kokotg Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 We have five girls right now, but we're thinking of adding to the flock this spring, so I'd love to hear what everyone has and why they love them. Right now we have two New Hampshire Reds, a white leghorn, a barred rock, and a buff orpington. So I'm looking to add some different things. It looks like the minimum order for us (not near a city) from My Pet Chicken would be 8 chicks, so I'm thinking of ordering 8 and then keeping our 3 or 4 favorite ones and selling the rest when they get old enough to go outside. I'm looking for good layers with friendly personalities. New egg colors would be a nice bonus, too :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country Mouse Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 We have a small flock, too. Well, in terms of personality and ease of handling our Buff Orpington is our favorite, however for egg production the Red Sex Links we got are unrivaled. They have given us eggs every day, even through the winter. They are easy to deal with also, but are just not quite as friendly as our BO. She's like a pet. We also have brown leghorns and I would say - don't get these! They are so hard to deal with. They are high strung and just "wild." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 We have 10 Isa Brown hens. We had 12 but lost 1 to the neighbor's dog and 1 to something unknown when it was young. The others are almost 2 years old. They are very good layers--even in the winter--with a heat lamp. They lay large brown eggs. My girls can tell them apart and they each have names. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 Our Rhode Island Reds are our best layers and they are pretty well behaved. I wonder if they are very similar to your New Hampshire Reds? Our buff orpington is the sweetest, though. We have an easter egger who lays lovely blue eggs, but she is fairly stand-offish. Our Delaware is the queen of the coop, and she is not terribly friendly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 We have Ameraucanas. They lay bluish-green eggs. Buff Orpingtons are our favorites. They are very friendly. We also have Wyandottes, a silver and a gold, which are gorgeous! The eggs colors aren't very exciting, though. Our Dominique lays eggs that are a very light pinkish-tan. Check this out: http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted January 28, 2010 Author Share Posted January 28, 2010 Our Rhode Island Reds are our best layers and they are pretty well behaved. I wonder if they are very similar to your New Hampshire Reds? They are....New Hampshire reds were developed from RI reds, I believe. They don't lay as well, but they're better meat birds (which doesn't help us out at all). Our two are complete opposites in personality. One is super friendly and curious, the other is our most skittish chicken and, umm, our dumbest. Poor girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 We have at least one of nearly every chicken breed in the hatchery catalogs. We have found the Wyandottes and the Rocks to be the most reliable layers (even in the cold) with the sweetest personalities. Actually, our crested breeds are lap chickens (but they hardly lay at all). Ds's favorite is a Golden-penciled Hamburg, but she's flighty as all get out and doesn't lay much. Dd loves the Bantam Sebrights. (They don't lay much either.) I like the Ameraucanas and the Marans for egg color, but none of those have been laying in the colder weather. I don't like the personalities on our Rhode Island Red, New Hampshires, or the Red sex-link layer hybrids. They're very stand-offish and aggressive with one another. The Buff Orpingtons are just big balls of lover-chicken, but ours are young enough that they haven't laid just yet. I've heard that they lay fairly well. Chickens are like potato chips: you can't ever have enough. :D I think I'd like to try a few more breeds. Love our chickens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrtmama Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 We have five girls right now, but we're thinking of adding to the flock this spring, so I'd love to hear what everyone has and why they love them. Right now we have two New Hampshire Reds, a white leghorn, a barred rock, and a buff orpington. So I'm looking to add some different things. It looks like the minimum order for us (not near a city) from My Pet Chicken would be 8 chicks, so I'm thinking of ordering 8 and then keeping our 3 or 4 favorite ones and selling the rest when they get old enough to go outside. I'm looking for good layers with friendly personalities. New egg colors would be a nice bonus, too :) We're looking at Delawares (a pretty light brown egg) and Welsummers (gorgeous dark brown egg) for our impending coop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 The americanaus are our favs right now. We had one, and she has so much personality and is so smart...we got another. We have only 4 hens right now, 2 are the americanuas, one is a wyndette (she is pretty, but seems clueless most of the time) and a black one with green tint. She is pretty but mean and bossy. We had a buff orpinton for a while, she was sooo sweet, she was one of my favorites, and she was huge! Her name was Mad Dog, which was funny because she grew up to be so big. