Chick breed recommendations (and possible rooster)

[Ptera]

I'll put in my usual plug for Speckled Sussex. All around great bird. Friendly, brown egg layers, calm, spectacularly pretty....

 

[smoore7489]

Hi there okay first thing is first where are you located because that might change what breeds you should look at.

Every single chicken has it's own personality and temperament, but some of rooster aggression has been found to be inherited, so if you can find birds raised by someone who has never had trouble with temperament that's great.

Buff Orpingtons are wonderful birds! I got a buff Orpington rooster when I was a child from a neighbor and he was very tame and gentle. Currently we only have buff Orpington hens and they're great too!

We also have Buckeyes, Dominiques, English Orpingtons (any color is great they produce a little less than my hatchery american buffs but are extremely docile and sweet) silkies (more ornamental or pets), Brahmas, Favorelles, EE, cream legbars(autosexing), silver laced Wyandotte and a number of other breeds. I haven't had a brahma rooster but the hens are great and I've only heard good things about the roosters.

We have also had speckled Sussex hens, Marans hens, and a Delaware hen. Along with a number of other miscellaneous breeds and bantams.

Last summer my three year old nephew came out and spent the day with me and the flock. It was wonderful not having to ever worry about him with my birds. Of course I still wouldn't leave him outside alone but he was running around and playing etc. He loved feeding them. Also I thought a small bantam hen would build his confidence but he continually ran right up to my massive(about 14+ lbs) chocolate cuckoo English Orpington roo. Lol the year before that a visitor brought her young 3 year old son who picked up and carried a buff Orpington hen around that was almost as big as him. LOL

Hi! I am in southern KY close to TN line. I am not sure what breeds would be inappropriate for this climate. Have any of the breeds you mentioned unsuitable for where I live?

Since I'm hearing such good things about BO I might go ahead and get a straight run of them and see if any of the roos fit in well with our family. But still looking for more breeds! I think ive decided on getting 3 more breeds this time around.

 

[smoore7489]

I'll put in my usual plug for Speckled Sussex. All around great bird. Friendly, brown egg layers, calm, spectacularly pretty....

Have u ever owned a roo from this breed or just hens? I looked up pictures and they are very pretty!

 

[chickendreams24]

Hi! I am in southern KY close to TN line. I am not sure what breeds would be inappropriate for this climate. Have any of the breeds you mentioned unsuitable for where I live?

Since I'm hearing such good things about BO I might go ahead and get a straight run of them and see if any of the roos fit in well with our family. But still looking for more breeds! I think ive decided on getting 3 more breeds this time around.

I think all of the breeds I mentioned should do fine in your area particularly if you're in or near the mountains.

I live in southern WI and we can range through the year from -20(even down to -40 in winter) all the way up to 100+ it's a huge range so we do try and get birds that to well in both heat and cold but we worry more about the cold. That being said we do have a large fully insulated coop that the flock goes in every night.

Orpingtons do a little worse than some of our other breeds in heat. Especially humidity last year we got up to 100% humidity according to the weather. Idk how that's possible without it raining but it did. That was the worst. However our flock free ranges every day unless there's a blizzard and so they do move out into the shade and where there's a breeze.

 

[Farmgal101]

Were are you located?I am overrun with Easter eggers...I love them i just have to many roosters and only a couple of hens they are a really good layers and docile breed.

 

[smoore7489]

Were are you located?I am overrun with Easter eggers...I love them i just have to many roosters and only a couple of hens they are a really good layers and docile breed.

Im in southern ky. Are you located in Ky as well?

 

[FamilyFarm12]

Another good breed is Lavender Orpington. Mine is the sweetest. I also recommend silver laced Wyandottes they happen to be the best egg layer in my small flock

 

[lucas1]

Amberlinks are very docile and they lay a significant amount of eggs

 

[Farmgal101]

Im in southern ky. Are you located in Ky as well?[/QU

I was born in southern ky ,were located in Georgia at the moment.

 

[Sunny-Side Up]

My favorite breed of all time is Sex Links, specifically Gold Sex Links.
But I also love Barred Rocks, Buff Orpingtons, Easter Eggers, and Australorps. These are all fairly common breeds, and mostly good layers.