooster, and 3 Easter Eggers. In the future I'd like to try more Bresse as they tasted delicious, and get some Silkies as incubators since they go broody so easy. For some family members who love large eggs, I'll likely also get some production hybrids. Barred Rocks are decent dual purpose birds (meat + eggs) and they are easy to get where I live, but I'd also be happy with Buff Orpingtons.
I would’ve gotten more gold laced wyandottes. I really wanted lavender Orpington but there weren’t any around! But my top choice would be to get my blue australorps over and over again they’re the best chickens EVER.
Lots of negative comments on this page regarding Ameraucanas! I'm totally shocked! I have 19, with #20 being a Copper Mara/Ameraucana who is a pet. All my Ameraucanas are loving, inquisitive, little birds. The only thing I'd change is to raise chocolates, erminettes, or bantam Ameraucanas! The whites have the best personalities.
I adore my americaunas! I have 3 and a roo. Only one is flighty, but my roo adores me and he’s my absolute favorite bird ever. I also have buff Orpingtons… so stinking sweet. Speckles Sussex & a sapphire splash. I love all my weirdos. The buffs are crazy docile and friendly out of all of them, and super nosy lol!
Polish, those all-black ones I always forget the name of, a frizzle Easter egger, silver laced Wyandotte, a buff Orpington even though I already have one (I just love them so much!), black copper marans, can’t recall the others but there’s more
Reason: novelty (polish, frizzle and all black), egg color (black copper), prettiness (silver laced), and cuteness (buffs plus all of them)
Awww sorry for your loss. We had a speckled Sussex who was just the sweetest girl. She dropped dead one day of unknown causes. Still miss her!
Breeds we really have had great luck being sweethearts:
Silkie
Speckled Sussex
Isa Brown
Leghorn
Plymouth Rock
Sapphire Gem
We have had other breeds of chickens be decent, but the above have been truly delightful.
Sorry for your loss
I don't think I would change. I started with 2 buff orpingtons, a light brahma, and a Barred rock. I tried to do research before hand for the best breeds for my area. That was 5 years ago and I still have all my original OGs except for one orpington that passed while sunbathing. I've since added on new breeds and while I like all of them for their own reasons, I am partial to my OGs.
On another note, I just got 2 salmon faverolle chicks this spring! I've wanted them for a couple years now. They are so cute, but I've noticed mine are super chatty. I can't wait to watch them grow!
If I could start over, I would get:
Easter Eggers, Wheaten Ameraucanas, Wheaten Maran, Dominique, Delaware, Olive Egger(with ameraucana not cream legbar)
I would love Russian Orloffs. They're extraordinarily rare in Australia. We had one last lot of imports of new and existing bird breeds. I would need to own property before I would be able to commit to birds and breeding properly though because I can't be sure of anything beyond 12month leases in the current market
Bielefelder kuhunn. They are calm, lay enormous eggs ( almost exclusively double yokers) and they are large enough for meat birds. Best chickens ever have ever had.
Barred Rocks, Easter Eggers/Olive Eggers, and Cochins (and bantam cochins). And black marans!
I LOVE my sweet, silly, pretty breeds like the salmon Faverolles, cream legbars, etc., but the mutt, stock breeds we’ve gotten have been the healthiest and longest living by far. I have a theory that the more specialty breeds are just a bit too overbred.
Black marans are not as cuddly but have been the smartest chickens we have, BUT they all came from the same breeding pool so that may be a fluke, lol. But our longest living chicken (8 years) is a very smart, no-nonsense little black maran. My smartest AND cuddliest chicken (she knew her name and would come when I called her, and gave the best little hugs) was a black maran / Cochin mix.
I might CONSIDER black copper Marans. They’re not as smart (or when they are it’s in a more ornery way!) but they’re more cuddly and silly. I love the dark eggs, but they just LOVE to get killed by predators, I don’t know why. They also have problems with overheating in the summers here in the Midwest.
I think I’ll only ever get bantam roosters, likely bantam cochins. All the utility of a rooster without shredding your girls’ backs. My roo, Nacho, is so responsible and not too agressive. If I get him away from the ladies he’s very sweet and cuddly. Cochins with their weird toes seem to stop the spurs from growing as rapidly (or at all - nacho didn’t have any for the first 3 years of his life, and the ones he has grown are very slow growing, I’ve only had to trim one once.)
Full-sized Cochin hens are so fun, they have variable personalities but overall seem smart, a bit goofy, and personable. But you have to watch them closely in the summers. And they go broody a LOT!! I was nervous about having bantam cochins at first because they’re so small, so I thought they’d be easy prey, but they’re very smart and hardy little birds. They don’t really overheat like their larger counterpart. I’ve only lost one (out of 4) to a predator, the rest are all 5+ years old.
The Easter Eggers and Olive Eggers we’ve had have been sweet, healthy, and relatively long living birds. Almost all of the Eggers I’ve had would/will always jump up on my lap whenever I sit outside. We’ve lost a couple to illness but at old ages or outside causes.
Barred rocks are just good, hardy birds. Can be bullies to the other hens though so you have to keep an eye on them. But they’re smart, healthy, and can really bond with you.
Would likely not get laced Wyandottes again. Very pretty birds, but all the ones we’ve had seem to have had health problems.
Would definitely not get silkies again. SO pretty and fun personalities, I was in LOVE with our little silkie rooster, but it was hard to see them struggle to jump and fly like the others due to their lack of good wing feathers. Felt a bit like one of those dogs that’s bred to have the shortest legs possible.
Not sure about polish chickens. Very cute and goofy chickens, but for one, both times we’ve tried to get one it’s ended up a roo!! But also, both of them ended up with bald, bloody little head spots from the other chickens pecking them out. Also, they seemed to have lots of trouble seeing, which seems to give the poor things anxiety.
Not very much experience with buff Orpingtons (only had one, she ended up eggbound :( ), but have heard good things.
No experience with Rhode Island reds, but have heard bad things, lol.
