Friendly chicken - Speckled Sussexes, Rocks, or Australorps??

[tarahharlin]

Welcome to BYC!

I have never had Silkies, but I have had Speckled Sussexes, Barred Rocks and and an Australorp. All 3 have have been lap girls and excellent breeds. The Barred Rocks and Australorp were lap chickens if I picked them up and placed them there. They were always totally content to sit and chill in my lap. My Speckled Sussex seeks me out for lap time. If she sees me sit down, she comes running over and jumps right on up. She's done that from the time she was young. She'll be 10 this April and has such a big personality. lol

Also, I have an EE that's a lap chicken and my Buff Orpington's were big time lap girls. I swear all those girls wanted to do was to snuggle with me. lol

Best of luck and congrats on your near future chicken keeping adventures! They're so much fun!

 

[Folly's place]

And how big is your coop and run? "Not big enough' sounds like a problem coop, let us know dimensions, and pictures would be good too.
Mary

 

[user712746]

I’d love cochins but the hatcheries near me don’t sell them Plus they are too big for my coop

honestly I think speckled sussex is your best option out of the three. my speckled sussex, named Roseighlea. She is the sweetest most curious little thing.

 

[user712746]

Welcome to BYC!

I have never had Silkies, but I have had Speckled Sussexes, Barred Rocks and and an Australorp. All 3 have have been lap girls and excellent breeds. The Barred Rocks and Australorp were lap chickens if I picked them up and placed them there. They were always totally content to sit and chill in my lap. My Speckled Sussex seeks me out for lap time. If she sees me sit down, she comes running over and jumps right on up. She's done that from the time she was young. She'll be 10 this April and has such a big personality. lol

Also, I have an EE that's a lap chicken and my Buff Orpington's were big time lap girls. I swear all those girls wanted to do was to snuggle with me. lol

Best of luck and congrats on your near future chicken keeping adventures! They're so much fun!

as a proud speckled sussex dad i can confirm, speckled sussex are very friendly even needy at times

 

[thecatumbrella]

Wow! How much time did you spend with them? Doyou think they were like that because of bonding time or just because their natural personality was to be really cuddly/friendly?

Definitely a bit of both. They wanted attention, but I also loved spending time with them.

 

[Folly's place]

I have no idea what's available in Australia, or what your climate is where you live.
If there's a thread on this site close to your home, check there too.
mary

 

[SnowyClucks]

And how big is your coop and run? "Not big enough' sounds like a problem coop, let us know dimensions, and pictures would be good too.
Mary

Haven’t even bought it yet, still clearing yard but ground dimensions are 4 square metres. Also update I decided to change what chickens breeds i want so no more barred rock

 

[SnowyClucks]

Hey guys how would a flock consisting of a : faverolle, silkie, australorp, speckled sussex turn out? It would probably work better since it’s a chiller flock…right?

 

[VegaCoyote]

Our favs are besties with our Speckled Sussex (just after each other,) but that might be more a function of them being at the bottom of the totem pole than anything else.

(The favs are dramatic goofballs whose first reaction to most things is to run away screaming- fortunately they have each other, so they always had someone to run TO- but the Sussex is just the smallest of the bunch, so not sure how much of her personality is just a reaction to being kinda runty, rather than attributable to her breed.)

 

[AustraHatch]

I have 5 black and 5 splash australorp chicks currently. they are almost all lap birds. this is mainly since i have had them since they were day olds but they are all friendly and a more friendly breed to other chickens/i doubt that they will your attack silkies but you dont know. if its something you are worried about you're better off getting all silkies.