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I have Buff Orps right now and absolutely LOVE them ~ so sweet and tame and unflappable, and they're still laying like crazy in the middle of the winter! We tried Americaunas, but they were incredibly stupid and aggressive. Maybe we just got a bad batch. I've also had Black Rocks (I think they call them Black Stars in the US?) and Black Australorps, both of which were pretty tame and great layers. One of our Black Rock hens used to sneak into our house from time to time, and loved to visit the neighbors to play with their dog. It was hysterical to watch this little fat hen and the neighbor's terrier take turns chasing each other around the yard. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I love my Delawares something fierce. They enjoy being around us and love to be cuddled and carried! If I were to add another breed I want, it's Wyandottes. The breeder I got my Dellies from had them, also and they were HER favorite walking chicken! (She used to carry one around the neighborhood on her walks with her) My Dellies are pets, in the truest sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrid Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I second the recommendation of Buff Orpington if you want friendly, sweet hens. Our Barred Plymouth Rocks and our Buffs are the most gentle chickens ever. We just got some amerucaunas in June. They just started laying and are very, very smart, but rather flighty. I've heard that Salmon Favarolles are very sweet as well, though not great layers. I'd have several of each if I had space! astrid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefly Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 We got a couple of Black Australorps because they were supposed to be friendly and have been sorely disappointed. They aren't great layers and are extremely skittish... they won't come anywhere near us! The RIR's are excellent layers (even in cold), are hardy birds and are approachable but overall ambivalent. I have found they can be aggressive with the other more docile birds. Our favorites so far are the Barred Rocks. They are sweet and extremely curious... they follow me all around the yard from chore to chore, even when I'm hanging laundry! Thanks to everyone who recommended the Buff Orpingtons... we are adding some new hens this spring (Ameraucanas and Chanteclers) and I will definitely add a few of those, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrtmama Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I love my Delawares something fierce. They enjoy being around us and love to be cuddled and carried! If I were to add another breed I want, it's Wyandottes. The breeder I got my Dellies from had them, also and they were HER favorite walking chicken! (She used to carry one around the neighborhood on her walks with her) My Dellies are pets, in the truest sense. Yay! I am glad someone is making me feel good about my #1 chicken choice. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I've got RIRs, Silver Laced Wyandottes and California Whites in my big hen flock. But if you want a great little pet that will hatch eggs out for you get some Silkies. I've got three silkie hens and a roo, and they are adorable. I like them so much I'm thinking about getting rid of the other breeds and just sticking with the silkies. They're friendly, broody, cute, easy to handle and mine lay pretty well. I've also got some Fleur de Milles that are really pretty, but nowhere near as good pets as the Silkies are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 They are....New Hampshire reds were developed from RI reds, I believe. They don't lay as well, but they're better meat birds (which doesn't help us out at all). Our two are complete opposites in personality. One is super friendly and curious, the other is our most skittish chicken and, umm, our dumbest. Poor girl. For egg production, I second the suggestions of Rhode Island Reds and would add Araucanas as well. Their eggs have a funny bluish-green hue. I still remember my ds when he was little and found the first green egg. He rushed into the house sceaming all the way from the chicken coop and he wanted to break it open right away to see if the yolk was green :lol: - it was not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 We have 10 Isa Brown hens. We had 12 but lost 1 to the neighbor's dog and 1 to something unknown when it was young. The others are almost 2 years old. They are very good layers--even in the winter--with a heat lamp. They lay large brown eggs. My girls can tell them apart and they each have names. Ottakee, what is an "Isa Brown?" Do you think they are available nationwide? I've never heard of this breed. We've had all the others mentioned in this thread including Wyandottes. I will be in the market for a good layer or two come spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted January 29, 