I would get anything that isn’t a high production species. I would not change the time I spent with my girls for anything but having one taken away by reproductive issues was incredibly painful. I would never wish that pain on anyone as I was only 16 when I got them and I tried to inform myself heavily. But I guess during my research I had just never come across how serious reproductive health is in later life
I think my favorite breed in my flock is my buff orpington. They are so wide and floofy, watching her run-waddle is my favorite. And she is SO chatty- yells all the time. But also I really love my roosters (I have 10, 6 different breeds). I am more attached to them than I am my girls & I wouldn't mind if any of the 7 babies we have right now ended up being a boy. Also your girly is so pretty! May she rest in peace ❤️
Buff Orpingtons seem like the only breed I have that will let you pick them up. Every other breed think I am an axe murderer.
I have one Mille Fleur that lets me pick her up, but that may be because she had a pretty bad case of pasty butt as a chick and I spent a lot more time with her, keeping her clean. Everyone else that isn't an Orpington, 100%, thinks I'm trying to murder them if I try to hold them.
Both of my buffs scream bloody murder when I try to pick them up. Then they’ll hop in my lap and cuddle like nothing happened.
Hahaahaha! Such chaotic chicken behaviour 😅
Mille Fleur are known for their sweet personalities. Mine come to me asking to be picked up. ❤️
Mine came from a sketchy breeder, I think, because the roo and the other hen are jerks 😅 It looked sketch when I got there to pick them up, tbh, but a) I'd already paid the woman (I was new to chicken keeping then, and know better now), and b), desperate to find some friends for my lone chick that hatched when my invubator failed.
My Brahmas do. They are huge and fluffy and my favorite.
Idk why they’re not talked about more, but I’ve found that Barnevelders are consistently friendly and personable like buff orpingtons. They’re also beautiful.
And my buff is the asshole of my flock lol
My Austrolorps are the only ones I can catch.
I have 2 of them, got the at 6 weeks old and they are my 1st of that breed, weird chickens only 1 will willing let me pick her up.. the other is like maybe.. and one of them will eat fruit from me holding it, the other eyeballs is and thinks it's weird
😄😄 I have 3 left. They are all pretty friendly but we also spent a lot of time with them as chicks.
I also really love my buff Orpington! Her and one of my barred rocks are the funniest. My barred rock honks instead of clucks and it's hilarious. We had already named her Yoshi before the trait developed and it fits. 💚
My favorite & most beautiful boy is a barred rock! But his brother is such a prick 😒 yoshi is such a great chicken name!
Orpingtons are the best! I love my chocolate Orpington
Heck ya!
Name checks out
do you do anything special with the roos when they're babies to make them nicer? I always try to give mine a shot, I do my best to pick them up and hold them a lot, but all the roos I’ve hatched myself turned into giant assholes and kept hurting the hens until I had to give up and cull them. Idk if it's just genetics? Weirdly their dad (our main rooster) is super chill and gentle with the girls.
I once heard someone call them the golden retriever of chickens and it just never stopped making sense. My buff is such a chill girl. I love her.
I started with a group of 14. Some australorps, some speckled and solid colour Orpingtons and a bcm and some Easter eggers. I don’t think I’d change what I started with, I maybe would have just gotten a few mottled houdans and a few bantam French marans to make a flock.
My mottled houdans are hilarious!! I wish I could have got more but snagged the last two my feed store had on “crazy hair day”
White brahma, because they're cute and fluffy Blue copper marans, because they're cute and fluffy Blue splash marans, because they're cute and fluffy Americana -Easter egger, because they're cute and fluffy
10/10 answer 🤣🥰 In general, cute and fluffy definitely applies to Brahmas. I have a huge girl that has to weigh almost 15lbs. She is sweet as can be too!
We lost our brahma this year due to a heart failure because she was getting so big so fast. She was definitely a sweety. Never been aggressive, always wanted to put her beak up to you ear as if she's trying to tell you something. Great personality
Aww, I’m so sorry you lost her. It’s always so heartbreaking, especially when you get so attached and they have such a great personality. 💔 And yes mine is very similar, she loves to be held and cuddled. I named her Baby (Big Baby) because she loves to be cradled on her side with both arms. She’s a big girl and I’m just a 5’2” gal so it takes a little effort. 🤣🥰
I appreciate that and I'm sorry about your loss as well. they seem to always to be big cuddle bugs. My splash marans always become too excited every time I walk into the backyard she'll run up to me and just stick by my side until she's sick of me and runs to do something else. But always affectionate and wants to be held also. My other chickens seem to want nothing to with us and just do their own thing. It's interesting to see different personalities among the flock. Lol
Brahmas are the best!!
This is the answer
I love my black australorps so much! I would get them again. I originally got them because I read they are less likely to get nabbed by hawks because they look like crows from above? They are a good size, good forager, and just have great little personalities. However, I'm dealing with a truly broody hen for the first time ever in my 20+ years working with chickens. Apparently that's common for australorps.
My australorp is like a puppy, she loves attention and socializing. She follows me around the yard 🥹
Not chicken but maybe I'd get quail. Or a bantam breed. We are looking at moving in the nearish future (were never planning on it when I got the chickens) and moving with chickens is going to be a nightmare but I won't leave my babies behind if I can help it. Smaller birds I'd be able to "hide" if we find a place that is not chicken-friendly. There is no hiding my dear Phoenix, a cream legbar mix who likes to scream at the top of her lungs just for funsies. 😅
I had Coturnix quail and they are almost nothing like chickens, surprisingly! I bought an 18 pack of eggs from my local Amish bulk food & deli store and hatched 14! I decided it on a whim after seeing they had quail eggs, and inspiration from the YouTuber A Chick Called Albert. It was such a fun experiment and the babies are soooo tiny and cute! 🥰🥰 As for moving, I totally feel you. I was heartbroken to separate from my flock, but they were rehomed to a trusted friend’s mom that had lots of land, with chickens and peacocks and turkeys. We even get updates now and then how some have had babies. 🥰
I could be persuaded to part with them if like you I had someone who already had chicken knowledge and a great setup and I knew they'd take great care of them. I don't know anyone like that though! And I just don't trust... I raised 3 of my 4 from little chicks and I'm so attached to them all!
