Are these good breeds for me? plus a few questions

[aim30]

I think we have settled on the following breeds for the following reasons. We need calmer breeds (small children), need to be dual purpose and cold hardy.

Barred Rock
Buff Rock
Speckled Sussex
Maybe Delaware?

And just for the fun, maybe an Ameraucana? I want blue/green eggs though-not pink/olive. All the places I see have only ee's.

For those of you with experience with these breeds, are they on average calmer than some of the other dual purpose breeds? Also, from reading on here it seems that some strains of the same breed are calmer than other strains. Can you list if your birds are either calm/aloof and which hatchery they came from. There are a few places I am looking into getting them from (McMurray, Ideal, Sand Hill, Welp, Meyer, My Pet Chicken) and am having a hard time deciding.
Thanks!

 

[greyfields]

Those are fine breeds for egg laying and dual purpose. I find both my sussex and rocks to be calm for layers (as oppossed to leghorns which can be a bit manic). If you want to augument your flock with a few better layers, black sex links will give you some better performing layers with a similar temperment.

If it's your first time getting birds, ther's nothing wrong with going through Murray McMurray. They typically get it right and if they don't, they have decent customer service. Once you get more experienced, though, I recommend people try to use the hatchery closest to your house. The less travel the birds though the better for them. Plus that helps keep the little guy in business.

 

[herechickchick]

I have Delawares and they are AWESOME! I love their personality!!!!!! You should get Delaware

 

[speckledhen]

All the breeds mentioned are good, but I've had some weird Delaware chicks. I have two pair I'm selling and they may calm down as they get older, but man, these are the wildest chicks I've ever had, and that's saying alot. The cockerels are just drop dead gorgeous, but mine bite the heck out of me all the time when I'm feeding them. I'm famous for my very tame birds and these are psycho.
On the other hand, I have some true Ameraucana chicks, blues and blacks, from show stock that come from a line that lays nice blue eggs. I love them. Very sweet with soulful, wise eyes. Just gorgeous birds-and I didn't like birds with beards and muffs before these.
My Speckled Sussex are a bit skittish, moreso than I thought they would be, but they're calming down now. I love my Barred Rocks-they're always curious and personable.

 

[earthy_chicks]

Another vote for the Delaware. She is the favorite of our flock, such a sweetie. I also love the silver laced wyandottes- they are so beautiful. I've read a lot of posts about this and I commonly see Buff Orpingtons and Delawares recommended for dual purpose pets.

 

[missusduray]

My only complaint is against leghorns hens and roos, and wyandotte roos. They are mean, at least in my experience and if you have kids (i do) I would avoid them. Otherwise i am in love with all my birds listed below.
Kristyne