2010 Author Share Posted January 29, 2010 I've got RIRs, Silver Laced Wyandottes and California Whites in my big hen flock. But if you want a great little pet that will hatch eggs out for you get some Silkies. I've got three silkie hens and a roo, and they are adorable. I like them so much I'm thinking about getting rid of the other breeds and just sticking with the silkies. They're friendly, broody, cute, easy to handle and mine lay pretty well. I've also got some Fleur de Milles that are really pretty, but nowhere near as good pets as the Silkies are. Would the other chickens beat up on the silkies, though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Would the other chickens beat up on the silkies, though? No, no, no! In fact, my silkie roo is the boss. He chases my Wyandotte rooster (named Hagrid, he's HUGE) around the yard. They're just all chickens together, there is a pecking order but size is not the determining factor. I've got 12 banties, about the same number of regular sized hens and five guineas. They all get along with a minimum of squabbling. They have separate coops, but they all are out together during the day. Old chickens will pick on new chickens though, but it doesn't last long and if you introduce them properly it's no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted January 29, 2010 Author Share Posted January 29, 2010 No, no, no! In fact, my silkie roo is the boss. He chases my Wyandotte rooster (named Hagrid, he's HUGE) around the yard. They're just all chickens together, there is a pecking order but size is not the determining factor. I've got 12 banties, about the same number of regular sized hens and five guineas. They all get along with a minimum of squabbling. They have separate coops, but they all are out together during the day. Okay--good to know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 What hatcheries have you used and trusted? I have always gotten my chicks locally but had several turn into roosters, not what I need for egg production. I have currently 2 roosters and that is plenty. We need to replenish the egg layers though. How are these shipped? We do NOT have an incubator. Occasionally we had a hen set and got a chick that way but mostly bought them at the local feed store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted January 29, 2010 Author Share Posted January 29, 2010 What hatcheries have you used and trusted? How are these shipped? We do NOT have an incubator. Occasionally we had a hen set and got a chick that way but mostly bought them at the local feed store. We ordered from Ideal for our first chicks (then added in a couple more later that we bought locally). Don't have any real complaints about Ideal...one of our chicks was sick and died a day after she got here, and another ended up being a rooster (the sexing is only something like 90% accurate). But the ones we still have are lovely chickens. Mostly we ordered from them because they were about the only place we could find that didn't have minimums and would leave out the "males for warmth" if we didn't want them. They ship them priority mail, and then the post office calls you at 5 in the morning to come pick up your squawking box of fluff :). It's exciting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bnneale Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 We love Rhode Islands and Ameracaunas. They are smart, hardy, and great layers. Two breeds we DON'T like are frizzles and leghorns. Leghorns are flighty and nervous...frizzles are dumb. If you like cute chickens that are very friendly, we love English and Dutch bantams (they lay small eggs though). Our all-time favorite are our ducks! Especially Indian Runner Ducks. Ducks are a party just waiting to happen ;). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 he wanted to break it open right away to see if the yolk was green that's funny. My kids did this too. :) cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critter Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Our favorites are Light Brahmas and Buff Orpingtons; their dispositions are similar, very docile and calm. They both lay well. I love the Light Brahmas because they are so beautiful. We have Auracanas too, and like them also. I've tried Rhode Island Reds and Leghorns and found them to be more active and peckish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 I forgot to add that our Dark Cornishes are great layers. They've also been the only ones that have hatched out a clutch (of everyone else's eggs). They're great free-rangers, quick to move out of danger and keep themselves safe, but not very cuddly. No one has yet mentioned the Dark Cornishes (a meat bird-- but not the commercial type), so I thought I'd add them to the list. They do lay really well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jyniffrec Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 Our favorite is black astralorps. They are black with a green or purple tint. They lay much of the year, if not everyday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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