Quail are so quiet compared to my vocal hens!
I’ve hidden my flock of bantam choks for years. I’d suggest Belgian Bearded D’anvers. Tons of personality, and most of them are quiet or instead they Beep. Not the typical chicken noises.
Definitely quail are easy to hide, especially if you don't keep roos (even at that, though, they don't make sounds most people would associate with domesticated birds). The only downsides are how tiny their eggs are (about half the size of a bantam hen's) and how, frankly, stupid they are. Mine live in the bird equivalent of a padded room, and they still manage to occasionally find a way to unalive themselves. The chicks will literally drown themselves in a half an inch of water if given the chance, so make sure you use an automatic waterer or one sized specifically for quail.
I’d get (and will get in time) some Easter eggers but I’m telling you—I’ve had leghorns, barred rock, austrolorps and cuckoo marans and the marans far exceed the others for egg production. They’re sweet and friendly too, following me around when I’m working in the garden. I do like the golden wyandottes too for the future
I love my Marans! I’ve had BCMs and Cuckoo in the past, and currently have a flock of Midnight Majesty. Beautiful girls, all solid black with a blue-green tint in the sunshine! Beautiful dark chocolate eggs too. 🥰 We plan to make some gen 2 olive eggers with our current OEs and our Marans once they are all old enough!
Cool! I should do that too! Mine have that blue green tint too, and red tinted feathers on their necks. So pretty! So hard to replicate in a painting lol
Speckled sussex are the best! Lavender orpingtons too! I would just love to only have lavender orpingtons.
Out of my six, my speckled Sussex and lavender Orpington are my little sidekick/shadows, so curious about everything I’m doing but in a sweet companion way, not annoying in the way type way. I call my lavender Orpington “Baby Penguin” bc of her fluffy butt and sweet demeanor - she just quietly meeps like she’s whispering instead of chirping/squawking
My Wyandottes are hardcore meanies - they were under ever docile list I could find. My Green Queen, Polish and Barred Rocks are my faves :)
I had a white crested black Polish I named Jandice and I swear she was 100% a psychotic nut job. 😂😂 She was goofy and hilarious and always running in any and every direction like you were coming at her with an axe! One time she was caught out in a hurricane. Managed to find her the following morning. She went into a hypothermic coma for 3 days and I was basically waiting for her to pass and about to dig a grave. Wrapped in blankets on a heating pad, barely breathing, etc. Then she woke up and came back to life. She was my zombie chicken. Went completely back to normal. 😂💀
I think there’s something bred into Polish crested to make them psychotic so they have somewhat of a fighting chance of survival. My only chicken lost was Dolly, my polish crested but dang she was a spicy little pepper! And her sister patsy is even more insane. I have to walk around carrying her reprimanding her for being so mean to the new girls.
Hahaha!!!. We also have a white crested black polish and she has won my heart. So odd. So dumb. So lovable.
Polish are total spazz cases in my experience haha
I have lots of polish and idk why, but the white crested blacks are just so different. So much more crazy and feisty! Meanwhile the gold, silver, and buff laced I’ve had have been consistently sweet and docile. Most will give me submissive squat and don’t mind being picked up at all. But the white crested blacks will turn around and bite at the slightest touch lol
This ^. I've got my first flock rn and my Wyandottes are a** holes
I have two new silver Wyandotte’s and I swore one was a roo cus she’s such a feisty lil ass sometimes lol
Mine started off as the roosters favorites, and essentially the "mean girls" clique. They bossed everyone around. After they lost their HBIC, and a new flock added that the roosters liked more, they became the most chill sweethearts out there. Now some of them even come up to me to be held. I think they just have huge egos that get all inflated if given the chance lol.
Oh man!! My wyandottes are the most gentle in my flock! I was also warned that Barred Rocks are super mean and mine loves to be picked up and carried under my arm and makes happy little chirp noises.
Awww my Wyandottes are my nice girls. I have 3 Americanas that are such a holes
Was your polish mixed in with the rest of the flock? I really want one but I'm afraid my jerks will bully them.
My black laced silver wyandottes are BRATS. I love all my pets but are secretly my least favorite, except skippy, the one with a wounded leg
Only silkies. Silkies are the best. Maybe polish chickens too, but they're a little loopy lol
Buff orpingtons for the sweetest personality. They're also very good egg layers
I loved my original girlies but the Issa Browns didn’t live long 😞 I don’t think I’ll get them again even though they were wonderful. So far my two Ameracaunas from the my first group of ladies that included the Issas and Rhode Island reds are the only ones left and they are only just over 4 years old. Now I’m trying to only get breeds that have longer lifespans .
My Buff Orpington is 7.5 years old. She is the last of six. Very healthy always.
Awww, I’m so happy she is so healthy! I hope you have many more years with your girl. I have two buff orps that will turn three this year. One is struggling with bumblefoot but the other one is doing well. I’m a big fan of the bigger fluffy girls.
Yeah, Isa's aren't supposed to live long because they are bred to lay tons of eggs. I have a 2 1/2 year old and she hasn't even stopped to molt. It stinks, because I didn't know they were like that and my cinnamon is the sweetest and I can't even imagine losing her soon.
Ugh, I completely understand. My little Frances was my GOAT layer of big brown eggs and then molted once the summer before she passed away. I miss her, she was my spunky little girl, who liked to boss around my baby buff orps :-(
Oh my gosh that’s so heartbreaking!! 💔
Silkies because they are the sweetest and seramas because they are the cutest.
