Gaah! Can't decide...

[babyblue]

im never having any bird other then a oprington ever again. the accidental leghorns were insane, the wellsummer pullet, br rooster and br/bo cross rooster....all should have been female ee's but anyways are all mean crazy flighty and the most unfriendly birds I have ever met. the wellsummer hen is a big clumbering bully that smashes eggs and causes fights. nope never ever again. only bo's for me.

 

[Southernbelle]

Henderson Chicken Chart: http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

It covers type, rarity, size egg laid, frequency of eggs, general temperment, etc.

 

[BriteChicken]

Thanks SouthernBelle I was looking for that a little earlier when someone said I should add americaunas to the mix...

 

[rancher hicks]

Quote:
I suspect the average leghorn was bred for production not personality. Roosters can be nasty at times cuz they are protective of the flock and anything that is perceived as a threat can set them off. Though I have a Del roo who is used to me and calm. Since you did n't 'get EE's how can you say? There are exceptions to every rule and my BO's are not the friendliest of my flock, the SLW's are. While they are not crazy they aren't handled as much either. I will grant you that all breeds are not the same. So I advise handle your birds, hand feed them, talk to them, let them get used to you. My girls and Nick all calm down when there is something that upsets them and I come out and sit in the yard. Heck I had to shoo them away when I was using my circular saw in the coop.
I have 2 BO, 3 SLW, 2 GLW, 3 Aus, 2 Dom. ( not so friendly), 7 Del and one Del, roo. I also have 5 CM and 1 CM roo, he is very excitable and he is young. And 1 little bantam friz, Frenchy. I have one Aussie who when I sit outside w/ bread will get up on my knee.
I do sing to them but they tend to pass out a lot.

 

[BriteChicken]

All I'm looking for is info I know that all chickens are different and it depends on how you raise them general weights that I got off Henderson for the ones I'm interested in are:

Delaware-6.5
Orpington-8
Plymoth Rock-7.5
Red Star-6.5
Sussex-7
Wynadotte-6.5

And again my wants are:

Great layers
Very Friendly/Calm
L/XL eggs
All must be able to live in an 8x8 Tractor (8x3 coop and 8x5 run)
And be semi-quiet chickens so they don't bother the neighbors...

So which ones will mesh well together? I definitely want a Buff Orpington and Red Star

 

[CelticMoon1]

Quote:

 

[BriteChicken]

Does that mean he's a horrible singer or something?

 

[kipper]

We have 2 Delaware Pullets and One Cockerel, all are 10 months old.

Our Delaware pullets are fairly noisy when laying and the most aggressive girls we have. One is an egg eater, we have to collect eggs throughout the day because she will go in seach of them in the nest boxes! They have interesting personalities and I like them, but I wouldn't call ours quiet. They are top of the pecking order over the Welsummers and EEs.

Our Delaware cockerel is the devil. Mean and aggressive to everyone but my husband, and he is starting in on him. Crows constantly (thank God we aren't in the city!)

I have heard the Sussex and Wyndottes are very nice, and I am thinking of getting them this year. Be warned, chickens are addictive!

 

[BriteChicken]

I know I was only planning on getting three but somehow that moved to 4 and now I'm convincing myself to just fill up the coop with all 6!!! Crazy! I'll have to build another tractor next year if I want more LOL!

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

Quote:
Black Australoprs are definitely worth considering.