Fill in the blank...FCBM, cream legbar, exchequerLH, Salmon Faverolles and _______

[Shellebelle920]

My Faverolles live with a Buff Orpington. She was THE dominant hen in a flock that included a Barred Rock, a Rhode Island Red and a Sicilian Buttercup. In fact, Honey must have imagined she was a rooster; she quit laying eggs and began bossing all the others in her coop.

When a mink killed all but her, she lived alone for months. I let Honey free-range in the daytime with the Favs until she pretty much chose them -- instead of the Iowa Blues -- as her coop mates.

The Favs are pretty docile; mine have only ever lived with each other and the Orp since they left the brooder. Celeste and Camille do the submissive squat whenever they even suspect I might try to pick them up. But I absolutely adore their funny faces and weird gait. And, when I yell, "Chick, chick" they come running for treats.

I have no experience with Brahmas, but they look cool. Every hen has her own personality, so no matter your best intentions, someone with feathers can outsmart you!

I have no experience with any chickens, but I thought that I’d just see how things would play out. I suspect that each girl will have her own personality despite trying to pick some breeds based off of their temperament.

 

[Shellebelle920]

I've never had Australorps, but I adored my Barred Rock. She got along great with the rest of the flock and was actually the friendliest. She did fine in the rugged northern Iowa winters, so I would think they would be fine where you are.

BTW, don't you just love your Faverolles? They are lovely and silly at the same time!

Callender Girl, off subject, but is that your coop? Is it a large OverEZ coop? How many birds would you say could fit in it? I have a medium one at my house waiting to be put together. Do you like it?

 

[Shellebelle920]

My Faverolles live with a Buff Orpington. She was THE dominant hen in a flock that included a Barred Rock, a Rhode Island Red and a Sicilian Buttercup. In fact, Honey must have imagined she was a rooster; she quit laying eggs and began bossing all the others in her coop.

When a mink killed all but her, she lived alone for months. I let Honey free-range in the daytime with the Favs until she pretty much chose them -- instead of the Iowa Blues -- as her coop mates.

The Favs are pretty docile; mine have only ever lived with each other and the Orp since they left the brooder. Celeste and Camille do the submissive squat whenever they even suspect I might try to pick them up. But I absolutely adore their funny faces and weird gait. And, when I yell, "Chick, chick" they come running for treats.

I have no experience with Brahmas, but they look cool. Every hen has her own personality, so no matter your best intentions, someone with feathers can outsmart you!

Love it! I can’t wait to get my Faverolles!

 

[OhZark Biddies]

My favs are good winter layers... but they lay a medium sized egg, not a large egg, if that matters to you... also they are more tinted or tan than brown if that matters, but they are a sweet mannered birds... although a few of them were a bit loud.

 

[Kris5902]

If you don’t mind my asking how old are the children, and how involved with the flock do you think they will be? How many chickens are you thinking total and how big a space for them? Are you considering a rooster? As @A_Fowl_Guy mentioned they can complicate things with children involved.

I’m currently experiencing some size/age difference issues in my first mixed flock, but mostly thanks to an abundance of cockerels. Given plenty of space and places to hide you might not too many problems...

 

[Callender Girl]

It is, indeed, an OverEZ. I bought it used off Craigslist, so I don't know if it's considered a medium or a large. It's a little over 6 feet long and just shy of 4 feet wide, not counting the nest boxes.

I really like the coop. It's incredibly sturdy (pretty heavy, too; it took four people to unload off the trailer). I like being able to open and close the windows. But, the previous owners attached what looks like old wire refrigerator shelves over the outside to prevent raccoons from getting in. Since my worst predators are mink, we also fortified the windows with hardware cloth.

There really isn't anything I don't like about it. It's the only coop I have where I don't have to open the coop to access the nest boxes.

