Can't decide the breed I want!

[kathyinmo]

Check this out ..... maybe it will help you decide....

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

 

[KC n KY]

I don't know about BR's, but I have 4 amberlinks (a type of hybrid) and they get along great, are really sweet and lay beutiful brown eggs every day!Amberlinks are white birds, with red streaks throughout the wings. I got mine at TSC, but if you are in Washington i'm not sure where you can get them. If you are not interested in breeding but want a calm, quiet, egg laying machine you might consider amberlinks

 

[kisat]

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Thanks so much for the reply, and help. We won’t be getting any males at all. We live in a neighborhood and I don’t think our neighbors would much appreciate the noise
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Thanks so much for the reply.

Wow, that first picture is a beautiful female! I don’t think I’ve ever heard of Marans before. Or just totally skimmed over them. I’ve researched many breeds but must’ve skipped them! Where did you find a breeder that sold Marans?

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Thanks so much for the reply! I’m guessing they’re just being quiet since they’re happy. I remember mine used to be fairly quite (Buff Orpington mixes) but when they’d see me in the house, boy would they tell me off for not coming out to see them! Or if a crow wanted sit on the fence and watch them, they’d start just telling him mind his own business. Lol

-Mr.HenryRooster :

You cant loose with RIR

Thanks!

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Thanks so much

Let’s see. For the egg question, yes, I would like one that would give us at least an egg a day, or every other day. Don’t care about the coloring since the eggs are for food, not so much ornamental reasons. And for looks? Not really too concerned with how they look. I think any chicken looks good, but I’m not really a fan of white chickens simply because I can guarantee in our yard they won’t stay white! Lol I’m thinking one of each would make a great idea. Just give a nice variety in the yard

Now see there is something I hadn’t thought of! 2 Bantams = one chicken! lol Now if I didn’t have the neighbor next door that causes problems and makes sure we’re always “within limits” of everything we do, I’d so go that route! I think they are so cute!

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Thanks! Well that’s good that they are good breeds to be together. I’m glad to hear that. I will keep that in mind about the BR’s being sweet. Seems a lot of people think so and considering they are a bigger chicken generally, I’m guessing that’s a good thing!

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Thanks so much for the help! I appreciate it and will keep that in mind. The Maran’s sure are a beautiful hen.

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Thank you so much

haha Yep so the consensus is that I can tell everyone, “what? I was told two bantams equal ONE chicken… I’m within the limits… honest!” haha

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Thanks! Long-winded? I’m a writer, that’s nothing! Lol Oooo I love your name More aggressive as pullets then Longhorns? Wow, and I’ve heard they are generally more aggressive. Lol Barred Rocks seem to be taking the lead in the decision. Maybe I should get one BR, one RIR, and then one Maran or Ameraucana. Maybe the personalities would tame down the RIR attitude if it has one? Course, our Buff Orps were the “attitude” of the buch when we got them, which was why I told my former bestie that I WOULD take those ones. I told her gimme your worst. They were attitude, but were also VERY sweet under my ownership as typical. Tamed down this cat I got that was extremely wild too. Course right now you shouldn’t notice my 60lbs aussie cowering on her bed I just made her, behind me all because so said cat is chasing her around the house. Lol 14 lbs cat versus 60 lbs Aussie. Something wrong with that picture. But my girl is getting old and tired of chasing the cat off I think, which the cat senses.

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Thanks so much!

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Thank you very much! I will have to look those up. Not really a fan of a white bird, just because I don’t think it’d stay very white in our backyard. It’s a little muddy in general. Lol they might turn brown soon enough. Lol I appreciate the help though

 

[kisat]

So I'm leaning toward possibly the Maran, Australorp, or Ameraucana (one), and then one RIR and one BR possibly. Would their personalities get along or what?

 

[The Tinman]

Jersey Giants are the best. Big,gentle,friendly,lay big brown eggs. They are not good mothers so you can take the eggs with out getting pecked. Look into it and you will pick em

 

[kisat]

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Thanks! I've seen those in catalogs and such a while back, but unless I buy them from a place like McMurray, I'm not sure I've seen anyone sell them anywhere near WA state, where I live. Where'd you get yours from?

 

[matthewschickens]

Of the breeds you mentioned.
I would get Barred Rocks and EE's. I'm not a huge fan of RIR's.

Of other breeds.
California Whites! Brahma's, and Astrolorps

 

[kisat]

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Thank you so much

Brahma's are pretty gorgeous birds. Just looked them up. Looking at Austra's as well since I love that black feathering. (I love crows for that reason too. lol) I'm having issues finding a lot of people selling anything other than RIR's around WA. Mostly, I'm looking at Craigslist because I don't think McMurray sells older chicks, and I'm hoping for old enough that they can be placed outside when we get them, so above 3 months at least. Does anyone know of anyplace to buy older chicks like McMurray? I know I can come on here, which I will by that time, probably spend more time combing here, Craigslist, and whatnot, but I would love to buy chicks I KNOW have been properly raised and vaccinated (like the breeders on here and such that would provide the vaccines and whatever they may need by the time we get them). Mostly Craigslist just has people wanting get rid of chickens that don't look so good I've been noticing. And a lot of animals we've got (our cat, two separate parakeets) have been REALLY bad off when we got them, yet seemed like they were doing great. Our cat alone was full of fleas and worms when we got her!

 

[Clay Valley Farmer]

As you are limited to 3 hens, with no roo there is no advantage to having a broody bird. Also having reliable eggs layers is going to be a plus.

My thought would be sex links as this will lower your chance of ending up with a roo to deal with. Also they will be good layers and less likely to go broody. They should be less flighty than leghorns. ISA Browns, Black Stars, Gold sex links ect. Red sex links I saw were a little small and acted a bit like leghorns so not my favorite.

BR hens can be a bit on the broody mother side but very nice and hearty.

EEs are often slow to start tempermental layers.

As for the mix I would either go all three the same or all three different, if you get 2 RIR, red colored sex links or BRs and one white EE the EE is likely to get excluded and more pecked on.

Australorps and marans are good choices but you will run a little more risk of getting a roo if purchased as day olds. I'd love to have a couple marans to add to mine.

 

[kisat]

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Thank you. And thank you for the great information. Yeah, the Austra's and Maran's are really gorgeous birds and I'm considering those too. I think one reason I've wanted a RIR, was that I think they're gorgeous, but I am seeing they tend toward temperamental (which ours were (the buff orp mixs!), but did okay with me, however, my mom suffered a bloody toe when she mistakenly wore flip flops in the run lol) so I am leaning toward sticking to just one if I did get them, but I think the total mix of 3 different breeds (as long as they go together personality wise) would work out just as a variety of personalities and styles too if you will. I think that would be a good idea. With our Buff mixes's when there were three, they actually had given us so many eggs, we had a neighbor buying them off us! lol But the way I cook, we do still go through a lot so I love having them for that reason too. I am more inclined to getting them older then 3 months at least when we do get them just because we don't have the place in the house to have a brooder to raise them up, nor the time to and we have four indoor dogs (2 shih tzus, one Aussie, one pekapoopom) that would be a hassle on top of that which I deal with. Add to that a 14 lbs cat that would want play with them and accidentally do bad probably without meaning to? That's one major reason why I'd rather them older so that they can go straight out to the coop. I'll be expanding the coop once the weather warms up again (right now I'm rebuilding the back porch) as it's already pretty big, but my mom decided they could have more of the backyard as they're own. So they will definitely have plenty of room to grow before they're allowed into the main yard with the dogs to play with. My other issue tends to be figuring out the place to buy them as well as the breed.