4 chicken limit

[KtheChickenGal]

Hey, BYC members!
I know a family who wants to get chickens at some point, but they can only have 4 where they live.
Any breed suggestions? They have young kids, and want eggs but also pets.
I was thinking Australorps would be pretty good for them...
So if you could only have four chickens, what breed would you pick?

 

[sourland]

I would pick Australorps or Buff Orpingtons.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

I would pick Australorps or Buff Orpingtons.

I second this suggestion, and add Plymouth Barred Rock as my own.

 

[GodLovesU]

Easter Eggers lay big blue eggs, so they would be a nice option.

 

[No Coop No Problem]

If they're only allowed 4 chickens I'm guessing it's a suburban/coop type situation. I would go for 4 Orpingtons and a hundred quail, or maybe just the quail. They're far quieter than chickens so they could get away with far more of them

 

[CabritaChicks]

If they want them as 'pets' what about silkies?
But I have Mixed RIR and leghorn/EE/Marans that are definitely 'lap chickens'.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Leghorns, ya definitely Leghorns
But if not about the last breeds I'd get is Buff Orpingtons or Australorps.
Just my experience but Australorps were about the most over rated breed I ever had. They were never great at production and rather plain looking.
Buff Orpingtons are way too common and way too boring. If I could only have 4 breeds one would not be a breed everyone and their uncle has.
EEs wouldn't be bad because of the colored eggs and the wide variety of patterns. Maybe throw in a Marans or OE for egg variety. Oh and maybe a brown Leghorn. A white egg layer would be good for the egg basket.

 

[BoundlessLove]

I would pick four different breeds.
One Orpington (brown egg)
One EE or Cream Legbar (blue egg)
One Wyandotte (pinkish tan egg)
One Rhode Island Red (a medium darkish brown egg)
That way the kids could tell which hens lay which eggs.

 

[KtheChickenGal]

If they're only allowed 4 chickens I'm guessing it's a suburban/coop type situation. I would go for 4 Orpingtons and a hundred quail, or maybe just the quail. They're far quieter than chickens so they could get away with far more of them

Lol! Thanks

 

[KtheChickenGal]

I would pick four different breeds.
One Orpington (brown egg)
One EE or Cream Legbar (blue egg)
One Wyandotte (pinkish tan egg)
One Rhode Island Red (a medium darkish brown egg)
That way the kids could tell which hens lay which eggs.

That's a really great idea! I'm so used to being able to tell who laid what in my flock of 16 hens that I forget they don't have much chicken experience.