Different Breeds

[callmeal]

Whats the best breed to start out with? Mainly as pets, somewhat for eggs. I only need 3 chickens.

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

If you want great breeds for pets and don't care too much about eggs, then a bantam breed is a good choice. Breeds such as Silkies, Frizzle Cochins, and D'Uccles are all sweet birds. If egg production is important, then breeds like Easter Eggers, Buff Orpingtons, or Austrolorps are all great choices. But no matter what the breed, all chickens are sweeter when you raise them from babies and handle them frequently. Best wishes!

-Chatty

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

I like Barred Rock and Easter Eggers. I suggest that you get a variety so you have nice eye candy in your yard and you get an assortment of eggs. Makes it easy to tell who is laying and if anyone might be having health issues.

That being said, though white leghorns are flighty and not much for being held... I think they are striking in appearance (out of 50 birds people comment on my white leghorn looking cool) and they seem to have lots of personality in addition to being terrific layers. Really a lot of fun.

Here are a couple of comparison charts for chicken breeds...

http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html

https://livestockconservancy.org/images/uploads/docs/pickachicken.pdf

No matter what the chart says or what someone else's experience may be... ALL birds are individuals!

Hope you love your new chicken adventure.

 

[chicken4prez]

Easter eggers, RIR, BSL, RSL. Those are the ones I recommend.

 

[Lovin Our chickens]

Can anyone tell me what breed my lavender chicks are, I can't remember what the breeder told me for the life of me .

 

[venymae]

I personally think Easter Eggers are quite skittish. If it's just for pets I would recommend silkies or bantum cochins. Production Red chickens (also call red sex link, cinnimon queen, red star, etc.) are standard breed birds, but in my experience are the most friendly wonderful birds! Our would let our kids pick them up, hand feed them and the likes. They are also amazing egg layers of jumbo brown eggs, so thats nice too.

 

[Better Than Rubies]

Based on my little bit of experience, I'd suggest Red or Black Sex Links, Buff Orpingtons, and Barred Plymouth Rocks. All friendly birds, and probably very easy to handle if hand-raised. Or maybe Japanese Bantams, Silkies, Golden Campines, or Sebright bantams? None of these ones are that good of layers, though.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I personally think Easter Eggers are quite skittish. If it's just for pets I would recommend silkies or bantum cochins. Production Red chickens (also call red sex link, cinnimon queen, red star, etc.) are standard breed birds, but in my experience are the most friendly wonderful birds! Our would let our kids pick them up, hand feed them and the likes. They are also amazing egg layers of jumbo brown eggs, so thats nice too.

I will agree that I have had plenty of skittish EE and only a few really calm ones. But I seem to find that across the board. I would probably take a skittish bird over a bully, which lots of reds can become.

I have a production red that was broody raised (supposed to be more skittish), that has really come around is already a GREAT pet at only about 6 months old... which is usually when we find even the friendly birds are teenagers and don't want to be messed with. So hopefully she will just continue to be awesome and not get too confident and bully others. And yes, she lays quite often compared to my other birds.

If eggs are important AT ALL... I would skip Silkies, UNLESS you can confirm that they come from a line that is not overly broody. On top of that, I raise Silkies and they can be just as nasty/flighty as any other bird (they just aren't as capable). It ALWAYS about the individual, ultimately. Some of my girls really enjoy hanging out while others aren't interested at all. A couple will strike fast when you approach and one girls even got the name Blue Mamba. To me they are also a little "special needs". Biggest issue I know of is not being able to get them sexed if you are getting chicks. One of my Silkie hens is actually a great layer... if she didn't go broody all the time.

I here bantam Cochin are super broody as well. I have had a LF Cochin and she was a lot of fun.

Because of reported reproductive (EYP) and longevity issues... I personally would avoid the sex links, too much heart ache. But then again it can happen to any breed and I have also geard of them living 7-8 years.

Orpington are friendly enough to hang around and chat, but don't really enjoy holding/petting in my experience. Generally nice birds to have around. But if feed cost is ever a consideration... they are quite a heavy breed for the amount of eggs they produce. For me though, when it comes to pets of course feed cost is a consideration. But if we are only talking about 3 birds and not 20 then it isn't as crucial. In fact, I wonder how the Salmon Faverolle compare? (mine were all boys) They seemed like they might be good pets, plus cute as ever.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Can anyone tell me what breed my lavender chicks are, I can't remember what the breeder told me for the life of me .View attachment 1170258

I can't tell if the cheeks are puffy or not... but if so then maybe Ameraucana, by the slate colored legs. Otherwise, many breeds can come in Lav.