Best breed for backyard coop?

[mommissan]

Disclaimer: I am going to be blunt and to the point.

The best overall breed is........ the one that best fits your needs. It is a personal choice that only you can make based on your requirements. Asking people for their opinion will only leave you more confused because in what I have read so far there is many different breeds posted here that say they are the best. All which is true for the people who have them but you need to access what you want and need. I have 5 of the breeds mentioned here and in those I have quiet ones and some that are rather vocal and not breed specific. Every animal on the face of the earth react differently to stimuli and chickens are no exception. They are as individual as you and I so to say this breed or that is best is far sighted. Unless you have a specific goal ie....lots of eggs,green ones ect.

There are many factors in which chickens to get, you should make a list of what you want and what you need and go through the breed index and find one that fits most closely. Not often do we get exactly what we want and need but it can happen. The only way you might achieve quiet chickens is to get a bunch and cull the noisy ones but that is no guarantee the others won't speak up. Just falling short of keeping them totally enclosed or getting a bucket from the Colonel.

Completely agree! I have a mixed flock. None of them fit their breed descriptions perfectly. I just had to get a boatload of chickens and slowly remove the ones that didn't suit our needs. This spring I am hatching mutts, and two dozen eggs of assorted breeds. If I'm lucky, tomorrow I will pick up a pair of Barnevelders. Just try all kinds. Chickens are just like people; unique.

 

[LukeandAli]

My auracana and ameracauna are both pretty quiet, as are both of my barred rocks. Oh, and my NH Red! She's so quiet that I almost forgot about her!

 

[kdykhouse]

My three Delaware girls seem to be pretty quiet and docile...so far so good!

 

[Bullitt]

Here is a resource with breed information on many of the popular breeds.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...chickens-resource-for-selecting-your-chickens

 

[ChickenAsylum]

Love, love, love, my buff orpingtons, austrolorps and sussex. Sussex are like little dogs following me around demanding their treats. I have about 9 large breed egg layers. The partridge wyandottes are the only noisy ones. They are a bit of a fit, but very beautiful. Welsummers lay lovely "chocolate" eggs. New Hampshires can be bossy, but the hardiest of the bunch.

 

[planetman]

If your looking for cochins you can find them at www.meyerhatchery.com lots of cool colors.

 

[karlamaria]

Suggestions ... Move your coop to tue oter side of the house, no bird is going to be silent. My girls are buff orps. And we love out astrolorps also. We have 5 birds and there fairly quiet, but they love to talk and sing. If you want eggs goto a store, chickens are not quiet and if your not into the eggs why get them? I'm pretty sure a neighbor will not be distracted if you move the coop. Put the coop away from him side of the house. .

 

[xyresicchick]

ok! of the breeds i raise, here is my pick for a BACKYARD coop:

SILKIE

why? they can not jump over fences!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! also, i love their personalities, they make great lawn ornaments and they are a great conversation piece. as far as keeping them in the yard they are beat by none.


personality wise my other top picks are:

bantam cochin
bantam ameraucana


eye candy wise my picks are:

lemon blue bantam cochins
lavender ameraucana bantam
mille fleur bantam cochin
any color silkie


eggwise my picks are:

bantam ameraucana
bantam marans


mother-wise (broody!) my picks are:

bantam cochin
silkie


it depends what you want. but those are my opinions based on my experience with those breeds.
bantam wyandottes make good backyard chickens too, because they are heavier than cochins, and dont usually hop fences because of it. they also lay very well and dependably, but they can sometimes go broody. temperament wise i didnt like them as much as my bantam cochins so when my last hen got eaten by a predator i didnt get any more after that. but i did like them enough to not get rid of them. just not enough to get them again. at least not now. i would just rather stick to only a few different breeds

 

[xyresicchick]

oh! and as far as noise level wise:

any roosters will be noisy, doesnt matter the breed!

but hens....

silkies again take the cake. my silkies are super QUIET!
ameraucanas are chatty as heck
cochins are pretty talkative but are more clucky than chatty
my marans are pretty quiet

 

[chickimoma]

Wow, I'm always slightly overwhelmed by all the good advice and LOVE our group has for chickens! I have 22 different breeds and don't know what to say. I think there are breed traits but it is up to the personality and pecking order position of each bird. I do find my Orpingtons joining in when another hen cackles after laying. I'm talking to a new member who has just moved to my area and is waiting to close on a house. She is so excited about having chickens and we are talking about the best breeds for our area. The main thing is having breeds you feel excited about. You can make adjustments for different weather conditions (misting fans for extreme heat, insulation for extreme cold), but if your space is limited in an urban or suburban area you may not have the luxury of moving your coop to limit noise. It's going to be a learning experience for any new Backyard Chicken keeper so just jump in and give it a try. I live in the center of a smallish town but I'm on a 1/2 acre and no one lives on the property next to me on one side. I have a neighbor across the street who hates any noise like crowing or even wind chimes. When I started keeping chickens 4 years ago, I made a decision not to have roosters to avoid problems (although I LOVE to hear a rooster crow and wind chimes). I keep neighbors supplied with eggs so I've garnered a lot of good will that way. My last order of female only chicks I got in Oct. have turned out to include one rooster. I kept puzzling over the looks of this Easter Egger chick and about 3 weeks ago it really put on some height in its legs and developed gorgeous iridescent sickle tail feathers. EEEK! Thankfully, he is not crowing yet. Now to find him a good home.....