Breed Recommendations for a newbie

[marktoo]

My experience with Marans is that they are wee bit flighty and not particularly enamored of children. And too noisy for my situation. I think for young children a more docile breed is a better choice. Nice birds for older children and adults, though, if noise isn't a significant issue. (It often amazes me that a neighbor whose Rottweiler and Chihuahuas bark all night complains to Animal Control about hen chatter. Animal Control didn't find the hen too loud - but to keep peace in the neighborhood I wound up selling ours.)

I'll take a neighbor with a half dozen hens over one with a couple of yappy dogs any day!

 

[The Yakima Kid]

I'll take a neighbor with a half dozen hens over one with a couple of yappy dogs any day!

Me, too. But God gave me this one.

 

[marktoo]

Me, too. But God gave me this one.

I don't file a complaint about the neighbor's yappy dogs & they don't file a complaint about my illegal hens. Helps that I'm rather fond of both the neighbors & their yappy dogs.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

I don't file a complaint about the neighbor's yappy dogs & they don't file a complaint about my illegal hens. Helps that I'm rather fond of both the neighbors & their yappy dogs.

The biddies are legal.

I never complained about his dogs barking. This despite months where the main exercise his dogs got was chasing me in my own backyard, and having one of our cars towed while we were out of town and therefore it didn't move in 72 hours.

 

[marktoo]

The biddies are legal.

I never complained about his dogs barking. This despite months where the main exercise his dogs got was chasing me in my own backyard, and having one of our cars towed while we were out of town and therefore it didn't move in 72 hours.

Sounds like a gem! How long have you been dealing with this? Guess some folks ain't never happy & try their best to make sure everyone else is miserable also.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

Sounds like a gem! How long have you been dealing with this? Guess some folks ain't never happy & try their best to make sure everyone else is miserable also.

It feels like forever, but I think it has only been about ten years or so. If that long.

 

[puppies9099]

I would get black Australorps and wyandottes cause they both go broody and are non aggressive and lay lots of eggs

 

[The Yakima Kid]

I would get black Australorps and wyandottes cause they both go broody and are non aggressive and lay lots of eggs

At the time I had Barred Rocks and Black Stars, both quiet, non-aggressive productive layers. My neighbor seems to have a strong interest in taking exception to almost anything we do. He likes to sit on his raised deck - illegally built way too close to the property line and stare at us over the fence through a lattice work he has installed there. If I open the drapes on a window on that side of the house at night, he will turn on his floodlight and fill our house at night. Makes me wish uncle Jesse was still alive and a house guest. (Only those who listened to Joe Question in the southwest in the old days will understand that one. He had a unique way of dealing with those who caused light pollution in his vicinity.)

But I'm stuck with the situation.

 

[marthak897]

I love my four Buff Orpingtons, they are very mellow, not a flighty bird at all. They hang out with the cats and dog without being frightened (I think the cats get upset when the chickens steal their food). They are also a good layer of beautiful brown eggs. You won't be disappointed if you choose Buffs. I also have 3 Easter Eggers, 5 Rhode Island Reds and 3 Production Reds....the Buffs are my favorite by far!

 

[ypease]

[I have three Silver-laced Wyandotte's and not only are they docile, laying brown eggs they are very friendly. They love human contact and are quite the big babies. Good sized hens and esthetically handsome as they look like a white hen with black lace draped over them. He breed tolerates cold well, and lay almost everyday. With the three, we give away some eggs as we cannot eat them all.

We love the girls so much and are so happy with them, we just purchased 3 more Golden laced Wyandotte chicks to complete our "Poultry Palace".

Good luck with your decision, as I think any breed you select, you will be happy with.