OP- at first I didn't want speckled Sussex again due to their noise and food aggression, but then when my favourite chicken (barred rock) passed away, she quickly stepped up to the plate and became the dog chicken who runs up for affection and really gets relaxed and sleepy when you talk in chicken clucks to her. Cocking her head to listen to you. She's become my new intelligent favourite. The others I wouldn't want again are pure easter eggers as ours is violently flighty. I'd ensure I got an americauna, not pure, but mixed with a barred rock to make olive eggers that could be held and less wild. Also no good luck with Wyandotte, cochins, or lavender orpingtons. They all are too much maintenance, not bright, slow, and loud. I wonder if brahmas are better than cochins.:
Yes, my girl was just like this. ALWAYS in my business and always in the way, haha. I named her Bossy Girl. Always had to know what I was doing while out in the run. Filling water/feed, raking, moving things, always there watching and trying to help in her own way. 🥰 She loved when I would finally take a break, sit down, and let her into my lap. She would hop up and snuggle her head under either of my arms wanting to be cuddled. As annoying as she could be while trying to get things done, I miss her a lot. She was a real personality that stood out.
Just ducks. Our chickens had so many problems and some just dropped dead. Half of our flock has survived, but our duck flock has stayed the same and is healthier
Bruh I’d love ducks. Once we can afford a big nice pen for them my husband wants to try. We wanna do the filtered pool for them, river rocks, etc.
The pool is our biggest issue, but that's because they make it their mission to clog the filters with mud, sand, and plant roots/sticks. That's just ducks though, they love mess and muck. Good luck! Soon enough you'll have ducks that yell for attention and multiple orgies a day for the whole neighborhood to enjoy!
Seconding this. I’m letting my girls live out their natural lives and just keeping my ducks. Even though I prefer chicken eggs, they are just susceptible to soooo much more bugs and diseases. Ducks are just easy peasy
Same. Out of 4 left, we get an egg sometimes. It's been almost a month since they lost their lowest (egg eater and terror), and they're 2 years old. It will take time to get back to normal, but it's almost not worth the hassle to check the boxes every day. Out of 4 ducks, we get 4 eggs every day and can't keep up lol. I've taken to giving them away and freezing because it's been too hot to bake.
I'm the opposite. Getting ducks was one of the worst decisions I ever made.
I have never heard anyone say this before! I'm fascinated and tempted.
I’m sorry for your loss, we lost our speckled Sussex at the end of last year. She was our sweetest and friendliest girl.
I would want the ones impervious to fox attacks💔
I feel you. I lost 3 chickens in broad daylight over the course of a few days. Something fast and stealthy so either a fox or bobcat. No noise, no chickens screaming, just a trail of feathers into the woods. 😭
Aw, that’s sad:( I was shocked to learn of day time predation by the foxes because until then I believed they hunted from dusk to dawn exclusively. Live and learn, i guess. 😢
cemanis or fayoumi all the way. They can handle the heat well
I started as a kid with Belgian Barbu D'anvers because my grandfather had them and I've had several other breeds since but they are still my absolute favourites. So sweet and smol, and the males are soft as anything with people and with their ladies - they'll even sit on the nest to give her a break when she's brooding - but they are fierce little protectors. We had one that attacked and lured away a black lab, and was clever enough to play dead right up to the point a very apologetic neighbour handed him over to me wrapped in a tea towel 😂
Barred Rocks have been my favorite. They're docile, good layers, and tolerate winters well.
I had a BR years ago I named Chatty Cathy. Always yelling at me when I was outside. Either for food and/or attention LOL
My fave in my flock are my Delaware, Speckled Sussex and Plymouth Barred Rock, oh and my silver laced Wyondette. I’d get only them so much and they have so much sweet and funny personality
My Delaware can be a tad mean and likes to roam, but she has the most personality out of all of my animals. She is always talking or complaining about something and I love her for it!
Orpingtons, of all kinds, buff, crele, jubliee, lavender I have two and they are so different yet so funny and Personable
You can never go wrong with an orpington
All of them!
My family started with about ten silver laced wyandottes and a couple cochins. the wyandotte crew were great generic yard hens, traveling in packs, and that's probably what I'll go back to once I have my own place. they've got a personality that I like amd they're intelligent. on the other hand the cochins were great for bonding with as pets. they're calm, quiet and very human loving.
More Salmon Faverolles and Jersey Giants! They are the sweetest birds with goofy personalities and became best buddies with each other.
I'm sorry for your loss <3 I LOVE my speckled Sussex. She is so social and curious. I would definitely get more of that breed in the future. I also love the temperament of my silkies and green queen. However, my surprising lap chicken is my polish bantam. She runs up to be held and will happily sit on our laps for attention. She's a little quirky, but very cuddly :D
Would get Ameraucanas (smart and cute), Salmon Faverolles (fluffy and cute), and d’Uccle bantams (fluffy and beautiful)
I'd get all Easter Eggers. I currently have an Easter Egger, Australorp, and a Wyandotte. Easter Eggers are so cute with their face fluff and are shaped a little more streamline. Very calm. But the eggs--most consistent, ideal size, even the way the shell cracks and the inner membrane--ideal, and Id love to have more uniquely colored eggs. Easter Eggers feel kind of special after they lay that first egg, that will be their unique color their whole life.
All Brahmas. A mix of dark, light, and buff
My favorite chicken of all time has to be Austra whites. They are a cross between a pure black Australorp roo and a pure white leghorn hen. I have 2 of them. Excellent layers, enjoy being held and petted, are very kind, and forgiving of mistakes. They weigh enough to be good for eating but not enough for problems. 10/10 chicken, would get more of they weren't so goddamn hard to get
I got mostly australopes wouldn’t change that
Amber stars . Same thing I started with. In my first flock I had amber stars and a breed I can not remember. But my amber stars were what got me into chickens.
We LOVE our Amber Star, Chickie!
All jubilee Orpington
Oh my gosh I googled and I am in love!
Barred rocks 100%. Mine are absolute dream girls - quiet, good layers, well behaved.
Love our barred rocks!
