RachelEllen
In the Brooder
- Mar 25, 2015
- 11
- 0
- 22
Ok, may be totally overthinking this, but we are planning our backyard, suburban micro flock (2-3 chickens) and I want to get it right!
We are looking for some good chickens for backyard egg laying and pets. Top characteristics - quiet, friendly, egg laying, not great flyers (i.e. good pets and good neighbors) . I realize that there are variations within every breed. However, my husband is a vegetarian, so whichever birds we get are with us for the long haul. (He will only agree to this project if we keep the chickens until they naturally expire eggs or no eggs)
Because of this, I had also decided we should work with started pullets, so we don't have to deal with possible roosters, able to better control exact number.
I had settled on the Buff Orpington as our best bet. However, my husband, for purely aesthetic reasons really loves the Barred Rocks.
They both look like great birds and reasonably easy to find. But, from what I read the Buff Orpington is marginally more likely to be the right bird for us. So, thoughts? Overthinking? He's willing to go with whatever I decide, but if its truly not that big a difference, or individual bird variation will make it a toss up anyhow, I want to go with his choice. I considered one of each, but I'd read that the Barred Rock is likely to pick on the Orpington.
Other decision is 2 chickens or 3. 2 would be more manageable. Plus, I figure we could work in another one later if we want a steady (if slow) stream of eggs. However, if we just get two and we lose one, is that really awful for the other?
We are looking for some good chickens for backyard egg laying and pets. Top characteristics - quiet, friendly, egg laying, not great flyers (i.e. good pets and good neighbors) . I realize that there are variations within every breed. However, my husband is a vegetarian, so whichever birds we get are with us for the long haul. (He will only agree to this project if we keep the chickens until they naturally expire eggs or no eggs)
Because of this, I had also decided we should work with started pullets, so we don't have to deal with possible roosters, able to better control exact number.
I had settled on the Buff Orpington as our best bet. However, my husband, for purely aesthetic reasons really loves the Barred Rocks.
They both look like great birds and reasonably easy to find. But, from what I read the Buff Orpington is marginally more likely to be the right bird for us. So, thoughts? Overthinking? He's willing to go with whatever I decide, but if its truly not that big a difference, or individual bird variation will make it a toss up anyhow, I want to go with his choice. I considered one of each, but I'd read that the Barred Rock is likely to pick on the Orpington.
Other decision is 2 chickens or 3. 2 would be more manageable. Plus, I figure we could work in another one later if we want a steady (if slow) stream of eggs. However, if we just get two and we lose one, is that really awful for the other?
