Good, quiet breeds for a beginner?

[JensChickies]

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My best/sweetest hens are my Langshans. They are very docile and great little layers. If I could do my flock again I would have Langshans. Although my white rock is pretty sweet, my Langshans take the cake. I have also heard brahmas are docile. Easter eggers and brahmas are next on my list, but I have never had any experience with them.

Edit: they are also very quiet.

 

[WNCcluck]

We've got three Easter Eggers, two silver laced Wyandottes, a buff Orpington, a Speckled Sussex, and a Black Australorp. We got all of them as adult birds from the same farm - four at one time, four several months later.

There's not a problem combining adult birds if you follow health precautions well. When we got the four new girls, we quarantined them from their former flock mates for several weeks to be sure they were as healthy as the first batch. Then we put their enclosures side by side (using the flexible wire fencing with hammer in posts). The fences touched for a span of about five feet. We gave treats right at the spot where the fences met to let the girls meet without actually coming in contact with each other. Finally, we combined the birds. Within about half an hour they had things worked out.

All the breeds we have do fine in the cold. Our Australorp is a talkative girl and can be heard chatting to anyone who will listen pretty much all the time. All of ours have great personalities (chickenalities?).

 

[Curlyginger]

I have 2 BOs, an EE, a barred rock and a black sex link. The BOs and the barred rock are the most people friendly (and I did not raise the BR from chick, she is just super friendly). The EE (who I did hand raise) and black sex link (who I did not) are my most skittish. That being said, my BOs rule the roost and can be down right mean to the other hens, especially the poor black sex link, who is at the bottom of the pecking order. So, I think it entirely depends on the personality of the birds. And they ALL yell their heads off sometimes, although my neighbors swear they never hear them.

 

[Michael OShay]

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I have also heard brahmas are docile. Easter eggers and brahmas are next on my list, but I have never had any experience with them.

Brahmas are very docile. The first breed I ever had were Brahmas (almost 50 years ago) and they were gentle giants. I've raised EEs for years (still have some in my flock) and they generally docile but can be quite standoffish. They tolerate handling, but don't really like it, and my children and granddaughter were never able to make the lap pets of them that they were of our friendlier and calmer breeds.

 

[Lilyput]

I got my first chickens last May. I love the Australorp, great layer, a little skittish. Buff Orpington, great layer, very friendly, very inquisitive. EE, I call her crazy Lucy because of her feathered cheeks and she runs around like crazy and into everything, great layer of beige eggs, very friendly, very inquisitive.. Gold Lace Wyandotte, standoffish, no eggs yet. Dark Brahma, very docile no eggs yet. My five girls get along just fine. All are pretty quiet, except when singing the "laying song". Brahma, EE, and Orpington are all talkers when I'm out with them, but not very loud. Had a speckled sussex roo for awhile. Gave him up because I only had 5 hens. He was sweet, friendly, and always underfoot. SS love people! Have a wonderful time.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Production Reds are hybrids produced by crossing two red gene parents (any combination of RIR, HNR, or Production Reds). They are not bred for conformity to a physical standard as true breeds are (although they will all have red feathering), but rather for egg production. Because they are hybrids, their personalities can vary a good deal. I've had some really aggressive Production Reds and some that are very friendly, calm, and gentle.

Ahhh that makes sense then. I guess it's kind of like how mutts of the same mix, or even from the same litter, (and even purebred animals), can look and act so different?

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thanks for all the info, guys. There's definitely a few breeds that I hadn't considered or had thought maybe I'd cross them off the list so I'll definitely have to go back and look into all of them quite a bit more.

 

[JensChickies]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/284419/langshan-thread/2960#post_14497788

This is the Langshan thread. It's normally a pretty quiet thread, but there is a lot of information about the breed on there. Good luck in whatever you decide.

 

[ShrekDawg]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/284419/langshan-thread/2960#post_14497788

This is the Langshan thread. It's normally a pretty quiet thread, but there is a lot of information about the breed on there. Good luck in whatever you decide.

thank you

 

[Michael OShay]

Ahhh that makes sense then. I guess it's kind of like how mutts of the same mix, or even from the same litter, (and even purebred animals), can look and act so different?

Exactly.