Looking for recommendations of what breed of chicken to add to our flock!

[johndeerelover]

Thanks for all the replies and different suggestions! I learned a lot about molting too.

I have thought about Orpingtons, but not sure where to get them from. I agree they sound like a nice breed. I think I am going to buy from a local source that seems highly regarded on this site, Whitmore Farm. They will sell me some 1 year old hens. They keep welsummers, marans, ameraucana and delaware.

I honestly don't know where I would keep chicks and do all that, or if I have the time. We have a cat inside and I'm just not set up at all. That's why I would like to just add some hens, keep them separate for a while and then combine.

Ridgerunner, the golden comets are staying in the fence all the time (knock on wood). I originally had a green snow type fence and they learned to grab the top and hop over. The fence now is 5' metal fence with just T-posts every 5 or so feet. The fence itself sits higher than the posts, so they can't fly up and land a post!

The golden comets haven't been very healthy. We used to have several more but they died mainly over the last year. They are about 3-4 years old. I got these chickens second hand so I don't know the hatchery. I'm not sure which type they are, they kind of fit into both categories. We only have 3 left, and 2 are larger, and one has always been a smaller, leaner bird.

Thanks for the compliments on our coop. It was a lot of fun to build.

 

[texsuze]

Love my Black Australorps, but I'm in a much milder climate, for the most part. The BA's might have some problems in winter with their large combs and wattles. My Ameraucanas are wonderful birds, too, and would probably prefer a cooler climate; they tend to stress a bit in our summer heat. They are friendly and easy to be around. I found my "Little Brown Hen" Ameraucana on CraigsList. She was not quite a year old; the owner was having to liquidate her flock due to some life-changing events. This hen had been free-ranging on some property in a large mixed flock, not handled much, but very healthy, as a result. She integrated to my existing flock wonderfully, and her eggs won a blue ribbon at our county fair last month!