Backyard Flock - Specific Characteristics required

[cgoodloe]

We live in city limits which allow chickens in coops but no roosters. I need a quiet, non-flighty, non-broody, heat-tolerant, and lays 4-5+ eggs per week. What would you guys recommend? They must meet the specifications. Although they will be cooped most of the time I'd still like to get recommendation on non-flighty because I'd love to let them out to forage around for an hour or two a few times a week when I have time to sit and watch them. But we have 6 foot fencing and are next to a main road so I'd not like to have them getting run over because they escaped over 6 ft fences.

I plan on a flock size of 6 to 8. I'd like to have a mixed flock of 2-4 breeds if that's possible.

Thanks
Carla
Clovis, CA

 

[annaraven]

Well, my Buff Orpington is not flighty at all. She lays about 5 eggs a week pretty steady. My Brown Leghorn is a little more flighty but not much. Lays about 4-5 eggs a week pretty steady now that she's laying. My Sicilian Buttercup is the one I keep having to clip her wings. She's not laying yet though, being a bit younger than the others.

I will recommend the Buff Orps for being very sweet-tempered and non-flighty birds who just like going around and digging along the edges of the fence.

Don't know about other breeds yet.

 

[donrae]

Buff Orpingtons and Barred Rocks would both fit, are good layers and easy to find, very popular breeds.

 

[TomG]

There are many breeds that fit your requirements. I would find out which breeds are available where you live and check them out on the breeds link here on BYC. The link will tell you if the available birds fit your needs. My production reds have never attempted to jump my six foot yard fence. They are hardy and lay every day. My barred rock will jump a fence if she can see what is on the other side but won't if she can't. Buff orpingtons can get broody but are nice layed back birds. Good luck, let us all know what you decide upon.

 

[Mrs MIA]

I'd have to say Orpingtons...

 

[Kittymomma]

I think red and/or black sex-links would work well for you. Mine are fairly quiet (neither is a big egg song singer) and they are pretty calm too. While they're not lap chickens (none of my many breeds are) they're pretty friendly and are often under foot when I'm doing chores. I really like my buff orpington too, but she's broody as often as not so I don't think that would be a good breed for you.

The sex-link birds are also known for laying early and well. Mine gave us six eggs a week for the first year and while they've slowed to four or five since they've molted the eggs are now jumbo size. Both girls layed very well thru their first winter too, and they did it without any supplemental light. About the only negative thing I can say about them is that they're light bodied for a dual purpose flock, but if you're not planning on eating your older birds that doesn't really matter.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
Agreed. Plus Black Australorps.

There ya go - there's your three breeds!

 

[abhaya]

I have barred rock, RIR, black sexlink, austrolop. EE, and a leghorn. They only one I would not suggest is the leghorn the rest are pretty mellow. The barred sexlink and RIR are great layers the rest are too young to lay yet .

 

[bburn]

Maybe it is just mine....but LF Cochins. Slower moving. Sweet. Big enough they are not gonna fly anywhere!

 

[NottinghamChicks]

Buff Orps are actuall a pretty heavly feathered bird that was developed by means of a Cochin from what I have read. That being said they are cold tolerant and not considered heat tolerant. Maybe I'm confused...

I believe they are also typically broody by nature. If a chicken can tolerate the summer heat in NH or MA doesn't mean it can tolerate the heat in Southern CA. This site has a great list that is alphabetical with a colum for each of the most common questions such as climate. Check it out!!