Best breed for my urban backyard?

[Katie_P]

hey so i live in a very smell town in WI and i am trying to convince my parents to let me get a few chickens to keep in a coop for showing and and for eggs. But i have naybors so they would have to be very quiet. and i would love some that could work as a dual purpose breed for meat and eggs. they also would need to be very friendly and sweet. any suggestions?

 

[faykokoWV]

Buckeyes are a great dual purpose bird. They aren't real flighty and not noisy. They lay a nice cream colored egg. Easter eggers and Ameracaunas are always good too. The novelty of a green or blue eggs is always fun.

As long as you don't get any roosters the noise usually only comes when they lay an egg.

edited to add, the Buckeyes have a pea comb and they are very winter hardy. They are the only breed developed by a woman and they are a heritage bird. Try the breed selector on here too!

 

[cybercat]

Since you wish to Show try to stay with a solid color. It is easier to breed better birds that way, since you will not need two line to do it. Large birds are not quiet not even bantams are quiet. Your best bet for showing is buy from a breeder. They will have chickens that will not lay alot so will be a bit quieter than those that do. Chickens song can and does get loud. I can hear my neibor half a mile away from us hens sound off. Ofcourse they can hear mine also. Chickens do not sing just in the coop but outside it and some times for no reason.

With all that said first make sure your town allows chickens in backyards. Large breed that are more quiet sussex, brahma, cochin, rocks and wyandottes. I would not say buckeyes confined would be a good choise as they are very active. They do better free ranging than penned or if penned a large pen.