Coming here to get started with chickens... starting with breed advice

[hennypenney]

Welcome!! Have fun deciding! I have a few Welsummer hens and they are very sweet. Easter eggers are fun too. So many different breeds.

 

[Flock Master64]

I am enthusiastic about raising chickens and excited to have been directed to this resource.
So looking forward to getting good advice and examples to be able to set up a proper environment.
I'm in Southern California, where weather will not be an issue, but I want to get advice about the best breed to get. I'm very excited by lace Wyandottes, but the descriptions say they are "loud" and I don't want to get neighbors upset. So my first question for the forum is what is a good egg-laying attractive large hen that will be relatively quiet, and LESS likely to fly over fences. I can keep them contained during the night, but if I let them out in the daytime I want them large enough to deter cats and smart enough to stay in a fenced yard. Advice?

Marans are a fairly big birds, lay dark colored eggs, don't squawk too much, and are on the heavy side so probably won't make it over any fences, and they come in so many different kinds, like Black Copper Marans, Blue Copper Marans, Chocolate Cuckoo Marans, ect.

 

[hennypenney]

Oh yes Marans! Love them. My experience with French Black Copper Maran hen was awesome. Very mellow quiet bird. I have two Cuckoo Marans now and they are also big birds and pretty quiet personalities.

 

[Flock Master64]

I've had 3 Marans over my life time but currently have 1. I've had a black copper, blue copper wich was my favorite and now a chocolate cuckoo cockerel. I'm excited to see how he turns out

 

[hennypenney]

Sounds like a beautiful bird!

 

[Flock Master64]

Yeah, my chocolate cuckoo is my profile picture right now

 

[hennypenney]

Gorgeous!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[QueenMisha]

I AM totally engrossed in breeds., reading up on them now........ this is going to be really fun. Good idea to get two kinds, to watch the differences. Tomorrow I'm on my way to go sit and watch a flock, start my practical learning. Thanks for the welcome!

That's definitely a good plan! I always suggest a mixture of breeds for a first flock. That way you know what you like and what you don't. Our advice can only get you so far, as it's only your own personal preferences that can decide which breed works best for you.

 

[bullrunslabs]

I started with chickens in the Owens Valley, CA. It gets hot during the summer and cold during the winter. I loved my Columbia Wyandotte, Silver Laced, Blue Red Laced and Gold Laced Wyandotte hens and Araucana hens. I also love my Easter eggers. They are smaller bodied than the Wyandottes but lay very well, and seem to do well in the hot and cold. Barred rocks are a very sweet, consistent layer, and make great mommas. Australorps are easy keepers as well. I love my Orpingtons also, but I do have a few that consistently escape! My welsummers are very intelligent, but do not seem to try to escape, they are a little smaller than some of the others but lay gorgeous chocolate eggs. One of my absolute favorites however is my Jersey Giant hen. She is very quiet, but inquisitive, lays great eggs and has never been found outside her coop and run.