What Chicken Breeds Would Be Best?

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atb9454

atb9454

In the Brooder
Jul 6, 2015
14
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WA
I am considering possibly getting chickens, but I don't know what breed(s) would be best for me.

We live in the city, so we would need chickens that generally quiet and not flighty. The climate is pretty mild and it doesn't get too hot or cold year round so that is not much of a concern. Friendliness and good egg laying are also pluses... it'll all probably vary chicken to chicken but is there a breed that's usually like this?

So far I have looked into Australorps, Barred Rocks, Faverolles, and Stars but there are so many good breeds out there.
 
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I recommend Barred Rocks, Ameraucanas, Sex Links, Wyandottes, and Delawares as some of the best beginner pet/egg breeds. I also wrote up an offsite page (here https://www.reddit.com/r/backyardchickens/wiki/chicken_breeds) with all the basic information and stats of the most common feedstore breeds!

There's nothing wrong with getting a mixed flock - many people get 1 or 2 of each breed they like.

P.S. If you want a really friendly bird who is a good (not great, but certainly good) layer, Brahmas are AWESOME - while other breeds can vary in temperament, almost all Brahmas are very, very sweet and friendly.
 
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I would suggest going with breeds that have a well deserved reputation as being calm and gentle (potential lap pets), and relatively quiet (as chickens go) such as Australorps, Orpingtons, Brahmas, Silkies, Cochins, Sussex, and Faverolles. Silkies and Brahmas are the quietest breeds I've had over the past 50 years. Of course there can always be an exception with any breed. If egg production is a priority, Australorps are the best layers on this list, and Silkies and Cochins are the poorest layers (although they are the best brooders and mothers). With noise being a concern, definitely avoid getting a rooster of any breed. Whatever breeds you decide to get, good luck with your flock.
 
Michael OShay said:
I would suggest going with breeds that have a well deserved reputation as being calm and gentle (potential lap pets), and relatively quiet (as chickens go) such as Australorps, Orpingtons, Brahmas, Silkies, Cochins, Sussex, and Faverolles. Silkies and Brahmas are the quietest breeds I've had over the past 50 years. Of course there can always be an exception with any breed. If egg production is a priority, Australorps are the best layers on this list, and Silkies and Cochins are the poorest layers (although they are the best brooders and mothers). With noise being a concern, definitely avoid getting a rooster of any breed. Whatever breeds you decide to get, good luck with your flock.
Click to expand...

X 2 on all points Michael has made above.

Welcome to BYC!!
 
Keep in mind that while the larger breeds are more calm and docile, they also need more space. You'll need at least 12 sq ft of outdoor run/yard space per large breed bird. For a lot of city dwellers, the space requirements rules out most every breed but bantams. Chickens do need room to be chickens.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions, they have been very helpful! We do have a good size fenced yard (roughly 1200 sq feet), but when would they need to be roaming free vs in the coop/run?
 
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If you're not going to eat the bird, I'd recommend silkies, sultans or polish for their looks and docile nature!
 
The coop is where they sleep at night and lay eggs. The run is where they spend most of their day just being chickens. The bigger the chicken breed, the bigger the coop and run need to be. The more chickens you have, the more room you need. A run will be needed if you don't want them destroying your landscaping. Nothing in your yard will be safe from them otherwise. They especially like to scratch around in flower beds and can render beautiful lawns into dust and dirt in a matter of weeks.
 

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