I am currently underusing it. There's only a Wyandotte and a pair of Cochin Bantams in it this winter. But, when I get my Buckeyes this spring, I am hoping to move out the current residents. I think, since they will also get outside to run about, I could put five, possibly six, standard-sized girls in there.

Good luck putting it together.

 

[Shellebelle920]

My favs are good winter layers... but they lay a medium sized egg, not a large egg, if that matters to you... also they are more tinted or tan than brown if that matters, but they are a sweet mannered birds... although a few of them were a bit loud.

My favs are good winter layers... but they lay a medium sized egg, not a large egg, if that matters to you... also they are more tinted or tan than brown if that matters, but they are a sweet mannered birds... although a few of them were a bit loud.

Thanks Ozark! I am going for a variety of colors but more or less depending on my leghorn and whatever this brown egg layer may be to do the majority of the laying. I am getting the Faverolles because I like the taupe egg, apparently it can lay longer into the winter and ,quite honestly, because I like the way it looks and like the idea that it is docile but bird-brained.

 

[Shellebelle920]

My favs are good winter layers... but they lay a medium sized egg, not a large egg, if that matters to you... also they are more tinted or tan than brown if that matters, but they are a sweet mannered birds... although a few of them were a bit loud.

My favs are good winter layers... but they lay a medium sized egg, not a large egg, if that matters to you... also they are more tinted or tan than brown if that matters, but they are a sweet mannered birds... although a few of them were a bit loud.

Thanks Ozark! I am going for a variety of colors but more or less depending on my leghorn and whatever this brown egg layer may be to do the majority of the laying. I am getting the Faverolles because I like the taupe egg, apparently it can lay longer into the winter and ,quite honestly, because I like the way it looks and like the idea that it is docile but bird-brained.

 

[Shellebelle920]

If you don’t mind my asking how old are the children, and how involved with the flock do you think they will be? How many chickens are you thinking total and how big a space for them? Are you considering a rooster? As @A_Fowl_Guy mentioned they can complicate things with children involved.

I’m currently experiencing some size/age difference issues in my first mixed flock, but mostly thanks to an abundance of cockerels. Given plenty of space and places to hide you might not too many problems...

No problem asking at all. My children are 9, 7 and 3. I am trying to stay away from the roosters and have a plan in place in the case that I do end up with some Roos. My daughter (the 9 year old) and sometimes my older son (7) are planning to help out. My daughter is very excited to get the birds and get going with this, so I’m hoping that these breeds work for her and I. If all goes well, and we decide that we are partial to a particular breed, we may get further into developing a certain line, but that would be a couple years out. We are going for 5 laying birds in this particular coop. They will have a covered run but also access to free range while we are out in the yard. On a side note, we will also be separately cooping silkies. We have about 10 hatching eggs coming our way, but it remains to be seen how many will hatch. Hopefully we can free range the silkies along with the 5 “main” layers.

 

[Shellebelle920]

It is, indeed, an OverEZ. I bought it used off Craigslist, so I don't know if it's considered a medium or a large. It's a little over 6 feet long and just shy of 4 feet wide, not counting the nest boxes.

I really like the coop. It's incredibly sturdy (pretty heavy, too; it took four people to unload off the trailer). I like being able to open and close the windows. But, the previous owners attached what looks like old wire refrigerator shelves over the outside to prevent raccoons from getting in. Since my worst predators are mink, we also fortified the windows with hardware cloth.

There really isn't anything I don't like about it. It's the only coop I have where I don't have to open the coop to access the nest boxes.

I am currently underusing it. There's only a Wyandotte and a pair of Cochin Bantams in it this winter. But, when I get my Buckeyes this spring, I am hoping to move out the current residents. I think, since they will also get outside to run about, I could put five, possibly six, standard-sized girls in there.

Good luck putting it together.

Thank you for the feedback about the coop! I have heard nothing but good things about this coop, so I’m hoping that it works out for us as well. I wish I could have found a craigslist buy for this coop. It seems like they never go on sale and I’m currently searching for another one! Thanks again!