BYC Debate Thread- What's The Friendliest Chicken Breed?

[BenlynFarm]

We have a mixed flock. As for the hens, our Welsummer and a Prairie Bluebell egger are the friendliest. The best rooster we’ve owned is our Blue Laced Red Wyandotte. He’s very chill and has never tried to attack anyone including the little kids.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

So we have four breeds of bantams. We have Polish, Bantam Cochins, Seramas and Silkies.

Of these three.....our snuggliest Chickens have to be the POLISH....and the least snuggly are the COCHINS. That being said, we only have hens and we have a much larger sample of Polish!

A few of my polish girls have even learned their names! They love to come running for their treats and we have one polish girl that thinks she should live inside.

All of that being said....I think one of the reasons that the polish are so easy is because they just can't see at all lol. Our one Polish that has good vision because of how her crest was formed can be a PITA if she does not want to be caught or does not want to go back in the coop at night.

Of our bantam cochins...we had one sweet sweet girl. She did not let us pick her up quite as much as the polish. However, she was just a sweetheart. Unfortunately we found her dead in the coop...no injuries...no sour crop or egg binding. I am thinking she must have just had a week heart. She was 2 years old. Her sister has always been grumpy...I think she hates me because she had an eye infection as a baby and I had to take her out to treat her. She only likes me when I have treats!

As far as the silkies....these birds are so much fun. We had one silkie that would probably tie for the sweetest bird we have ever known. She was not scared of anyone and loved to be held and cuddled. However, her lack of fear was to her demise and we lost her to a racoon.

The Seramas are also pretty special. We have one that is super sweet and one that is stand offish. The one that is sweet will fly up to our hand to get treats.

However, I just always come back to my Polish. They honestly can not be beat....great egg layers and awesome personalities. In the end I know it comes down to the bird...but almost all of our Polish girls are just awesome.

Not sure if this helps and this was all just our experience.

Agree with you here! My Polish girl is also quite friendly, an excellent layer and never goes broody!

 

[PippinTheChicken]

the index has grown a lot! this is great!

 

[SilverBirds]

My absolute sweetest have always been my Cochins and seramas.

I got five cochins from my neighbor. They were full grown, and didn't have a lot of human contact. My neighbor had to use a net to give catch them (not sure why he didn't just grab them) . Brought them home, and they were so sweet. I've also raised Seramas for a few years. Little kids love to carry them around the yard and they are so tolerant of it.

And the cochins are so cute and poofy with their feathered feet and the seramas with their big chests!

 

[whobodybusch]

I would say every chicken has the possibility. Many of my Polish are skittish, but a couple are absolute love bugs. I've got a sweet heart Ameraucana, and amazing silkie as well. Each chicken has its own personality. In my experience any chicken needing extra TLC, especially as a chick, tends to appreciate it. I'm sure there are exceptions though.

 

[AgnesGray]

The friendliest chickens we have had have been the ones we spent the most time with when they were young. Among those, the cream of the crop friendliest have been about 10 breeds, but since I can only list 3, I'll list these.

Orpingtons: a classic favorite... they love spending time in our laps and getting handfed treats.

Cochins: same as Orpingtons. Very docile gentle giants. We have partridge cochins and love their sweet dispositions (almost to a fault as they tend to get picked on if in a less laid-back group).

Silkies:
They're some more spunky than the Orpingtons and Cochins we've had, and so friendly and gentle (as long as they're not broody). My silkie roosters get carried to meet and greet with kids, watch over hens and babies and enjoy being loved and social.

(I saw bielefelders on the list and our boys have been absolutely amazing roosters. The hens also are so laid back. But the hens are so laid back they're almost keep-to-themself-ish. They have many other amazing attributes, but are not outgoing like the others above, in my opinion.)

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Dorkings are my favorite for friendliness. Big, lumbering birds with the most gentle souls you'll ever know. They are fairly low-key personality-wise compared to others like the Cochins or Old English, but they love to sit either in your lap or next to you and just relax while you stroke their soft feathers. I also love their goofiness, their funny voices, and their docility. Very few breeds I've owned over the years have been as chill as these gals are.

 

[picklestheduck]

Buff orpingtons. They are the friendliest in my opinion. They are calm, and very well behaved most of the time. They are a breed used in 4h all over. They do well with kids and don't usually mind the transport and handling that comes with showing. They are a great bird that responds so well with attention. Meet my girl Mango.

 

[Acre4Me]

whats a BA again?

Black Australorp

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Black Australorp

thanks!