Best breed for backyard coop?

[phasian]

I've personally raised over 75 breeds of chickens, and would highly recommend bantam breeds as their compact size is ideal for the backyard. Good bantam layers that are quiet are Ameraucanas, Wyandottes, Old English or Modern Games (though these do like to talk; their voices aren't too loud), and Belgian d'Anvers (to name a few). Silkies and Seramas are nice, but not the best of layers; just dear to have around.

Dorkings are a great breed as they have short legs so their scratching is not too damaging. They also have nice personalities and are quiet. If you have difficulty sourcing a breed you are seeking, feel free to send me a message. I tend to know where to find certain breeds.

 

[O112]

Hi,
We live in New England and have 13 chickens. After listening to them and being with them for some time now, we found out that our very docile, jersey giant is a quiet and very curious breed. We also have two barred plymouth rocks that I would recommend for their funliness and how silent they are. I would definitely not recommend minorcas or americaunas because although quite friendly, they are very noisy.

 

[Disco Hen]

what else can i do in poultry shows besides showmanship

There is this thing were you put them in cages for display and the judge picks winners

 

[The Chickeneer]

Well, the breeds that you'l mostly hear or have heard on this thread will be most likely the usual Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Rock, Barred Rock, Australorp, Production Red, Wyadottes, Buff Orpington and all kinds of sex links. But like somebody else here said, you really should go with what you love. Now be honest, all the usual breeds are really good,either laying eggs meat, or just for pets. But these breeds are taking over, and you hardly see people with breeds like Shamo or Pumkin Husley, Andalusian, or Chantecler etc. There are hundreds of breeds out there, but the usual ones everyone is saying lay the most eggs=more hatch=allot out there=easier get. But out of all those common breeds out there, the best one in my opinion is the Australorp, they are friendly, quiet, lay allot bla bla bla, but you shouldnt just have a flock of just Australorps, get some different breeds in there, there are so many, and just have a couple of the popular breeds to rely on for some eggs, but go with what you love and what you think you will really enjoy having, If it means a flock of all barred rock then go ahead, but you should really look into other breeds that you might like, good luck

 

[BigRedNZ]

I'm an urban BYC newbie. We've got 2 Barnevelders (lovely birds, great eggs, but not great pets), 2 RIR (Big ladies even though they aren't laying yet, love the mahogany ginger colour), and a Shaver (Hyaline Brown, great old girl, lets me pet her and lays like a trooper)

Have fun, our neighbours all love the sounds of our chooks (at least that's what they tell us), but we might just be lucky

 

[Chicken Downunder]

I've personally raised over 75 breeds of chickens, and would highly recommend bantam breeds as their compact size is ideal for the backyard. Good bantam layers that are quiet are Ameraucanas, Wyandottes, Old English or Modern Games (though these do like to talk; their voices aren't too loud), and Belgian d'Anvers (to name a few). Silkies and Seramas are nice, but not the best of layers; just dear to have around.
Dorkings are a great breed as they have short legs so their scratching is not too damaging. They also have nice personalities and are quiet. If you have difficulty sourcing a breed you are seeking, feel free to send me a message. I tend to know where to find certain breeds.

My two dorkings would be the loudest amongst all my girls and the most skitish! The Langshan is the quietest of the lot - hardly ever making a sound - apart from the egg song. Beautiful looking chook - on my list to get more of. I have come to the conclusion its more to do with personality of the birds than the breed

 

[PromiseLand]

Okay, I have raised literally thousands of chickens in my life time and would have to say if someone asked me if you could only have one breed to raise, just one I would have to say Buff Orpingtons. They are truly friendly, have the sweetest personality, quiet disposition, they lay eggs as well as most any other common hen even through the winter. Beautiful Buff/Golden color feathers, excellent with children, They are great Mothers to their little cream colored cotton ball chicks.

Ahhhhh! sitting back in the lawn chair. Sipping on freshly squeezed ice cold lemonade or better, on a perfect day relaxing no other cares but only in watching the constant moving golden carpet of orpingtons gently foraging through the yard. But wait... I as many others suffer from Hatchachoalism, Multi-breed personality syndrome and the need to have every color of egg and feather colors that can be conceived of. I have stepped into the BREEDERS ZONE.

WARNING: Chickens may be addictive!

Again; If I could only pick one breed, just ONE.

As one (Curly) of the three (Stooges) wise men said, Moe, Larry cheese Moe, Larry cheese.
Many of us fall ill into going Crazy over chickens!!!

Thanks for listening

Paul

 

[goldeneggtees]

I totally agree!!!!!!!!! I love buff orpingtons, they are beautiful, great egg layers and very sweet birds! Hands down, BUFF ORPINGTONS!

Okay, I have raised literally thousands of chickens in my life time and would have to say if someone asked me if you could only have one breed to raise, just one I would have to say Buff Orpingtons. They are truly friendly, have the sweetest personality, quiet disposition, they lay eggs as well as most any other common hen even through the winter. Beautiful Buff/Golden color feathers, excellent with children, They are great Mothers to their little cream colored cotton ball chicks.

Ahhhhh! sitting back in the lawn chair. Sipping on freshly squeezed ice cold lemonade or better, on a perfect day relaxing no other cares but only in watching the constant moving golden carpet of orpingtons gently foraging through the yard. But wait... I as many others suffer from Hatchachoalism, Multi-breed personality syndrome and the need to have every color of egg and feather colors that can be conceived of. I have stepped into the BREEDERS ZONE.

WARNING: Chickens may be addictive!

Again; If I could only pick one breed, just ONE.

As one (Curly) of the three (Stooges) wise men said, Moe, Larry cheese Moe, Larry cheese.
Many of us fall ill into going Crazy over chickens!!!

Thanks for listening

Paul

 

[smarsh]

the noise a hen makes seems to be somewhat related to pecking order. i would say that everyone that has several hens has at least one hen that sings all the time.
and some just are born to sing. I had one little hen that started peeping before she hatched and I knew she was dead before i found her years later, because she wasn't singing.

if color makes a difference, then that is your choice, if color doesn't then you can't beat the sex links for production and sweet disposition. personally i think the black stars are the prettiest of this group, but again that is a personal preference that you need to decide on.

 

[ShortAnda]

The quietest hens I've ever had are my Phoenix hens. I can't recall them ever making a peep except when I have to catch them. They are good layers but now in their second winter they've really slowed down and hardly lay. They are so sweet and beautiful to look at. Their feathers are so pretty! They remind me of little doves with their big dark eyes. They are cautious in nature and like to keep some distance. Second in line is my Golden Penciled Hamburg. She's a flashy little hen that is also fair at laying. Both breeds seem very self sufficient and are a smaller type of bird.