Best Chicken

[TillinWithMyPeeps]

Well, Andy, it is our duty to try and enable you to get as many as you can stand.

I know! I started this thread because I thought you guys would be able to help me narrow down the choices, that didn't happen, the decision has just gotten more difficult.

I vote for Silkies of course... but to me they meet the requirements to a T because those were my requirements.... I only had to give up on egg size... but they weren't as small as I thought they would be. I have to say, they are very quiet, and that makes me very happy!!!!



relatively good egg layers, friendly, cold hardy, and not especially loud

I have honestly thought about getting at least one silkie, but, i have heard they are evil,

,
and besides that I have heard that it is very hard to sex them. I can't afford to have any roos, I really can't.​

 

[hcammack]

My marans are very winter hardy they are from Meyer hatchery and they lay a good color on the marans egg chart you should get a few in your order mine are also very docile and are the second friendliest breed I have aside from the delewares (aggresivlly friendly) and faverolles (so sweet and docile). I would order a few hens if I were you.

Henry

 

[tiki244]

Favorelles lay all winter and have lots and lots of feathers to keep them warm. If you don't get any males I don't think you will have a problem with the combs freezing. I also think red sex links lay in the winter but I am not sure. I think you need to provide the hens with 12-14 hours of light for them to lay. My Orpingtons didn't lay in the winter.


EEs/Ameraucanas have the nice little rosecomb or something like that so you dont have to worry about comb damage, and they lay colorful eggs. But, I don't know if they lay in the winter.


All of the above bird breeds I would consider to be fairly quiet.

 

[quercus21]

One of the reasons we picked New Hampshire Reds is the size they'll get when they mature. We live out in the country and predators haven't been a problem as of yet, but we do have frequent hawks flying overhead and can hear barred owls calling in the woods.
They are also supposed to be able to tolerate the heat and cold better. Where we are along the Hudson River in NY, the temperatures can fluctuate between winter time cold of -15F and summer highs of 100+F. Also the humidity can range from very dry to ugly humid.
They are considered to be a dual propose bird. These birds are for egg consumption and not for meat. I raise the Cornish X's for meat. If need be, I could use them for meat. They are not a heavy egg layer so we shouldn't be overwhelmed with eggs.
They do have a nice personality. I think the rooster would follow my wife “The Boss” to the ends of the world and back. When he was younger, he would hop right up on her knee for his “greens”. Some of the hens would get up on the perches for their greens, to get out of the rush of the others. They always seem to be watching you, to see what you are up to.
I wanted one breed of chicken and not “mutts”. (No disrespect intended.) A coworker of mine, wished he had kept his flock with one breed.

 

[TillinWithMyPeeps]

Ok, you guys are going to hate me.

I now think I want:

1 Buff Orpington
1 Red Star
1 Salmon Faverolle
1 Easter Egger

Just one more month before I can lock it in.

Do the Easter Eggers really take like 28 weeks to lay?

 

[hcammack]

It all depends on the bird how long they lay mine layed at 20 weeks and my Leghorns waited till 25 so its all up in the air

 

[cgmccary]

My Buckeye hens are extremely friendly, always running to greet me. It is all I can do not to step on them. They want to get right under me & following me around.

It is not so important as to "when a pullet starts to lay" but more important is, "how long she lays" & "how long she takes to finish molt" (all inherited and not so much a breed thing)-- I like my Buckeye pullets to start laying LATER rather than earlier because their bodies develop better. Those are the pullets they lay the longest before taking a break. I can control this by hatching them later in the spring so that just when they would normally start laying, our days begin shortening to the shortest-- then I have 9 month old pullets just beginning to lay and larger than their dams. . . . (or take the case of a slow growing pullet like a Brahma-- some who don't start laying until they are a year old-- but the eggs are so large . . . just my humble opinion.

 

[AtRendeAcres]

We all have our favorites

((have you noticed))

your list is Great!

((of course I would add a Brahma pea comb & great personality))

you shouldn't have to worry about combs (the hens of the breeds you picked are small)

Joanne

 

[DoubleG]

Great thread!

I also enjoy a mixed flock. I am getting ready to order a few more for this year and after reading this thread I decided on the following;

2 - Golden Laced Wayandotte
2 - Salmon Faverolles
2 - Rhode Island Reds
2 - Welsummer
2 - Speckled Sussex

 

[GardeNerd]

I like your choice of hens. I think you did your homework.

I went in on an order with a group of other folks. We are all suburban and urban residents. Most of us were trying to choose dependable/ good layers, friendly, and quiet breeds. Based on researching here at BYC and other sources, this is list of breeds from the order of 40 chicks for the 7 people. These where the hens we all thought were the best backyard breeds for the city.

Salmon Favorelle
Red sex-link (red star, red comet)
Black Australorp
Buff Orpington
Speckled Sussex
Barred Rock
Easter Eggers