Do you think these are good breeds?

[Casper101Popcor]

So last Saturday I had to give away my sweet rooster, Popcorn, since I'm not allowed to have a rooster in my area. We only got two chickens, so now one is left, which is my pullet, Casper. She is very lonely now, and is kind of grumpy. She still is the nice chicken she was before we gave popcorn away.(We put a mirror in her coop so she would se another chicken in front of it so she would think its another chicken, it didn't really work.) Now were going to get 2 more hens for her. I was looking at chicken breeds, and I found two I really like: Silver laced Wyandotte and the Welsummer.

I have questions about these breeds:

Are these breeds good with heat?
Are they good layers?
Are they friendly breeds?
Do they get along with other chickens well?
Do they get sick easily?
Do they adapt well with weather change( like cold in the morning to really hot in the day)?


I didn't know which category to put it in, but i thought "Raising Baby Chicks" would be appropriate since I'm need to get chicks soon for her. Thank you!

 

[Casper101Popcor]

please i really need help

 

[TheSitcomGirls]

I have two silver laced Wyandotte in a mixed flock of 34. My chickens range in age from 8 years to 8 weeks. My silver girls are a little bit dominant and they do lay very well. I also have a blue laced Wyandotte hen. She is rather mean and VERY broody. But she is really beautiful and quite large. They are not as friendly as my other chickens, but that is not always about breed. Some chickens are just friendly... and some will never be friendly no matter how much you handle them. But they will tolerate me picked them up.... if I can catch them!

They are winter hardy, I'm not sure about the heat. If you talking about REALLY hot then you may need a heat tolerant breed. Mine sit in the shade all day when it's hot, but they will actually go outside in the snow.

I'm not sure what kind of "sick" you are talking about. Most chickens will stay quite healthy if you give them plenty of ventilation and room... so they don't get overcrowded.

 

[Casper101Popcor]

Thank you! My coop is in the shade and it doesn't get too hot in the coop. They're water is cold, (I make sure), and my pullet Casper seems to do fine. It doesn't get really hot, but it can make you sweat if you stand out there to long.

 

[dekel18042]

Thank you! My coop is in the shade and it doesn't get too hot in the coop. They're water is cold, (I make sure), and my pullet Casper seems to do fine. It doesn't get really hot, but it can make you sweat if you stand out there to long.

I've never had wyandottes but know people who do. Most say these hens are fairly dominant and while they like them, none have plans to get more. (****** with faint praise?) On the other hand, I and several other people I know have some welsumer in our mixed flocks. The welsumers tend to get along with everyone, are friendly and their eggs are really pretty, dark (terra cotta?) and some have speckles. One is close to my BCM's shade. I would get more welsumer in a heartbeat. I also have some mixed welsumers (olive eggers) that are great, too, and am planning to make more of them. Plus the welsumers have the advantage of being able to be sexed visually at hatch. They can tolerate everything our weather throws at them. Our extremes run from 104* and humid in the summer down to -10 in winter. For that reason I would chose welsumers of those two breeds.

 

[Casper101Popcor]

thank you for your information

 

[lazy gardener]

Casper, i do hope you are not planning to get chicks and expecting them to get along with your hen, because that is not likely to happen. Most likely, she will kill them. What is your low winter time temp? What is your high summer time temp? Generally, chickens with big combs do well in warmer temps, but don't fare as well in brutal cold. The comb tends to dissipate heat well, but is prone to frost bite. How old is Casper, and what kind of chicken is she? Your best bet might be to go on your state's thread and see if anyone has pullets or young hens to sell. I wish you the best of luck in finding some flock mates for her.

 

[Gossie]

I've had both of those breeds before. My welsummers and wyandottes were very good in 80 degree weather and -40 degree wind chill. They both layed eggs once a day even during the winter and my wyandotte hen comes up to me to cuddle. The welsummer wasn't as friendly as the wyandottes, but will let you hold it sometimes. My wyandotte hen gets along with the other chickens and the rooster lets our 7 week old chicks hop on his back! The welsummer was very friendly towards the other chickens. My wyandottes are still living and are very healthy. My first welsummer got killed by a raccoon and my second died of a disease, but many other breeds died from the disease also. Mine adapted well during the day.

Good Luck!