cannot decide on a Breed, need opinions and advice

[digitS']

Quote:
I've had the first 3 and my brother had a Speckled Sussex - a very pretty bird.

Okay, of the ones I've had: The Australorp was the best layer. They seem to be very curious hens, maybe they like people

.

It would be hard to beat the personality of the Brahma - a little aloof but calm and quiet.

The Buff Orpington, someone once described as the Golden Retriever of the chicken world. That's about right - awfully easy going.

I can understand wanting to have all the birds of the same breed. I got a little tired of having flocks that looked so "random." Still, I've got Barred Rock and Australorp now.

I haven't had a rooster in years and never one of the breeds you are thinking of. I did have a half-Australorp roo once. Much too violent, didn't like him

and got rid of him.

If you don't mind mixing the breeds, my advice is to get a rooster that is smaller than the hens. A roo of the same breed is about 25% heavier than a hen. He doesn't need to be. Altho' he was at least 25% lighter, my Hamburg roo Gabe looked just fine with his flock of Australorps. He was the dominant bird but didn't "throw his weight around" as is so common. He also wasn't "flighty" as Hamburgs tend to be. After all, his frumpy, dumpy Aussies weren't going anywhere

.

Steve

 

[SmittenChicken]

I have a mixed flock, I love the way it looks (plus it's much easier to tell them apart!). This is my first flock and they're only about 11 weeks, so I can't speak for egg production - but of the breeds you mentioned I have 2 Speckled Sussex and 2 Light Brahmas (also 3 EEs, 2 White Rocks, 2 Black Stars and 2 Red Stars).
One of my Sussex, Cacciatore (aka Tori) is the friendliest bird of them all and is always underfoot, loves to sit in laps, etc. However, the other one (Beercan) is one of the flightiest and wants nothing to do with people. So I would guess it has more to do with the individual bird than the breed. My two Brahmas (Saltimbocca and Lemon Pepper, aka Salt & Pepper) are not overly fond of being handled, but often greet me at the gate and try to follow me back out. They are really calm birds, plus their feathered feet are adorable.
Both breeds are beautiful birds and none of mine seem to be aggressive with the others (at this point I'm pretty sure they're all hens, though

)
So, I agree with the others who say you should do a mixed flock and pick your own favorites!

 

[noodleroo]

I love my buff orpingtons and I chose them because they make good pets. They are considered one of the best breeds for children to learn about chickens; docile, hardy and sweet....

 

[AinaWGSD]

No experience here, just an opinion. But like someone else said, I don't think you could go wrong with any of those breeds. We were considering all of those breeds except the australorps (I'm just not a fan of solid black birds...if they came in a few more colors they probably would have made the short list) and ended up choosing sussex (and EE, leghorn, and wyandotte...but you didn't ask about them). I actually wanted a brahma too, but the hatchery we ordered from wasn't going to have any available to ship the same time as the other breeds we ordered. From what I've heard, these breeds are all good layers. Brahmas and orpingtons are supposedly among the calmest breeds, although I've heard sussex are very calm too. Australorps I haven't heard as being quite as friendly as the other three, but they aren't flighty either. If you can, I would second the mixed flock idea. Especially since these are your first chickens and if you haven't had any experiences with chickens before you really don't know exactly what you are looking for (not to mention that several different breeds will usually fit your needs whatever they may be...which is why aesthetics were the deciding factor for us on which breeds to choose). The best way to find out what really works best for you and what you like the most is trying a few different breeds.

 

[speckledhen]

I have Brahmas, Orpingtons of several colors and one Speckled Sussex. They all lay well. The Brahmas are laying five or six eggs per week even being over three years old. My SS lays almost daily and she is the same age, but her eggs are pretty small.

My personal favorite is the Barred Plymouth Rock for personality and laying consistency. Delawares are also great, but they are such attention hounds, it's hard to walk without stepping on them, LOL.

 

[Mahonri]

Variety is the spice of life. I've had all kinds of chickens and I've pretty much settled on three breeds.

Ameraucanas, Marans and Polish.

BUT... I did enjoy the Buff Orpingtons and the Speckled Sussex that I had.

 

[JosieChick]

I have two australorps and two cuckoo marans and they are the loveliest birds. The australorps have a beautiful green sheen to their feathers when they are in the light and one of my marans follows me around for morning chores clucking to me as I go. I just added two silkies to the mix and the girls took them right in stride, no picking or pecking at all. Every chicken is different, they all have their own little personalities. I have some light brahma eggs in the bator right now and am hoping some will hatch! Good luck!

 

[gryeyes]

I'm one of those who chose several different breeds. My Australorp is very curious and chatty, and a good layer. The Cuckoo Marans is also very friendly, and a good layer. My Barred Rock is not yet laying, but is amazingly friendly. I've got a Welsummer and RIR the same age. They're slightly less friendly, but curious and BIG birds. My BO is currently broody; she's been on the next 14 days now, and is only 9 months old. First broody session. But she's a GORGEOUS bird and friendly - well, she was before she went broody! I have a juvenile bantam Buff Brahma. The EE is sort of aloof, but she's SO pretty and lays a green egg almost every day. At least 5 a week, sometimes 6.

I just think there's something adorable about a mixed flock. Plus the different colored eggs are delightful.

 

[FlyingFChick]

I agree with some of the previous posters that say to get a mixed flock! We are new to chickens this year and got a variety (RIR, BR, EE, SLW, GLW, BO and ISA Browns). It makes for a pretty display! While they all have their personalities, our ISA Brown is the tamest, sweetest chicken. She sits on my husbands shoulder and my daughter's lap. When we come to the run door, she is the first one there to greet us. Although they haven't started to lay yet, one of our local farmers says his ISA's lay over 300 eggs a year and they are very large eggs too.

Enjoy your new flock and good luck to you! Being a chicken owner is so much fun!

 

[Sequin]

Probably one of my absolute favorite breeds is the Gold/red sex-link. Strong layers, not flighty, docile, gets along well with others, and is an all around great chicken(I also really like the red and white feathers). I have not had huge success in getting sussex pullets for some reason. Every year I have ordered them I get roos in with the order. Last year I ordered 3 pullets and got one pullet, one roo, and one that wasn't even the same breed(then a hawk flew off with my one pullet just as she was starting to lay). This year I ordered 10 and I think half are roos. Which kinda ticks me off. But I guess that is besides the point. ... I love my buff orpingtons, but their eggs aren't as large as my sex-links eggs(which have weighed sometimes as much as 4 3/8 oz) and they do tend to go broody. We started our chicken flock with 5 black australorps, and enjoyed them. Though they are more friendly now that they are older and that there is a larger flock. They also are the least used by the roosters as they are the older more in-charge hens and the roosters seem to have a special respect for them. New this year is our Barred Rocks, and so far I have to say that I love them. Very friendly and outgoing, calm when picked up, and not flighty. They are quickly becoming one of my favorites. But if I were to pick only one breed to keep, it would probably be the Gold/Red sex-link, for striking looks, excellent egg laying both in size and number, and for friendly outgoing docile temperaments.