Chicken behavior questions

I know Orps are very friendly and come in White, Black, Blue and Splash and there is several other colors in development if you want more other then your buff one. Mine seem to lay well even in the winter and are pretty broody. I also have Speckled Sussex too and they seem to have a similar personality and also lay suprisingly well even in winter. I have only had them a few years and have yet to have one of mine go broody so not sure on that aspect.

 

I'm a newbie and don't have chickens yet but have been reading quite a bit about breed temperament. Leghorns are apparently among the best layers but known to be flighty and avoid human contact (aka "wild as bats" )

The Mediterranean breeds seem to also be known for flightiness.

From my research it almost seems that the heavier the bird - Brahma, Cochin, Australorp, etc - the friendlier and more mellow. Silkies are apparently among the most docile of breeds.

 

Of the ones I have, the Barred Rocks and Red Sex-Links are the friendliest birds of the lot. The Barred Rocks top all and love to be held.

As far as eggs, my understanding is that the Red Sex-Links are great layers and start laying @ 5 months. They're a mix between a RIR and various other breeds to make Sex-Links.

 

For your purposes I suggest Barred Rocks and/or Australorps.

My family had White Leghorns when I was growing up - I HATED chickens back then...I'm sure the breed was a big part of my sentiment. They did give us plenty of big white eggs...

 

I have no experience w/egg laying, but Cochins are turning out to be mellow at 6 weeks old. DBF picked them becuase he read they were friendly. My Speckled Sussex has a curious and lovely personality, and the Blue Wyandotte jumped on my lap yesterday. I've been holding them 1-2x/day since chickhood. Hope that helps.

 

I have barred rocks, and they are great egg layers and very friendly and hardy too. I have some brown leghorns and I'm not happy with them either....... I didn't do my research, shame on me. But I hear you can't beat them for egg layers. I got some buff orps as chicks this year, only 7 weeks old but very friendly allready. Loving them. I hear great things about them as well. Good luck!

 

I must have gotten some barred rocks from insane asylum because my barred rocks are the meanest most hateful chickens ever. They do not sit well. I had one hen who did sit on eggs. She hatched out one and then promptly abandoned the poor thing. The roosters are so mean, they attack me all the time (I can't eat them) so I'm stuck until they croak on their own. The only good thing is during their first one to two years, the hens were good brown egg layers...that's pretty much it. The hens attack other birds and each other. I'm slowly phasing them out of my coop.

 

kgeorge--That's a shame......Mine are so nice and they are such good layers, I get an egg a day atleast out of them, love them...they are my first babies and I'm very paticular to the breed. My favorite one, Maybell will actually sit on my lap. Did you get them as chicks or older? I raised mine as chicks last year and handled them alot.