Best breed for backyard coop?

[Egghead_Jr]

Plymouth Rock are quieter, easy going, good egg layers that come in large variety of types.

 

[ChicKat]

Was just going to post a question re: quietness of breeds. Have a sex-link that seemingly has found vocal cords and her dominance... she's very docile and loving to everyone, but yikes! She's singing all the time.... and I mean ALL THE TIME..... I can quiet her down with treats, but let's face it I don't wanna be in the yard all the time (kinda do)

I was wondering if each sound means a specific "word" or phrase..... maybe there's too much time for me to think of this.... dunno.

My Barred Rock is so sweet, docile, quiet, and just seems to mutter to herself all day. Kind and curious, I love her.... I really really really don't wanna get rid of the Sex Link, but it may be a neighbor thing.... Ummmmm, can you say suburbia?? Long Beach California!!!

Any suggestions for the lovely girlie would be greatly appreciated. I'm really hoping that the answer is to get more.

I really think an Australorp and Ameracauna would just be about perfect.

Of course you're right, the answer to all chicken concerns is to get more chickens....LOL.

When mine make a racket there is something that they are trying to tell me. (twice it has been snakes). If you can get hold of the book 'Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens'f by Gail Damerow, there is a lot of information in the Chicken dispositions chapter about vocalizations. Somewhere, maybe there, I read that a scientist found 30 different, distinct vocalizations.

Each chicken has a different personality....and

by giving your loud one treats to quiet her down, are you reinforcing her being loud?? Just askin'

 

[Illia]

As a backyard chicken, a layer, a pet, -

My best advice is to go with what you love.

Don't just follow what common breeds everyone else says, go with what you wish to have. Do extensive studying and you'd be surprised. There's more to the world of chickens than Production Reds, Barred Rocks, Sex-Links, Buff Orpingtons, Australorps, and Easter Eggers. . . . There's Columbian Rocks, Rhode Island Whites, true Ameraucanas, and even Blue Australorps just to name some different colors of the same breed. (except, Ameraucanas and Easter Eggers are not the same)


If I lived in the city and could only have say three hens, I'd choose an Araucana (real one, not an EE) a Polish (preferrably of a neat color) and a Shamo. If I could add to that I'd do a French Marans or another Shamo.

Why those you might ask?

Because Araucanas are truly awesome looking, very rare, come in some beautiful colors, lay beautiful blue eggs, are great pets, and eat very little for how chunky but small they are.

Polish are also truly awesome looking, especially in neat colors like Tolbunt and Silver Laced, lay nice snow-white eggs, are also super pets, mine are always the most curious and friendly of all, and make wonderful (temporary) house guests!

Shamos are just downright awesome. An awesome and unique appearance like the other two, but very misleading too. They look like raptors out to eat your flesh, but they're the most friendly of breeds out there, it is practically impossible to find a mean one due to extensive breeding against such for hundreds of years, so, they're generally a really, really good "pet" type chicken. Both boys and girls. And you can never get tired of how their faces either scare people or their bodies puzzle people.


So, it's always in yourself, what do YOU like?

 

[CatUT]

Just to put my two cents in. We have Orpingtons and EE. My EE's are very quiet they don't hardly make any noise even when they do lay an egg. One orpington is like that too. Very quiet. The only one - well, let me just say that her name is Noisy. I think she thinks that she's an egg laying rooster. She lays an egg and then wants the whole world to know it. If for some reason she gets separated from the flock, she starts yelling for them. fortunatly between the high fence and the trees, our neighbors don't hear it. Plus, a carton of eggs now and then doesn't hurt.

 

[Disco Hen]

Bantams are small and don't lay a lot of eggs but make almodt no noise (depending on banntam breed). Also barred rocks are very chickens, they a good amount of eggs, they are very friendly, and don't really make any noise. Also Americana's are good they lay green eggs, very friendly, and not much noise plus, they lay big eggs.

 

[natalie5]

what else can i do in poultry shows besides showmanship

 

[Daisy8s]

I have a mixed-breed that is primarily Sumatran and I'd highly recommend this breed for being very quiet. Almost no sounds whatsoever and an amazing egg-layer. Now that I think about it I don't think I've ever heard a sound from her except one squawk once when I was rousting her from the nest to collect eggs. She lays every single day, and once or twice has even laid two eggs in a day! The eggs are quite small but if you don't need a lot of eggs you probably don't need big eggs, either!

I find her personality very different than that of my New Hampshire Reds and ISA Browns. She's much more reserved, less friendly, more wary. Perhaps this is why she isn't vocalizing--not very social? She's a very pretty, little black bird with a bluish/greenish sheen to her black feathers and a perky, upright tail.

I'd recommend the Sumatran because they're quiet, self-sufficient, excellent foragers, and amazingly reliable egg-layers.

 

[bloom chicks]

We love our Red Rocks, RIR, BR, BO and 1 EE (she makes alot of noise) They are sweet and friendly birds. They are all great layers especially my Reds. I hope that helps.

 

[chickengal30]

Hello there. I have six hens, all different breeds and If I was to pick a favorite it would be my Black star - Laura. Shes a great layer, a total sweetheart and soooo pretty.Shes not noisy either!
When I get to buy any more it will be black stars. IMHO !!

 

[myhubbycallsmechickeemama]

We currently have RIR and BO and I have to say, the BO's are very noisy girls when it comes to the egg song. If one starts...they all sing along and have you ever heard over 40 chickens all singing the "look, look, look what I did" song!?! EEK!! Most of my RIR's are quiet but have a few that have their moment. They are all laying large to extra large eggs and we are lucky enough to live in the country so they can just sing their little hearts out!!

We have a Buff Brahma Banty and while she lays very small eggs she is just the sweetest most quiet little chicken!! I love our little Minnie Monster's eggs, they are always so clean with huge yolks in them!!