Best breed around kids

[Tikkajazz94]

what Breed of Chicken is good around kids? I'm doing this for a newbie on here.
I would like to hear your reply.

 

[georgialee]

I have a feeling that a lot of people will say silkies. Is it just going to be a pet or do you want it to be a decent layer as well?

 

[vickie2133]

I think I would say Cochins.

 

[PQ]

Anything after Craig Mountain Ranch.. Or we wouldnt have them LOL

 

[Felicitas]

It does make a difference if you want decent laying hens.

Speckled Sussex are super friendly and easy going, and are supposed to be good layers (mine haven't started laying). They come running when they hear me come outside, and they follow me around 'talking' to me as I work. They're very pretty, too.

My Polish are also extremely friendly, one of them to the point where she loves to ride around on my arm and shoulder. (That's the one with the black crest in my avatar.)

 

[The Poultry Peanut]

Silkies are good pets so I've heard and so are bearded d'anvers I hase some and my hen is sooooooooo friendly she will come when I call

 

[hinkjc]

In bantams, I have found my pyncheons to be very laid back and gentle. They are curious little birds and let you pick them right up. Not a single aggressive bone in their tiny little bodies. I love them! I will note I have raised silkies and ameraucana in bantams and they didn't even come close to pyncheons for great personalities.

In large fowl, I find my buff orps are the most gentle large breed I've owned yet. My araucana are a close second. The orps are very timid and are easily spoiled to enjoy your company through handling as they grow. They are big, massive birds and wonderful temperaments as well.

 

[DTchickens]

you'll get a lot of different answers but one thing you must remember. All birds are different.. There is no "one" breed. But the main breeds that are great for kids are

silkies, Cochins, Old english/modern, D'uccles, D'anvers. and pretty much every other bantam there is.. that way if they do turn agressive for some reason.. They can't do much damge and the bantams seem to have some of the best personalities, if you want them for egglaying look into some of the bantam barred rocks, rir's, or something like that.

 

[Davaroo]

This is a loaded question. Depends on how you define "good."

I dont think little kids should be around them at all, especially if you have roosters.
Once a kid gets up enough to be around them, then it doesnt matter what the bird.

Others want a cuddly ball of fluff that wont do more than sit there, so the kids can handle it, pull it's feathers and so on.

But, since these are rather large, quirky birds that do unexpected things, at times, the answer is somewhere in between. We're not talking happy little bunnies here. These are chickens, a veritable force of nature. Be prepared for anything, thats all I'm saying.

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Silkies are probably your best choice.

Other breeds that are often recommended as docile are RIR's, Barred Rocks, Brahmas, Australorps.

But this is very subjective and there are hardly any absolutes.

 

[hinkjc]

Good point Davaroo! There are exceptions for everything and never guarantees when it comes to living creatures. And we certainly couldn't account for what the bird experiences and how they react to those experiences in various environments.