Decisions decisions . . .

[fshinggrl]

Of the hens I currently have, my buff orpingtons are my most friendly! I love them! I have three black australorps and two of them have meetings on top of the fence every morning! Sounds like you've put in a lot of thought into this! Great!

 

[Michael OShay]

Since I'm in a colder state, should I wait until April to order or just do it in February? I will there be less choice if I wait?

It's up to you, but I personally would wait until early spring. There shouldn't be any less choice then as hatcheries usually hatch in large numbers for spring orders.

 

[Autumn Leaves]

Of the hens I currently have, my buff orpingtons are my most friendly! I love them! I have three black australorps and two of them have meetings on top of the fence every morning! Sounds like you've put in a lot of thought into this! Great!

I started researching in June - mostly reading posts here! It never hurts to be overly prepared

 

[jgfetter]

Hello anyone I couldn't find the forum for 2 questions .can you breed anything with a red sex link hen to make more chicks? 2nd question can you breed a regular size hen with a bantam

I actually bred my Red Sex link hen with my Buff Braham Bantum. The chick is adorable.

 

[jgfetter]

I've had all of the breeds on your list at one time or another over the past 50 years except the Barnevelder and they are all good breeds, but I am convinced that the best all-around, dual purpose breed on the planet is the Black Australorp.  I've raised them since 1979, and they are extremely hardy.  I've raised them in northern Kansas where the temperature reached 30 F below zero one winter, and in CA where summer temperatures frequently reached 117-118 F (123 F once), and in both climate extremes they came through like troopers.  They are also very calm and gentle.  My children, and now my grandchildren, made lap pets of them.  And they are the best layers of the standard, brown egg laying breeds.  A Black Australorp holds the brown egg laying record with 364 eggs in 365 days, and while none of mine have ever reached that kind of production (and likely never will), I have still had a few of them give me over 300 eggs in a year.  Their lay rate drops off only a little during very cold, dark winter days, and they continue to lay well for at least 3 or 4 years.  One other good bird not on your list is the Black Sex Link (Black Star).  Like Red Sex Links (Red Stars), Black Sex Links are egg laying machines, but mine have been friendlier than my Red Sex Links (Red Stars), and have laid slightly better in really cold winter weather.  Whatever breeds or hybrids you decide to get, good luck with your flock.

I agree about the Red and Black Sex Links. They are egg laying machines. My Red ones are more friendly than my black

 

[Michael OShay]

I agree about the Red and Black Sex Links. They are egg laying machines. My Red ones are more friendly than my black

That's interesting. With mine, it's been the opposite. It may depend on which silver gene hens the hatchery uses in producing the RSLs. They vary between White Rocks, Rhode Island Whites, Silver Laced Wyandottes, Delawares, and Light Sussex. Barred Rock hens are usually used for BSLs, but a few hatcheries use Dominiques or Cuckoo Marans for their BSLs. No matter which red gene roosters X silver gene hens (for RSLs) or barred gene hens (for BSLs) all of the sex links are definitely egg laying machines, outlaying either parent breed. It's one of the interesting quirks of hybridization.

 

[Autumn Leaves]

I just added a Silver Gray Dorking to the list after reading an article about them!

And my sister-in-law purchased some farmland so we are splitting our chicken order this spring.

Now I am aiming for:

Australorp
Barnevelder
Buff Orphington
Sex Link
Columbian Wyandotte
Silver Gray Dorking

and for fun
Golden Sebright
Silver Sebright

 

[Michael OShay]

You have some really good dual purpose breeds on your list. Black Australorps are extremely hardy, calm and gentle (my children, and now my granddaughter, made lap pets of ours), and excellent layers of large, brown eggs. Sex Links are egg laying machines. I especially like the Black Sex Links as mine have been a little friendlier and slightly better layers in really cold weather than my Red Sex Links. Whatever breeds you decide to get, good luck in getting those eggs and meat.