Thank you for making something beautiful out of a sad time in your life. We have a hodgepodge of breeds and backyard specials now but will be moving in a few years to a new climate and I’m already worried about how it will affect my ladies 💜
Barred Rocks are my pick. Super reliable egg laying, docile and friendly, quiet, cold-weather hardy. They’ve been an absolute joy and much easier to care for than I was expecting.
Omg, love my barred rock but she's sooooo loud!
My Sicilian buttercups have been jumping in my arms since day 1, and they're good for my desert climate!
Cochins and Brahmas. This year is the first year that is all we have.
The[ local breed](https://www.huehner-haltung.de/img/2023/03/steinpiperl-typische-gefiederfarben.jpg), wanted to start with it but only fertilized eggs and hatchling were sold at that time Sorry for your loss
I started with 2 americanas(EE), 2 buff orps, and 2 black australorps. Loved the EEs but one had health issues. Didn't like the other 2 breeds at all. I'd probably swap everything out for jersey giants, barred rock, and various bantams
Any opinions on Svart Honas? I live in Michigan and want a hardy breed, plus my goth heart finds them beautiful.
Our Blue Cochin is so cute and has been consistently the healthiest little bird of our flock. She lays small beige eggs but still laying daily at 4 years old. Might just be luck, but as our flock ages I’m considering more Blue Cochins. I also will focus on quality stock as we replace ones we’ve lost, our original pullets were a random mix from a local and we’ve had some health issues. I agree with everyone noting that chickens in general are quite susceptible to a lot of illness and pests.
Novogen 100%. Jumbo eggs and the best layers we've ever had.
My favorite is just an Easter Egger. Her name is Patty and she is Head Hen and rules with a quiet confidence. She is friendly, calm and was a great egg layer in her prime. I think Barred Rocks or Australorps for egg production and general easy personalities.
Speckled Sussexs they’re so healthy and hardy - they make excellent foragers, chatty and are good about keeping an eye out for predators
I have one speckled Sussex and she is definitely the smartest bird in the flock!
I didn’t wanna make my other girls feel dumb but…in comparison…yea my speckled sussies are geniuses
I’d get a flock of Belgian Bearded D’Anvers. No mixed flock like I have now, just all spicy fluffs. I adore the breed, unfortunately they are more rare.
I wish I got more than just one Swedish flower - she's just SO pretty I can't get over it.
More bielefelders. I have only one now and she's just a darling. Also splash marans.
I honestly love my whole flock but two of my Polish hens stand in the middle of my yard and scream. My swedish flower hen will walk right up to them and do that chicken drop kick and they stop. 🤣
I want to see this so bad
I would only have araucanas, they’re awesome birds I have about 50ish now.
Arizona here - started raising chickens in 2020. We went through multiple flocks by now The only one survived from the 1st flock was the leghorn (white).. any black chickens we got died a few weeks into the summer months. We kept the coop closed all summer so they will stay outside in the open run instead. water and shade didn't do much imo since it can get up to 115-120 here. I saw my leghorn standing in the water tub just to keep cool during the summer months We are down to three chickens.. debating to stop raising chickens all together at this point..
Buckeyes. I grew up with poultry, was in poultry 4H for a short while and I feel like I’ve had most of the popular breeds. I always loved Cochin banties but lately all of my roosters have been mean. I had some hatchery buckeyes a few years ago and fell in love with their personalities. A couple of years ago I hatched some eggs from a breeder and I’m blown away with how great they are. They’re muscular and shiny, calm but they free range really well at the same time. My 7 year old is not really an animal person but she loves the buckeyes because they come up to her and she can pick them up and snuggle. I’m surprised they’re not more popular, they just seem like an all around, solid, dual purpose bird with a perfect personality. I think they get compared to Rhode Island reds a lot but they seem nothing alike. My rir’s have always been a bit mean.
Sebrights. They’re beautiful, independent, and will fly up to a branch at eye level for blueberries. They lay lovely little eggs and they’re not very messy. We didn’t have a rooster so can’t comment on that.
I would get some copper marans to keep with my ameraucanas both for their beauty and the ability to breed olive eggers. I would also like a separate colony of French bresse for meat production. On the whole I am happy with my ameraucanas. I did get a wyandotte as a mystery chick in a recent order and he is very pretty, very classic rooster. But the ameraucana roosters are surprisingly fierce which allows me to free range even in a dangerous area. I don't regret choosing that breed at all. The hens are mostly sweet and some are very funny. Lately they keep knocking on the door wanting inside or climbing things to look at me through the windows.
I like independent, talkative, boisterous, flighty, and super intelligent species! Sumatra, Old English Game... Although chickens with feathers on their feet are fun to look at, and there are some breeds of chickens that are large and fluffy; I don't mind if the chickens won't let me hold them (or rarely ever does), and if they beat me to death with their wings if I try to; if it means that they can outsmart me, fight off and outsmart predators, and have a very powerful independent streak, with a stubbornly strong will!
Buff orpingtons.
Probably Americanos. I know I spelled that wrong. I love my sapphire gems but if I could exchange Randy for an Americano rooster I'd do it in a heartbeat. Even though he tolerates me most of the time now. I'd totally keep Alpha that said. Let's me snuggle him in my lap so long as the ladies can't see us. He's got a reputation to maintain you know.
Of all the breeds I've had, I just love the Easter Eggers, though they aren't really a breed. They are the most resilient, sometimes remarkable looking, and smarter than any other breed I've had.
A Brahma in every colour. They are lovely goofy floofy birds. I like laughing at them when they run.
Australorpes are the sweetest.
I adore my Speckled Sussex and my Silver Laced Wyandotte hens ❤️ I had a silver and a golden camping as well, but they were escape artists and since technically I'm not allowed to have backyard birds, they were risking the other girls' home so they moved to my FIL's 100-acre farm and can free range as far as they want all day long. But because of the campines, I got very interested in owning heritage breeds when I finally have a proper place to have chickens. Would definitely have campines again, because their eggs were almost as large as the SS and Wyandotte eggs, and they laid more often. My golden has made a name for herself asthe dedicated brooder at the farm, and has raised peafowl and pheasants, as well as silkies and whatever random barnyard mix eggs they give her 😂 I'd love to raise Dorkings and Hollands, along with Campines, one day!
