Breed Recommendations for a newbie

[marvun22]

Here are 3

Orpingtons: pros: Great dual purpose breed, Good pets. Cons: Mean to newbie (mine are, not with everybody) misc: Broody (can be good or bad, depending on your goals)

New Hampshires: pros: Fast maturing breed. Good layer and very good meat bird. Friendly. Cons: Have inherited some meanness from their ancient ancestor, the Rhode Island Red.

Australorps: pros: good meat bird, exceptional layer. Friendly to everybody, but still won't let every other chicken walk over it. cons: The longer I own it, the more I want to buy many more.

 

[Helenshens2013]

I love my Silkies but they are broody. I do believe if they are handled and trained to learn that treats are fun they will follow you around loyally most breeds I have encountered are "trainable" but it does take time and patience! My americaunas love me to death and think I am their rooster!

 

[myfivegirls]

I've found that the Red Stars are excellent layers - depending on which hatchery - almost every day for the first 18 months or so of laying. They are usually very friendly and don't mind being picked up. Even when I go a long time between picking them up, they're always the easiest to handle. But, I haven't owned B. Orps, so I don't know how they compare to them. But the RSL will usually out-lay most any breed, at least when they're grain fed. If you reduce the amount of grain they get and increase other food sources, the Red Stars will drop in production, while some of the other "foraging" breeds keep laying about the same (which is usually less than the Red Stars, anyways).

 

[Joan71]

I have 4 red sex-link hens. They do well together, produce an egg a day each of them. Once they started laying their behavior became very friendly, wanting to be petted and talked to. We spend an hour or so with them in the yard every evening that we can. They chase the cat when she gets to curious. The dog, they pay little to no attention. Although, they are all RSL's, each one has her own personality, they know their pecking order so things are good. They accept strangers very easily, don't mind the children petting them or following them around. Love to be fed by the children, esp. treats. 4 is a good size flock. They are a little community in and of itself. Blondie is the head of the flock, with two in the middle and little Henny coming up in the rear. Henny was smaller than the others when I got them. She has started to catch up with them. Stands her own with the others in the flock. She is my favorite. Good luck with your flock. Hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy mine.

 

[Wyandottes7]

I just wanted to add more information about the breeds that I've had experience with:

Australorps: Not all that tame, but pretty good layers.

Orpingtons: Easy to pick up and can go broody. Lay okay, but aren't particulary friendly.

Easter Eggers: Sweet, gentle, and lay green eggs. Good birds overall.

Barred Rocks: Aren't excellent layers. They do not mind being handled, but don't enjoy it.

Red Sex-Links: Docile, excellent layers. Not the most personable, but still very people-loving.

Polish: Gentle birds that are often picked on. Not great layers, but interesting to look at.

Wyandottes: Sweet and docile. Great layers, and enjoy human company/being handled.

 

[NickW1]

Buff Orpingtons and Barred Rocks, make sure you have more Buffs than Rocks as the Rocks will dominate the Buffs.

 

[unkljim]

It's hard to go wrong here. All chickens have their good points. I really like our Welsummer and Easter Eggers. Wouldn't want to do without either. Would like to have Faveroles and orpingtons too.

 

[FireflyNights]

I love my polish but she's not a great layer. My new Hampshire and my australorp are very docile and decent layers. Though my coturnix keep me well stocked with eggs so eggs aren't my priority I just enjoy my girls.

 

[chickiegrrl]

We only have 4 hens, out of the four our Buff Orpington is by far the friendliest. She is curious and loves to be close to us. Second would be our Black Australorp, she is sooooooo sweet. I would love to have more BAs. She is shy around other people, but she is just a darling girl, and very beautiful. Our Easter Egger is a nice girl, she is very beautiful. She looks like a hawk in markings and because she doesn't have a comb or wattles. Our RIR girl is a little fireball. She is funny and nice. She's a bit domineering with the other girls, but she's not mean at all.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I have several breeds and love them all. Silkies cause they are just adorable , Wyandotte cause they are inquisitive , sussex cause they lay me big eggs all through winter and they are very pretty. I hand rear mine from chicks and while they all have their quirky little personalities the level of handling when they are young will dictate what type of bird you end up with.