4 chicken limit

[The Moonshiner]

I don’t have an Orpington right now, but I can promise you my RIRs’ eggs are a much different color than my Wyandottes’ eggs.

I'm not doubting you with yours but I was thinking if somebody just randomly went out and bought all three there might not be.
When I had Orpingtons and Wyandottes their eggs were about the same and the RIRs were a tad darker.
My only pinkish eggs were from Sussex.

 

[Amer]

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.

No, I agree. Australorps are overrated IMO.
If I could raise only four chickens I would get eight d'Anvers because they are less than half the size of a standard-sized chicken but together would probably lay about the same liquid volume of egg with 5 times the personality...

Seriously though...
If I could only have four I would probably get two Welsummers and two Easter Eggers. These aren't the friendliest breeds I've ever met but the Welsummer lays a LOT and Easter Eggers have fun eggs, and both are quite tame and while they love to range they are calm enough to handle confinement. If they were handled a lot they would be quite friendly and they are some of the easiest, hardiest birds to raise.

 

[BoundlessLove]

I'm not doubting you with yours but I was thinking if somebody just randomly went out and bought all three there might not be.
When I had Orpingtons and Wyandottes their eggs were about the same and the RIRs were a tad darker.
My only pinkish eggs were from Sussex.

Could be quality of the breed lines.
All of my SL Wyandottes lay pinkish eggs and my Speckled Sussex lay light tan eggs. Several different breed lines of each.
My RIRs lay darker brown, but they are from a heritage line.

Edited to add: The Cream Legbars and Brown Leghorns are my least friendliest breeds.

 

[NewcoopNewpoop]

We have a buff orp, black copper maran, gold laced wyandotte, and a sapphire gem hen. Our favorite by far is the orpington. We also have young kids. We are really happy with our 4 color wise. Temperment for the orp is great, maran is next, and the sapphire gem we just got might come around. Do not recommend the wyandotte. Though chickens are individuals so, take it for what its worth.