Getting chicks tomorrow could use a little help deciding

[justmeinflorida]

OK, so since DH says we can finally have chick

I'm wanting everyone that I see...lol! So to keep me out of trouble and so I don't go overboard I'd like some opinions on which ones would be best for our small homestead. We have .78 acres, 1/2 is fenced in, we plan on building a coop/run and a chicken tractor big enough to fit probably 14 birds but we only want 10 birds right now

The women I met has 300 of her own breeder chickens and about 450 1wk-4.5mo old chicks. I'm going to get the youngest of each breed so I can raise them myself in the house till they can go out in the garage and then finally into their coop/run. I'd like to have rainbow eggs but more importantly is that they will be good pets (especially with kids) and they pretty much for the most part get along. I'm not interested in cockerels just pullets.

Below is what she has:

E/Es (green/pink layers)
Americanas (true blue layers)
Comets
Copper Marans
Brahmas
Seramas
Buff Orpingtons
RIRs
Cochins
Silkies <----always wanted one of these cuties

Any help/advise will be much appreciated!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Did she breed them or get them from a hatchery? Comets are not a breed rather a hybrid that does not breed true. If she hatched them then they will be straight run (both sexes).

If you want a rainbow basket of eggs I'd get EE, Americana, Copper Marans (dark brown eggs) and Orpington (light brown eggs). All of those will get along fine. People have bantam Silkies with large fowl all the time. I'm not a fan of Silkie and the reason is they are far too broody and don't lay many eggs to begin with and are not an active bird. But will lay a small cream colored egg for your basket.

 

[Silkiehen]

Kid friendly? EE and Silkies are the ones for you. If you are wanting them for egg production then Silkies might not be great choice. I have an really aggressive Buff Orp. She has bit me in the face two times. Both times drew blood. It might just be my chickens personality though, any breeds can have some with bad attitudes. My oldest chicks are about 9 weeks. Only my Production Red roosters like to be handled. My silkies are still little babies but they are so sweet! I do not have experience with EE's but I have never heard any bad things about them! Good luck!

 

[justmeinflorida]

Did she breed them or get them from a hatchery? Comets are not a breed rather a hybrid that does not breed true. If she hatched them then they will be straight run (both sexes).

If you want a rainbow basket of eggs I'd get EE, Americana, Copper Marans (dark brown eggs) and Orpington (light brown eggs). All of those will get along fine. People have bantam Silkies with large fowl all the time. I'm not a fan of Silkie and the reason is they are far too broody and don't lay many eggs to begin with and are not an active bird. But will lay a small cream colored egg for your basket.

She breeds them herself, she has 300 of her own breeder chickens and she also sexs. I was also thinking EE, Americana, Copper Maran and Orpington so you pretty much read my mind...lol! The Silkie is really just cause I think they're cute and I don't care about egg production from her.