Breed pros and cons?

[mountainchickens]

Hi! We have a broody and are thinking of adopting day-olds to her. We're trying to decide between breeds. Number one is Black Copper Marans. Does anyone know some pros and cons for Marans? I'm also looking for info on Silkies and Polishes. Would they be OK in a small flock of normal chickens? I'm also looking for pros and cons on Ameraucanas, Olive Eggers and Brabanters. Additionally... does anyone know some of the best breeds to fit our CO climate (snows and is almost always below freezing in wintertime, hot (up to 105 Fahrenheit) and often dry in summer)? Thank you!

 

[Perris]

dark eggs (as per Marans) -pro- look nice in a mixed egg basket but -con- are hard to candle.
small simple combs are less prone to frostbite in cold climates, so choose a breed with that characteristic.
a lot will depend on what you can get locally as day olds of course!

 

[Ryder]

I have marans and there such a nice breed besides the cuckoo they seem to be cuckoo lol. They have such a thick shell, chicks are hardy, there rare, they can go broody and make great mothers. Ameraunas seemed to be mean to new birds introduced to the flock. But the black copper marans are so friendly!!!! Go for black copper marans

 

[Ryder]

I have marans and there such a nice breed besides the cuckoo they seem to be cuckoo lol. They have such a thick shell, chicks are hardy, there rare, they can go broody and make great mothers. Ameraunas seemed to be mean to new birds introduced to the flock. But the black copper marans are so friendly!!!! Go for black copper marans

That's a pencil laced black copper maran in my profile picture

 

[Alexandra33]

What are your criteria? Any must-have qualities other than extreme hardiness?

I've raised all listed except Brabanters.

~Alex

 

[mountainchickens]

Thanks everyone! I think one of our breeds will be BCMS

What are your criteria? Any must-have qualities other than extreme hardiness?

I've raised all listed except Brabanters.

~Alex

Not really, but good temperaments and egg production are always appreciated That said, we would go for a breed that produces less eggs if it's good in our climate and is sweet and friendly! I'm also always looking for new colors of eggs. Right now we just have light brown and blue.

 

[Alexandra33]

Thanks everyone! I think one of our breeds will be BCMS

Not really, but good temperaments and egg production are always appreciated That said, we would go for a breed that produces less eggs if it's good in our climate and is sweet and friendly! I'm also always looking for new colors of eggs. Right now we just have light brown and blue.

Knowing a little more information, here's my personal take on each breed (keeping in mind experiences vary).

Marans - A need in every flock. Not only are those dark eggs stunning, their personalities shine just as bright. Wonderfully hardy, as well. Mine have always produced quite nicely....perhaps 4-6 eggs per week. The reason I intentionally left off "Black Copper" is because, of all Marans varieties, this has been my least favorite. Wheaten, Black-tailed Buff, Splash, Golden Cuckoo, and Black seem to offer significantly friendlier dispositions. I've found BCs to be aloof. Haven't encountered any cons besides affectionate biting. Some individuals may not be huge fans.

Silkie - Mine haven't shaped up to be your typical dim-witted, soft Silkies, which is why this review is vastly different. My 12 excelled in a flock environment, were/are tough as nails, exuded aggression, and kept everyone else in line. Last November, our Silkie clan free-ranged in the midst of a frigid winter storm, while everyone else sought shelter and huddled. Those crazies continue to shock me each day. On the bright side, they make wonderful broodies. However, many will tell you Silkies can't coexist with others, die at the drop of a hat, love children, and are physically unable to handle extreme temperatures.

Polish - I'm completely new to this breed, but am already in love with their quirky outlook on life. Guests go wild over Polish. My pullet (Poof Head) and cockerel (Bowie) recently turned 4 months. Besides stealing hearts with immense sweetness, Polish are somewhat baffling. I never know what to expect next. Recently, Poof Head decided it's fun to challenge legs for no apparent reason. Overall, they do pretty well with other breeds, if you're alright with a few missing crest feathers here and there. Poof Head and Bowie's Rhode Island Red bantam "siblings" are quite bad about plucking everyone. Egg production remains to be seen. So far, heat tolerance is quite good.

Ameraucana - Mixed feelings about this breed. I wasn't a huge fan of my large fowl AMs, to be completely honest. Egg production isn't stellar, though those huge blue eggs delighted us each time....likely because we got so few of them. Not a whole lot to report as far as personality goes, either. One of the girls suffered chronic reproductive tract issues, eventually leading to a fatal case of EYP. One of the most important pros is comb type, which prevents frostbite in cold climates. I'm personally biased towards Easter Eggers for several reasons, but if you're solely after blue eggs (and fine with spending a little extra ), Cream Legbars are worth their weight in gold. That said, I absolutely adore my Ameraucana bantams.

Olive Egger - Fantastic egg color, lovely appearance, quite hardy, and decent personality. The Marans X Ameraucana strain isn't terribly prolific, but I imagine the Welsummer X Cream Legbar cross would provide you with all the eggs you need. Sadly, my beautiful girl passed away at a very young age. I will probably be ordering more in the future.

~Alex