Characteristics of breeds

[miladachicken]

I think that almost any breed of hen with moderate to high egg production will be a good pet, as long as they are handed OFTEN as chicks and adults. That makes the biggest difference. (Having children around tends to help) I think that breed isn't everything, because your chickens will develop their own personalities depending on their lives. (As for me I strongly agree on EE and RSL, GSL, GC, ISA red whatever! Hope this helps!

 

[newlyweds]

I have to say Plymouth Rocks (White, Barred, Partridge) I have 5 white rocks that started laying around November and haven't stopped, not even in this 100 degree weather were having. My Rocks are also very sweet, curious and easy to handle gals. I also love my Easter Eggers, I love the variety of colors they come in and their sweet disposition, not to mention their blue and green eggs. Mine also seem to be very prolific layers.

 

[Shiloh Acres]

For egg production, I found my red and black sex-links to be the best. Neither were outstandingly friendly as a breed, but weren't too standoffish either. The blacks were the more docile of those two breeds.

However, some of my favorites for personality were barred rocks and buff orps. They were both good for production as well. The barred rocks were louder though. Tended to follow me everywhere and chatter to me all day. The buffs were mote docile, calmer, and quieter.

As far as a "pet" chicken, silkies are the best in my book. I keep them as brooders. As such, they don't really lay well. But they are SO docile and friendly and relatively quiet. Seems my silkie girls have always been so docile and smaller than standard hens that they usually stick close to me for protection. They really will be lap chickens, even without much handling and even if you don't want them to be, LOL. Right now I have a few silkie pullets that stick by me so the roos will leave them alone.

Really though, I think strain and individual raising will have as much to do with it as breed, at least among the breeds I mentioned. Some birds ARE flighty as a breed, and I stay away from those. The exception may be silkies. I think it could be they are ALL like that.

 

[pgpoultry]

Brahmas make great pets as well as being reasonable egg layers and long lived (10 years plus). they are very pretty.

Brahmas are very docile (even the huge boys) and take to handling very quickly. The only downside is they are very heavy when full grown and make your arm ache after carrying them for a while.....and CAN they eat!

Sandie

 

[chicksbestfriend]

Quote:
Aloha and welcome. I live in Hawaii, and these are some of the breeds that I have and how I rate them for egg production and characteristics, hope this helps you with deciding what breed will work best for you.

I was amazed with all the different responses, I guess it all depends on the environment they live in and the personalities of the keepers. In order, this is how I would rate my chickens:

My experience has been that the best all around layer is the Black Australorps, they are very docile and quiet and are very hardy through cold and hot weather when it comes to egg production, they are excellent egg layers. Rhode Island's are a close runner up in my book with the excellent laying, they are calm, and hardy through hot and cold as well.

The Sex Links are also excellent egg producers, but I notice better egg production out of them in the colder weather over hotter weather. They have a quiet temperment, but very chatty when they lay those eggs.

The Barred Rocks are very good layers, docile and the most friendliest that I have in my flock, but seem to lay their best in the cold over the hotter months. Same with the Speckled Sussex.

My Delawares and White Plymouths hang out alot together, both are very good layers, they are calm, pleasant, docile. They are good for year round production of eggs, hot and cold weather.

The Buff Orpingtons are good layers, docile, quiet, and super affectionate. You can love on them for hours at a time. The only downfall with the Buffs, they tend to go broody all the time. Thats good if you want to hatch more chicks, but sucks if you like to eat eggs!

My Amerucana's or EE's, are pretty good layers, really active and friendly, and they do best in the colder months.

 

[cptkracker]

From my experience wyandottes can take some. (But that could also be that i go mine when they were 1 week old.) They are extremely quiet but can be agressive and standoff-ish towards eachother. But like i said, they take some work.

 

[gryeyes]

Check out Hendeson's handy, dandy list of chicken breeds:
http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

There is a whole boatload of information on that list.

But for me, it's Barred Rocks, Buff Orpingtons, EEs, Black Australorps. And all the others in my signature paragraph.

But no, for what you've asked, the four I've specifically mentioned (and so many others have recommended, too).

 

[amsunshine]

I have a Buff Orp, an Australorp, and an Easter Egger. Just got my first eggS (that's right, she laid 2 eggs at one time today, her first time laying) from my EE. For the last 3 mornings she's been yelling like a child with her finger stuck in the door, so based on this, I would NOT recommend EEs for quietness and I hear there are quite a few other EEs like her. It really sounds like a banshee got loose. Good thing she lays pretty eggs!!

 

[chickerdoodle]

Quote:
Can you blame her for screaming?? Poor gal layed two eggs on her first try and now is afraid it'll happen again!