Breed suggestions for CO with kids?

[Butterprint]

My husband and I close on our first home in 20 days. We're very excited and one of the first things we want to do is build a coop and get some chicks!

We're sold on buff orpingtons. We also like araucanas. But I figured I should ask the experts and see what you all say about breeds for newer chicken keepers and especially those with children? We have three little ones and plan to teach them to be calm and gentle with the chicks, but we also want to hear more about breeds that are good with kids, urban settings, and Colorado weather.

If anyone has any advice, I'd love to hear it! Thanks

 

[LRH97]

Congratulations! The world of poultry is fascinating and a great joy, especially for kids, to experience. I think you made a great decision with the Buff Orpingtons. I would call my three hens my "lap chickens". Also, Ameraucanas are another favorite of mine. They come in so many colors, look interesting with their bears and muffs, and kids love their colored eggs. Other standard breeds that I've found to be quite sweet are Australorps and Barred Rocks. Hope I helped!

 

[Urucubaca]

Some Game birds might make an interesting pet. They are more active and curious than others. Old English Game Bantams or Australian Pit Game Bantams are small and full of energy. When tamed, they make fantastic pets for children as a lot of them love affection and are brilliant forgers.

I'd recommend free ranging them, even on a small property, as they'd have a great life and it is good for the children to see them out and about and how they interact with the outside world.

For a more relaxed (maybe more boring) I'd go for Silkies. They are used in schools in Australia, so, how much more 'children friendly' can you get?


I don't know what's available for you, as many countries have different availabilities for different breeds, and you didn't mention which country you are from.

 

[Urucubaca]

Sorry, looking at your profile I see Denver, CO. Don't know 'CO', but know Denver is American.

I'd go for the OEGB, as APGB aren't really available in USA.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

My husband and I close on our first home in 20 days. We're very excited and one of the first things we want to do is build a coop and get some chicks!

We're sold on buff orpingtons. We also like araucanas. But I figured I should ask the experts and see what you all say about breeds for newer chicken keepers and especially those with children? We have three little ones and plan to teach them to be calm and gentle with the chicks, but we also want to hear more about breeds that are good with kids, urban settings, and Colorado weather.

If anyone has any advice, I'd love to hear it! Thanks

Black Australorps! My current favorite.
Easter Eggers
Buff Orpingtons are fine but they don't lay that wonderfully...I'd say maybe three eggs a week. They go broody a lot and you don't get eggs during that time.
Silkies...but they aren't as cold hardy as the large fowl. Others may say they are but from my experience they aren't- they sure act like they feel the cold.
Red Stars (sex links)
Black Stars (sex links)

If you get silkies later they may have a tough time integrating with the large fowl...especially those with Rhode Island Red blood in them (the sex links). So if you can get everyone at once that is best (chicks) so they are raised together. Silkies can hold their own pretty well in that situation. But adding them later can mean they get bullied.

If you want lots of eggs, I would go with the sex links and Australorps- and Easter Eggers. Silkies don't lay well at all. They are just for fun.

Oh- also...silkies don't fly. Easter Eggers CAN fly pretty well, so you may have to trim the flight feathers on one side - it depends on whether they want to get over the fence or not. You can also put up netting overhead to keep them in. The other breeds I mentioned and my Easter Egger generally stay in my 5 foot fenced area . But if they wanted very badly to get out they can. Trimming flight feathers is simple and would need to be repeated after molt.

 

[Urucubaca]

Black Australorps! My current favorite.
Easter Eggers
Buff Orpingtons are fine but they don't lay that wonderfully...I'd say maybe three eggs a week. They go broody a lot and you don't get eggs during that time.
Silkies...but they aren't as cold hardy as the large fowl. Others may say they are but from my experience they aren't- they sure act like they feel the cold.
Red Stars (sex links) 
Black Stars (sex links)

If you get silkies later they may have a tough time integrating with the large fowl...especially those with Rhode Island Red blood in them (the sex links). So if you can get everyone at once that is best (chicks) so they are raised together. Silkies can hold their own pretty well in that situation. But adding them later can mean they get bullied.

If you want lots of eggs, I would go with the sex links and Australorps- and Easter Eggers. Silkies don't lay well at all. They are just for fun.

Yeah, adding them later would be bad.

I added my Aseels and Silkies at the same time, and they get on well. Trying to add anything to Aseels later on would be disastrous.

 

[Butterprint]

Thanks for all the suggestions!

The CO means Colorado. We get highs and lows here, but it's actually relatively moderate weather most of the time.

Are Easter Eggers pretty good with children? I've also been interested in those and aracaunas.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Thanks for all the suggestions!

The CO means Colorado. We get highs and lows here, but it's actually relatively moderate weather most of the time.

Are Easter Eggers pretty good with children? I've also been interested in those and aracaunas.

I have had quite a few EEs. Some are very standoffish and don't crave human contact...flee in fact. Other ones are friendly and come up to me, talking. None have been lap chickens but then I didn't spend much time with them as chicks, either.

So I don't mind my kids being around them. But of course I would never trust a rooster of any breed with kids.

I don't want to have a flock without them- that is how I love those green/blue eggs and the beauty of the "breed". I put breed in quotations since they aren't technically a breed.

Araucanas are rumpless. Ameraucanas are EEs that have specific colors and traits- they are a breed. So EEs can be any color and some don't even lay blue or green eggs. The EE I have now that is adult lays a brown egg. Usually they do lay a green/blue egg though.

 

[aart]

EE's are mixed mutt chicken that have some Ameraucana or Araucana (these two names are frequently used for blatant mismarketing, so read closely the hatchery/sellers descriptions) in their background genes.

Most often they are Ameraucana mixed with any other kind of chicken...which gives them all kinds of different coloring in their feathers..and their eggs-thus the 'Easter Eggers' name.

Peacombs and beards are indicators of strong possibility of blue egg genes...but they can lay shades of blue, green, pink...or brown.
Tho I've just seen a hen with a straight comb, wattles and no beard that lays blue eggs.

 

[3riverschick]

Butterprint, I sent you a private message on BYC.
Best Success,
Karen in western PA, USA