Advice on breeds please. Raising chicks for the first time in Utah!

[cmom]

My birds originally came from the president of the Rhode Island Club of america. Matt Ulrich, a top RIR breeder.
http://jimspetsandpoultry.weebly.com/

This is Gladys a RIR cross beak. She is a love and will jump into our lap to be held.

 

[psycache]

Not really my delawares good at hiding. speckled susex blend in the forest and Autsrloprs are black so hawks mistaken them as crows. Lakvelnder are very alert and will act the leader of the flock and warn the whole flock. If you want a protective chicken than warns the flock get a lakevelnder.

I like the the small size of Lakenvelder! However, Utah can get pretty cold in the winter, are they not as good with the cold?

 

[cmom]

Matt is a humble but very wise fellow who gave me my start with the Reds many years ago and I have kept them pure. Years ago I went to a show and saw his birds and we made an arrangement for me to get a quad from him at another show. I had some Reds prior but not as nice as his. I sold my other Reds. I love them.

 

[psycache]

RIR are mean with todler. The kids are gonna want to hold them. The RIR is gonna scratch them and flap there wings.

 

[wf1992]

I love my red sexlinks. Most have been very docile (particularly when we had the ISAs exclusively) and it's so nice to have someone laying thru the winter when my heritage girls take a break. I try to keep half working girls and half fun chickens. "Try" being the operative word there. Chicken math is currently winning.

In my experience (which, to put it in perspective, includes hand feeding and chickens with names, but no one perching on my shoulders) personalities change a lot their first year. Friendly chicks can turn into anti-social adults, and flighty pullets calm down after laying for a while. We have some frustrating teen months where you question your choices, and I'm not sure you really know what you've got personality-wise until they're all grown up!

 

[psycache]

I do not think she should start of with RIR most of them are mean. If a toddler wants to hold them they will flap there wings and scratch them;. Some RIR in rare cases can be calm like yours.

I think this is good advice. Of course every species can have meanies, but as a beginner, I would go with what most people suggest here, and take a safer approach. I do appreciate cmom pointing out a different perspective though.

 

[cmom]

I like the the small size of Lakenvelder! However, Utah can get pretty cold in the winter, are they not as good with the cold?

I want to apologize to you. I do get defensive when someone paints all RIR's as mean or bad. In the nearly 50 years that I have had chickens I have had RIR's and never had a mean one. As far as your colder weather maybe you would want to consider breeds with close combs such as Rose Combs. I don't know what you setup is like. Single Comb breeds in colder climates can have more problems with frost bite on their combs but if you have proper ventilation it's not necessarily a problem. Again, good luck and have fun...

 

[psycache]

Oh, also! I forgot to mention! We had a Black Australorp that was also a BIG gentle giant- and she laid every day of her life! We had to give her away because we moved, but I wish we didn't have to. Lucy was such a sweet girl.

Definitely adding Australorp to the flock!

 

[psycache]

I appreciate everyone's input. So far I am choosing from this updated list (aiming for 4 hens at the end).
1x Speckled Sussex
1x Delaware
1x Mottled Java
1x Barred Rock
1x Silver Lakenvelder
1x Black Australorp
1x Blue Copper Maran
1x Dominque

 

[cmom]

Australorps are nice birds too. My very first birds were leghorns. They are usually quite flighty. I still have them. Red Sexlinks are nice too. Their best egg producing years are the first two. After that they usually slow down. And again, good luck and have fun...