Bird Brain

[poolcoping]

Ok so I am going to build my Friend a small "A frame" style chicken tractor. She would like to have two hens who will lay eggs for her and her children. My question is this" what breed to use?" Which Breed will tolerate confinement,lay well,stay quiet(so ppl don't complain),and are docile and easy to handle. If this is a topic that has been gone over a lot I'm sorry but I'm still abit new to the sight and very much a neophyte. Any way hope some of you might help

 

[cmom]

It's difficult to say what she should get for a breed. If you asked a lot different people you would probably get many different answers. Some may agree on a breed. Also do you want dual purpose or just good egg layers. Here is a great reference book, Gail Damerow's 'Storey's Guide to Chickens' is an excellent resource, as well as this web site which is an excellent source of information.

Also here are some other good sites and info and more good links.
Henderson's Chicken Breed Chart
http://www.mypetchicken.com/aboutChickens.aspx
https://www.backyardchickens.com/lcenter.html
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKPoultryPage.html
https://www.backyardchickens.com/coopdesigns.html
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-Treats_Chart

 

[KattyKillFish]

i agree it all really depends on what you want. meat? eggs? both? pretty chickens? tiny chickens? huge chickens? well tempered chickens? mean ones?

it all depends. here is what i suggest, but others may disagree or have others in mind

red stars (red sex-link) are great and very calm - lay ALOT of eggs
black stars (black sex link) are my favorites. they have great individual personalities. very fun birds
leghorns, especially white, are among the best egglayers but leghonr males tend to be bratty and mean (but thats why i love them) the white variety seems to take confinement pretty okay...


just a few ideas. hope i've helped!

 

[poolcoping]

Being there will only be a few birds in the small tractor I am going to assume she wants EGGS layers. She does home school for her young children and is using the chickens for school stuff and for her family to eat eggs! She likes my NHR chickens but would like a bird with "more colors" and a nice "disposition".thanks for responding by the way people I really do appreciate any feedback a lot because I wanna make a good choice for their needs.

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Quote:
I'd go with Easter Eggers - she might get blue or green egg layers (mine lays brownish pink) and they come in a lot of different varities of colors and patterns.

Most feedstores and hatcheries sell Easter Eggers as "ameraucana" or "araucana". (please forgive me if I spelled those two wrong).

meri

 

[KattyKillFish]

that being said i must suggest a few more

brown leghorns

excellet layers of white eggs and the hens have a creamy orange braest with penciling around the neck area. hens have great dispositions, too but it's the roos i would worry about.

araucana, americana and EE's are great! happy birds, colorful & pretty and BLUE EGGS! who wouldn't want that? they are great layers too. roos are very gentle.

brahamas are also one of my favorites, they are very nice birds and children seem to like them

never had any roos though.

and silkies! they are great egg layers and they are so adorable

very good temperament but tend to go broody and may slow production due to the broodiness. silkie roos don't crow very loud, but they try to.

wyandottes are especially great too. they have nice colors and they seem curious about everything

hope this is more help... just some suggestions to look into. i've looked them all up and it seems they all take confinement pretty well too.