Best type of chicken for kids to raise...

[chicken master]

I would say bhrama. My bhrama rooster get on my shoulder and will stay on it every where i go

 

[morninggloryhatchery]

I say Silkies. For me silkies are very nice birds and very friendly. If not i would go with buff Orpintons

 

[wombat]

Buff Orpies are docile and good cold-weather birds. My kids' favorite though is some sort of RiR-crossbreed that was crossed with another RiR crossbreed; she will come when she is called, will let my daughter carry her around the yard half the day like a rag doll, and will repeatedly ride down the playground slide in my daughter's lap.

You might also want to look into how well the breeds you are looking at tolerate confinement, if you expect to confine yours, and which ones are "fliers", if getting over a fence might be an issue ...

Buff Orpies are fairly tolerant of being confined to a run, and are not fliers ... We also have RiR and RiR-mutts, and they're good with the kids, though they are not as happy when confined to their (rather large) run, and prefer to be on the loose whenever they can.

 

[MotherMal13]

I would go with Golden Comets. Mine are so sweet they jump on my lap and eat treats out of my hand. From what i have read they are cold hardy and great layers.

 

[Chicken Ninja]

With chickens, it's hard to go wrong getting a good family breed. Most breeds are well suited to backyard life and make very good family pets.

Remember; once you have the chickens, there will be some friendlier then others. The friendliness of chickens by breed can differ greatly from individual chickens. Just go with a breed that is said to be friendly, meets your climate and space needs, and is easily accessible for you to get.

Good luck

 

[popcornpuppy]

I personally don't think the breed matters a whole lot. There are several cold hardy birds such as the Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire Red, Plymouth Rocks (7 different types of Rocks), and The Deleware that are good egg layers as well. Then there are smaller birds such as bantams that may be easier for kids to handel, and there are docile breeds such as the Polish (Polish are not reliable egg layers though). I would say that the most important thing is how you raise the chickens. The more socialization and love they get (regardless of the breed) the friendlier they will be. It is almost like having a dog.....the more time you spend with them, instead of just putting them out in the yard and do their own thing, the more they will want to spend time with you and the family.

 

[HappyKat]

I'd suggest talking to the people who live close to you that bought from the same hatchery you are going to buy from. So many chickens are so different, depending on the lines.

I have 6 industrial laying red hybrids. 4 are awesome with me and my 3 young kids. They are carried around, taught tricks like sitting on heads or shoulders. One is a total spazz. Another squawks a ton, but tolerates lots.

I know someone who got a couple year old battery hens. Nicest birds EVER. You never know.

Good luck, and have FUN!

 

[Hoosiermomma]

I think it depends on whether or not you are strictly wanting a kid friendly breed or if you want something that is a reliable large egg layer, weather hardy, hen or roo, etc....
We love our B.O's b/c they are friendly, cold hardy and lay wonderful eggs. However we also love our bantam cochins b/c they are so sweet and love to cuddle. The pullets aren't old enough yet to lay so we aren't sure what to expect yet but they will always be our favorite. We are planning on getting silkies for the kids too in the near future as most have similar dispositions as cochins are beautiful to look at as well.
Good luck!

 

[milleryardchx]

my barred rocks and my buff brahma have put up with my son since he was 6 months old then it was just petting. he is 18 months now and when he goes in the coop he knows his three gals from the rest they let him grab eggs from under them with no issues and he carries our big fluffy brahma hen around like a rag doll and she just lays their limp untill he releases her and she still just stays around he feet because he always gives treats or crumbs from his last meal. but these ladies are also 2 years old and have mellowed a bit but i still get an egg a day. Last year both barred rocks gave over 330 eggs each.

 

[Pattymal]

I have 2 little girls, ages 3 & 5, plus we have a dog and an outdoor cat.
We are just getting started and are trying some Barred Rocks, Standard Cochins, and Buff Orpingtons (six of each). We went with standards over Bantams as I wanted a good size egg and thought the larger size bird might be a little more intimidating and less 'appealing' to the cat and the dog, should they inadvertantly cross paths!

The Cochins we are hatching (hopefully) and the others are due to arrive at the end of August in time for my daughter's 6th birthday.
All 3 are supposed to be docile, friendly breeds.
It'll be interesting to see which ones become our favorites!