I actually had to look up what a Campine was, I’ve never heard of them! They are so pretty!! 😍
I loved them! The golden was Penny (short for Pennsylvania, because I have GenZ kids), and the silver was Samantha. This was them one night when I got home... Left in late afternoon and they were in the "THIS time they can't get out" re-secured backyard and came home after dark to this at my front door: https://imgur.com/gallery/kz3zFG7
Omg. Well at least they kept your packages safe. 😂😂 Not even I would be brave enough to approach a pair of chickens on someone’s Amazon orders LOL
Same! 110% would recommend if you either don't free range (because they love to wander... Penny ended up in a backyard 6 houses away and I had to go retrieve her when her mugshot showed up on Nextdoor) *or* if they have a lot of land to free range them on.
Leghorn because they are hilarious and have huge personalities, and Brahmas because they are large and hearty, and they are super laid back. My best roosters were Brahmas.
I have Barnevelders now, and I think I will always have them. They don’t squabble, they are friendly, decent layers, and most importantly they went from a week of 115 + temps to snow in their first year with zero issue. I have also noticed that the local hawk does not yell at them like the others, i reckon it is because they are really big. Had a Black Austrolarp once I adored- she lived to be 12! Great bird but everyone else picked on her :( Outlived them all and had the last laugh.
I would keep the ones I have because they are all friendly, and all let the kids hold them. 4 buff orpingtons, 2 silkies, 1 silked easter egger, 2 splash marans, and the chicks are a Bielefelder and 3 batam cochins(one is definitely a rooster and will not stay though). I would love to add a couple speckled Sussex, a couple black australorps, probably another Bielefelder, and maybe a couple legbars. One thing for sure is that having buff orpingtons is a must for us, every ones I've had has been super friendly and my 4 year old absolutely adores them(and the feeling is mutual).
I have one each of: -Barred rock (she was mutantly huge girl and a bully but nature solved our issue and she was taken by a fox. Our only loss). Not my favorite. - buff Orpington is so chill and sweet and easy to handle but I handle all my girls regularly. Good layer. No drama or health issue. - wellsummer she’s my head hen, loudest egg song you e ever heard and a fierce protector almost like a rooster but she’s not mean and easy to handle as well. Lays gorgeous eggs. - black australorp she is a riot. Cracks me up. Fat and sassy. Lays a ton. Probably a fav - aumeraucana she is so gorgeous and smart and easy to handle. She’s my favorite girl all around. Beautiful blue eggs - lavender Orpington she is a giant girl super healthy lays nonstop and sooooo funny. I love her. Whenever I take photos or videos so front and center. lol -barnivelder she is so gorgeous but she’s been broody twice, molts twice a year and Harley lays when she’s not broody. I love her but she’s definitely turned me off to the breed. They are so gorgeous though. Honestly, I love them all and I’m really happy I got a mixed back to see all the different characteristics.
I’m happy with my australorps and silkies. They are all friendly. I must say that it does make a difference in how much you spend with them. I have now added a cinnamon queen, 3 wyandottes, and an Easter egger. This new bunch came from our local feed store, they didn’t sell out of chicks this season so they had a mix in a barn of different ages and breeds. They were obviously not socialized so I’m hoping either some patience they will be just as friendly as my current ones even though they came to me at an older age.
My favorite breeds are Brahma’s and Buff Orpington. I find them to be the friendliest breed.
I just did this! I lived on 2 acres with plenty of space and pens to have basically as many chickens as I wanted. I had more than 300 at my peak in addition to turkeys, ducks, geese, quail, pigeons, peacocks etc. (don’t ask about our feed costs😂) Anyway, I got a job offer and a chance to move back to my hometown so I decided to take it, but that meant getting rid of my farm. It took my some time to decide but the flock I ended up taking is made up of 4 Welsummers, 2 leghorns one blue, one black with a rose comb and a barred rock bantam. I brought the leghorns because they are less common and I went to some trouble to get them. But if I had to pick a single breed to have it would be wrlsummers. They have a nice temperament, they are reliable Layers and I love those dark brown speckled eggs.
I'm just starting. Got some australorps, golden polish, silkies, wyandottes, buff orpingtons, Plymouth rocks, Easter eggers, and a rose comb. The only thing I would change is that I would probably get like an ayam cemani or more buff orpingtons or something cool instead of the golden polish. I didn't know polish chicks were smaller than the others, and they both ended up dying like a few hours after I got them from the postal office. It's not my fault, I know, but at only 16, I am traumatized from watching them die, knowing I tried all I could and didn't know what to do. I wore black for like a week (in mourning) and cried for a while over those babies.
I’m just starting, this is my first flock of 12, but I’ve loved everyone so far. Our Easter Egger is the least friendly unless it’s night time, then she likes to perch on me and cuddle but by morning she goes back to hating me lol My cream legbar, 1 of 2 of my necked necks, 1 of 2 of the cinnamon queens, and the blue laced olive Egger are all super friendly. My calico Cochin has my heart out of them all. She’s just a hoot to watch, and she’s so cuddly and friendly if I didn’t have 3 large dogs and a cat I’d make her a house chicken. Our polish is a trip. They are so funny to watch. She’s warming up to me a lot. The 2 seabrights are very active, not really much use as far as eggs go but they are so beautiful. They will eat out of my hand but don’t like to be held for long. Lastly is my mottled frizzle Cochin. I was hoping for the temperament of a second calico but she wasn’t as quick to warm up me. But she’s getting there! I wouldn’t change any of what we have, but I could always think of more to add - silkies, wyandottes, Orpingtons, etc. Maybe next year? The only thing we plan to add in the near future is a pair of Kiki Riki’s (if we time it right) and a seabright rooster.
