Breed Recommendations for a newbie

[GuineaFowling]

I would suggest at least one Australorp hen. They are actually a mixture between a RIR and an Orpington so they lay very well, are very friendly, and are beautiful. My favorite breeds are Orpingtons and Australorp.

 

[Michael OShay]

I would suggest at least one Australorp hen. They are actually a mixture between a RIR and an Orpington so they lay very well, are very friendly, and are beautiful. My favorite breeds are Orpingtons and Australorp.

Actually Australorps were bred primarily from Black Orpingtons with several other breeds added to increase their laying abilities, but you are right about them being friendly and great layers.

 

[KWSRetMSgt]

Hey everyone, boy did i get surprised tonight when i got home from work. I walked in the door and saw money laying on the dinning room table, i ask where it came from, and the Frau said she sold some eggs. BUT... thats not the surprise, the guy that bought the eggs, dropped off 4 guinea fowl chicks. It is always dark when i get home and couldnt see real well but it looked as if there were two gray and two white. I understand their great to have, but i have no clue how to deal with them, so im asking for any info i can get.

 

[Michael OShay]

the guy that bought the eggs, dropped off 4 guinea fowl chicks. . . I understand their great to have, but i have no clue how to deal with them, so im asking for any info i can get.

What a pleasant surprise. I'm a chicken person and don't know much about guinea fowl, but if you click on the Guinea Fowl section of the forum at https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/45/guinea-fowl, there are probably a lot of BYC members there who can tell you all about guinea fowl. Good luck.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

I didn't read through the whole thread, but the sweetest birds I have are my Dominiques. Sweet, calm and curious - LOVE them!

Definitely. They are one of the ancestors of the Barred Rock - think of them as having the Rock temperament, but with ADHD. They are very busy foragers, perhaps too active for some folks, tolerate confinement in a run but are extremely busy foragers if given pasture, are very lively, curious, and hilarious. Our flock is known as the Keystone Koop after the Keystone Kops - because they are hysterically funny - although not incompetent.

When they hear the back door open, they are immediately on the move looking for a snack and companionship. Some will burst from the ground like pheasants and fly right over the picnic table. Others will run from opposite sides of a raised bed and then collide on their way to the deck - and just keep running, even if one is bowled over, they just leap up and keep coming. If sit on the deck, they'll get up beside me and peck gently at my sides for attention, while others will pull on my pants or jump in my lap. On some occasions they will come up from behind me and I will find them lined up behind me, watching what I am doing.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

Mpgo4th is correct in saying that they are all red males X white/silver females, although there are different breeds used for these hybrids layers. RSLs, also known as Red Stars, are RIR X Delaware, Golden Comets are typically Production Red X R.I.White, unless you are talking about Hubbard's Golden Comet which is New Hampshire Red X White Rock. ISA Browns, also sold as Shaver Browns and Babcock Browns are RIR X White Leghorn, and Star is simply another name for Sex Link. Black Sex Link, also sold as Black Star or Bovans Nera, is RIR X Barred Rock; Brown Sex Link, also sold as Brown Stars is RIR X White Rock; and Gold Sex Link, also sold as Cinnamon Queen, Bovans Brown, Golden Buff, and Amber Star is RIR X R.I. White. I personally prefer the Black Sex Link (Black Stars) as they have been a little friendlier and more docile than my other hybrids and have layed a little better in cold, winter weather.

I'm with Michael on Black Stars. They are just much easier to live with than most of the other hybrids, and they are tougher in both cold and hot weather. They lay very large eggs, and I've found that they have a very fast molt, not starting until late October ore even later in the Bay area.

 

[Michael OShay]

Mpgo4th is correct in saying that they are all red males X white/silver females, although there are different breeds used for these hybrids layers. RSLs, also known as Red Stars, are RIR X Delaware, Golden Comets are typically Production Red X R.I.White, unless you are talking about Hubbard's Golden Comet which is New Hampshire Red X White Rock. ISA Browns, also sold as Shaver Browns and Babcock Browns are RIR X White Leghorn, and Star is simply another name for Sex Link. Black Sex Link, also sold as Black Star or Bovans Nera, is RIR X Barred Rock; Brown Sex Link, also sold as Brown Stars is RIR X White Rock; and Gold Sex Link, also sold as Cinnamon Queen, Bovans Brown, Golden Buff, and Amber Star is RIR X R.I. White. I personally prefer the Black Sex Link (Black Stars) as they have been a little friendlier and more docile than my other hybrids and have layed a little better in cold, winter weather.

