Friendliest/Tamest small breed chicken?

[cshma11]

I'm looking at getting a couple chickens to keep indoors in our garage in a coop. We have coturnix quail but I won't keep them together because I've read about the infections that can happen, so the chickens would be in their own coop. I'm wondering what small breed is very friendly? Obviously I need to hold them, give treats, get them used to it as they grow, but having a good reputation for friendliness would help, right? Are seramas friendly?

 

[ChickenGrass]

hi there,
I have 4 breeds of bantam and only I large breed because I love bantams so much
I have Barbu d'Anvers , Pekin (Cochin) bantams, Coronation Sussex bantams and Silkie Bantams.

Barbu d'Anver roosters are sometimes aggressive , I don't really mind this because they are so small they cant even get to your knee.
But I decided I would just tell you so you know.
The Barbu d'Anver hens are very friendly
The hens are not great layers.
they lay about 4 cream coloured eggs a week
but Barbu d'Anvers are very good flyers so keep that in mind.

Pekin (Cochin) bantams are probably one of the most friendly bantams you can get.
the roosters are usually not aggressive and the hens are like dogs , they love to be rubbed.
They are again a layer of small cream coloured eggs
I get about 4 eggs a week per hen.
They are also great mothers

Coronation Sussex are just like Light Sussex but they just a different colour around their neck.
instead of having black they have a lavender/Grey colour.
They are very friendly birds both hens and roosters.
they lay around 5-6 small cream coloured eggs a week.

The Silkie is probably one of the most common chicken kept for pets.
They can not fly because they have no barbs in their feathers which gives them a silk look hence the name.
they lay about 3-4 small cream coloured eggs a week.
Silkies are great mothers , I even have some that adopted chicks when they were broody of course.

I have no experience with Serama's but maybe someone else can help with that.
good luck
fionn.

 

[Folly's place]

I agree about the cochin bantams, and want to add Buff Brahma bantams, and Easter Egger bantams, and most strains of Belgian d'Uccles. All very nice pretty birds, broody, and four or five eggs per week for much of the year. Mary

 

[Teila]

For me .. definitely my Pekins [bantam Cochins].

 

[LoveInNature]

I agree with Teila. Definitely Pekin bantams.

 

[donrae]

General rule of thumb.....feather legged breeds are going to be more docile and friendly than clean legged breeds.

For bantams, go with Cochins, Brahmas, D'uccles, silkies.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I would second enthusiastically bantam Cochin (Pekin) as the most friendly, pet quality, small bird.

Silkies can be temperamental, although many are very friendly. However, my brooding Silkie hens (and Silkies go broody often), are a force to be reckoned with.

However my gentle little Cochins are sweet little mops even when they brood.

I've heard Seramas can be aggressive, but don't know from first hand experience on that.

From my experience, the little Bantam Cochin seems pretty happy in smaller spaces and loves to interact with their people if they've been handled with care and love.

LofMc

 

[shortgrass]

I'd agree with the general consensus on the bantam Cochin. Mine is such a sweet little thing, excellent broody, and she makes the cutest little "prr prrr prr" cluck ha-ha

She's my favorite, for sure. She can make it up the ladder pretty quick and has no problems being reintegrated time and time again since I separate her to brood chicks. She has to start all over from the bottom of the pecking order but doesn't let it bother her; she's a trooper.

 

[cshma11]

Oh how cute! Thank you so much for the input everyone!