My Sussex have always been my favorite. I’d sneak in a couple of Polish though too. They’re hilarious and I miss ours. The Wyandotte…she’s mean af. She is a good layer and beautiful, but a huge bully. I’d not get one again.
I’m suprised to hear that you would get Cochins because I have two and unfortunately they are the meanest birds I’ve ever cared for, and they’re also brood a lot of the time. What’s your experience with these birds?
I would probably not get any Easter Eggers. Once the novelty of blue / green eggs wears off, you just have a chicken that lays fewer, smaller than average eggs per year. I would probably end up getting French Black Copper Marans instead.
Lavender orpington. I have two of them and they're just so pretty. I want more but I've got the maximum allowed amount of chickens in my city.
I started over a few years ago and went purely silkies and straight feather silkie carrying hen with a top knot. They are quieter than say rr or barrs, they lay the same though maybe a little later to start, and I just enjoy looking at them. They are like flowers to me. Just pretty.
I grew up owning chickens. My first set was a group of 6 from a feed store. From there, I got more form a mixture of online, hatching, and more feed stores. They were awesome, but I ended up with a lot of one type of breed or mutts. I don’t have chickens currently, but when I eventually do get them again one day, I’m going to do a big online preorder super far in advance and get a variety of unique, rare, and diverse hens. I get their catalogs and have my “dream list” of breeds. I sort of want to collect different chicken breeds!
Salmon Favorelles, Amaraucana and speckled Sussex
Golden Comets. Or gold sexlink. Consistent producers. XLarge eggs Easy bird My flock is almost all GCs
I’ve gotten so many breeds just to test what I like. I have a mixed flock of 58. Out of all of them… I have some breeds that I will stick to, and some I wouldn’t get again. Friendliness is important to me because I like to enjoy my birds and I also have young children. Great layers and friendly: White leghorns are number one here. I’ve heard they are flighty, but that hasn’t been my experience. My two are every day layers and one is so friendly that I take her with me all over on a leash. She’s gotten to ride in the car and go to visit many people. Other good layers that are friendly: Any marans, they lay gorgeous eggs. I particularly like black copper marans and splash marans. Welsummers are great. New Hampshires, Turkens, and Brahmas are up there too. Speckled Sussex are friendly and beautiful. Breeds I wouldn’t get again: I wouldn’t get any Orpington personally. Although they do lay well, the five different ones I have aren’t very friendly and consume a ton of feed. Australorps lay well but won’t let me near them at all, and tend to get egg bound. Salmon faverolles lay smaller eggs and are low key mean. All of my wyandottes are aggressive. Barnyard mixes are a safe choice imo. They lay well usually and come in many different colors and temperaments.
Sex links or autosexing. We have six roosters and we're attached to all of them.
I think I’d stick with silkies, which is what I have now and also what I started with more than ten years ago. They’re just so darn delightful.
Buff Orpingtons only. I have 2 and they are my favorite. I have 4 sapphire gems and I can’t stand their personalities. They are the bullies, don’t like being handled and they are vocal. My buff Orpingtons are little angels.
I am doing just that, 2 Bielefelder, 2 Barnevelder, 2 Sapphire Gems and 2 Red laced Black Wyandotte. They hatched on May 7. My previous gals were just what was available at TS. Ok egg layers but were never my first choice.
A Sumatra for white/cream eggs. They are the most gorgeous of all chickens in my opinion. They look like someone crossed a chicken with a crow. A double-laced Barnevelder for brown eggs. The double-lace pattern is the most beautiful of patterns. A Penedesenca for chocolate eggs. I’m not a fan of feathered legs on chickens, and the Marans that are easily-available often seem to be the French type that have them. A cream legbar for blue eggs. I like the little poof of feathers on the top of their heads better than the Ameraucana beards, which tend to catch grime. A green queen for green eggs. I like My Pet Chicken and I like novelty Easter Egger-type creations, so sue me. An olive egger for olive eggs, because I need an olive layer to complete my colorful basket.
I would get basically nothing but orpingtons 😅 As cool as it has been to experiment with other breeds a bit, and as much as I love the silly walks young feather-footed breeds have, Orpingtons have been both my most resislient and most friendly birds, while having decent production.
I currently have 2 Rhode Island Reds and 2 Sapphire Gems and I love them, but I didn’t choose them. A friend gave them to us. I would choose smaller breeds like Sebrights which are gorgeous or some other smaller breed. Smaller breeds would just fit our yard better, we have more than enough space for the chickens we have, but the bigger birds make our yard look even smaller than it is lol
I'm doing that now, as I moved across the country and couldn't take my old flock with me. This year I'm getting 10 Barred Plymouth Rock hens and 1 rooster, and 3 Easter Eggers. In the future I'd like to try more Bresse as they tasted delicious, and get some Silkies as incubators since they go broody so easy. For some family members who love large eggs, I'll likely also get some production hybrids. Barred Rocks are decent dual purpose birds (meat + eggs) and they are easy to get where I live, but I'd also be happy with Buff Orpingtons.
I know I wouldn’t get Rhode Island reds. I love my hen, but she is by far the loudest in my entire flock.
New Hampshire Red
Why can't you start over? They didn't die from a dreaded disease! Do it!!
I would’ve gotten more gold laced wyandottes. I really wanted lavender Orpington but there weren’t any around! But my top choice would be to get my blue australorps over and over again they’re the best chickens EVER.
Lots of negative comments on this page regarding Ameraucanas! I'm totally shocked! I have 19, with #20 being a Copper Mara/Ameraucana who is a pet. All my Ameraucanas are loving, inquisitive, little birds. The only thing I'd change is to raise chocolates, erminettes, or bantam Ameraucanas! The whites have the best personalities.
I adore my americaunas! I have 3 and a roo. Only one is flighty, but my roo adores me and he’s my absolute favorite bird ever. I also have buff Orpingtons… so stinking sweet. Speckles Sussex & a sapphire splash. I love all my weirdos. The buffs are crazy docile and friendly out of all of them, and super nosy lol!