Actually, I should make a slight correction on Isa Browns (Shaver Browns, Babcock Browns). The were initially RIR X RIW (as White Leghorns do not have the silver gene, necessary to produce Red Sex Links), however some Leghorn blood was added into the mix later. The bottom line is no matter which names they are marketed under, they are all Red Sex Links produced by crossing a red gene rooster with a silver gene hen. Black Sex Links, on the other hand, use a barred gene hen (usually a Barred Rock). For whatever reason (at least in the case of the ones I've raised), this seems to improve the temperament of the BSLs over the RSLs somewhat (there are, of course, always exceptions) and make them slightly better cold weather layers.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

Actually, I should make a slight correction on Isa Browns (Shaver Browns, Babcock Browns). The were initially RIR X RIW (as White Leghorns do not have the silver gene, necessary to produce Red Sex Links), however some Leghorn blood was added into the mix later. The bottom line is no matter which names they are marketed under, they are all Red Sex Links produced by crossing a red gene rooster with a silver gene hen. Black Sex Links, on the other hand, use a barred gene hen (usually a Barred Rock). For whatever reason (at least in the case of the ones I've raised), this seems to improve the temperament of the BSLs over the RSLs somewhat (there are, of course, always exceptions) and make them slightly better cold weather layers.

I suspect that the addition of Leghorn didn't help with aggressiveness issues. Barred Rocks are an amazingly stable, calm, relaxed bird, and the Black Stars I've had have seemed to have more of a Rock temperament, although significantly vinegary. I think that the Rock genetics make a huge difference in winter laying and temperament.

I would suspect that a Red Sex Link resulting from a White Rock hen might have a better temperament than the more common variations.

 

[misslys15]

I have a RIR and three Golden Comets. One of my Comets is the friendliest, but my RIR is definitely friendlier than the others. My RIR comes running whenever we come outside waiting for treats. One of my Comets loves to be picked up and will fall asleep in my arms. She is so adorable. Don't tell my other chickens, but she's my favorite. Only one of my Comets have started laying so far, but I know they are bred for laying, and they lay large brown eggs. My RIR lays medium-large eggs almost every day. Comets are only supposed to live about 3 years though I think since they are bred to basically be an egg factory, so if you're looking for a bird with a longer lifespan, I'd go with RIR. My Comets are much livelier than my RIR though. My RIR will calmly walk around foraging, but my Comets will play and run around and chase each other in addition to foraging. My Comets are also a lot more curious; they'll peck at everything, whereas my RIR is just obsessed with food. Golden Comets might be more fun for your daughter to play with as she grows up, but you probably won't get one that will grow up with her. A Rhode Island Red would be more of the pet that she'd bond with over the years. It all depends on what you want. I hate to pick favorites, but as long as you don't mind giving them a happy short life and don't mind replacing them after several years, I think Golden Comets would be a good fit. They're a fun breed.

I don't have any Orpingtons, but I've only heard good things about them.

I also have a Barred Plymouth Rock, also a consistent large brown egg layer and good for beginners. She doesn't like to be held as much, but she perches on people without issue. My brother and boyfriend have both had her perched on their heads. She'll take anyone's shoulder. She's a character. Kind of whiny though, so if you're looking for a quieter bird, I'd recommend RIRs or Golden Comets. She also likes to sit in the nesting box for hours, which the others don't like, even though they have plenty of other boxes to choose from.

I have a Golden Laced Wyandotte, and while she was good with the other two hens she grew up with, she is really mean to the younger pullets I have, and sprints away when anyone gets near her. She is the least friendly of my flock of nine. I had a Columbian Wyandotte too, but she died when she was a few days old, so I can't really speak to them except that she seemed especially fragile as a chick.

My other three are Tetra Tints, but they lay a cream colored egg, so they're probably not what you're looking for. They peck a bit harder and are the troublemakers of my group (always perching on my fences, flying up everywhere, running around really fast, they even jumped out of their cardboard box as chicks), so I wouldn't recommend them if you have a young daughter.

My RIR and Golden Comets are my favorite breeds. You could always get one RIR, one Comet, and one Orpington, too. I like having a mix of breeds, and if you ever get more of a different breed, they'll be easier to introduce because the chickens aren't used to everyone looking the same. I would get at least 3. As someone above said, chickens are very social. If one dies and you're left with one, it will probably die of loneliness, no matter how much human attention it gets.

Highly recommend Rhode Island Reds and Golden Comets! Let us know what you end up getting!

 

[misslys15]

My Golden Laced Wyandotte is also mean to the other girls and avoids human contact at all costs. And she's from a farm! My hatchery girls have been much nicer!