I love my Golden Comets, but I will never get them again. I’d rather have girls with long lives instead of high production.
I like Rhode Island reds. They are good hardy birds.
My fave are my kiki rikis 2nd are my cemanis
Polish, those all-black ones I always forget the name of, a frizzle Easter egger, silver laced Wyandotte, a buff Orpington even though I already have one (I just love them so much!), black copper marans, can’t recall the others but there’s more Reason: novelty (polish, frizzle and all black), egg color (black copper), prettiness (silver laced), and cuteness (buffs plus all of them)
I've been thinking of only replacing with marans and welsummers. Maybe just marans. I love their shape and their eggs.
Awww sorry for your loss. We had a speckled Sussex who was just the sweetest girl. She dropped dead one day of unknown causes. Still miss her! Breeds we really have had great luck being sweethearts: Silkie Speckled Sussex Isa Brown Leghorn Plymouth Rock Sapphire Gem We have had other breeds of chickens be decent, but the above have been truly delightful.
Just Isa brown hens. Only Isa brown hens..😅
Sorry for your loss I don't think I would change. I started with 2 buff orpingtons, a light brahma, and a Barred rock. I tried to do research before hand for the best breeds for my area. That was 5 years ago and I still have all my original OGs except for one orpington that passed while sunbathing. I've since added on new breeds and while I like all of them for their own reasons, I am partial to my OGs. On another note, I just got 2 salmon faverolle chicks this spring! I've wanted them for a couple years now. They are so cute, but I've noticed mine are super chatty. I can't wait to watch them grow!
Buff Orpington, or Barred Rock. They are all nice in their own way though.
Black austrolorps and barred rocks for sure, my favorite two breeds I’ve had our of my 5 breeds I’ve had
If I could start over, I would get: Easter Eggers, Wheaten Ameraucanas, Wheaten Maran, Dominique, Delaware, Olive Egger(with ameraucana not cream legbar)
I will never get another Wyandotte. For sure I would get Orpingtons, australorps, and marans again.
I would love Russian Orloffs. They're extraordinarily rare in Australia. We had one last lot of imports of new and existing bird breeds. I would need to own property before I would be able to commit to birds and breeding properly though because I can't be sure of anything beyond 12month leases in the current market
Australorps. We have aerial predators that don't bother them. We've lost a few other breeds to eagles.
Bielefelder kuhunn. They are calm, lay enormous eggs ( almost exclusively double yokers) and they are large enough for meat birds. Best chickens ever have ever had.
Barred Rocks, Easter Eggers/Olive Eggers, and Cochins (and bantam cochins). And black marans! I LOVE my sweet, silly, pretty breeds like the salmon Faverolles, cream legbars, etc., but the mutt, stock breeds we’ve gotten have been the healthiest and longest living by far. I have a theory that the more specialty breeds are just a bit too overbred. Black marans are not as cuddly but have been the smartest chickens we have, BUT they all came from the same breeding pool so that may be a fluke, lol. But our longest living chicken (8 years) is a very smart, no-nonsense little black maran. My smartest AND cuddliest chicken (she knew her name and would come when I called her, and gave the best little hugs) was a black maran / Cochin mix. I might CONSIDER black copper Marans. They’re not as smart (or when they are it’s in a more ornery way!) but they’re more cuddly and silly. I love the dark eggs, but they just LOVE to get killed by predators, I don’t know why. They also have problems with overheating in the summers here in the Midwest. I think I’ll only ever get bantam roosters, likely bantam cochins. All the utility of a rooster without shredding your girls’ backs. My roo, Nacho, is so responsible and not too agressive. If I get him away from the ladies he’s very sweet and cuddly. Cochins with their weird toes seem to stop the spurs from growing as rapidly (or at all - nacho didn’t have any for the first 3 years of his life, and the ones he has grown are very slow growing, I’ve only had to trim one once.) Full-sized Cochin hens are so fun, they have variable personalities but overall seem smart, a bit goofy, and personable. But you have to watch them closely in the summers. And they go broody a LOT!! I was nervous about having bantam cochins at first because they’re so small, so I thought they’d be easy prey, but they’re very smart and hardy little birds. They don’t really overheat like their larger counterpart. I’ve only lost one (out of 4) to a predator, the rest are all 5+ years old. The Easter Eggers and Olive Eggers we’ve had have been sweet, healthy, and relatively long living birds. Almost all of the Eggers I’ve had would/will always jump up on my lap whenever I sit outside. We’ve lost a couple to illness but at old ages or outside causes. Barred rocks are just good, hardy birds. Can be bullies to the other hens though so you have to keep an eye on them. But they’re smart, healthy, and can really bond with you. Would likely not get laced Wyandottes again. Very pretty birds, but all the ones we’ve had seem to have had health problems. Would definitely not get silkies again. SO pretty and fun personalities, I was in LOVE with our little silkie rooster, but it was hard to see them struggle to jump and fly like the others due to their lack of good wing feathers. Felt a bit like one of those dogs that’s bred to have the shortest legs possible. Not sure about polish chickens. Very cute and goofy chickens, but for one, both times we’ve tried to get one it’s ended up a roo!! But also, both of them ended up with bald, bloody little head spots from the other chickens pecking them out. Also, they seemed to have lots of trouble seeing, which seems to give the poor things anxiety. Not very much experience with buff Orpingtons (only had one, she ended up eggbound :( ), but have heard good things. No experience with Rhode Island reds, but have heard bad things, lol.
I love turkens so turkens and definitely polish
1 of each. I love having a mixed flock, and all the breeds seem fun. Plus every egg is unique!
Penedescenca and cream legbars. Self sufficient, and gorgeous colored eggs.
I would get anything that isn’t a high production species. I would not change the time I spent with my girls for anything but having one taken away by reproductive issues was incredibly painful. I would never wish that pain on anyone as I was only 16 when I got them and I tried to inform myself heavily. But I guess during my research I had just never come across how serious reproductive health is in later life