Good Starter Breed?

[ChickiChick]

Hi! I live in a small terraced house, but with a normal sized garden, im thinking of getting
a henly m chicken coop,

^^ one of these
Anyway it will only house 2 - 3 chickens, but i would only like 2, otherwise there would be too many eggs!
So i have got a keeping chicken book, and buff orpingtons look like a good breed, but some people say they are very broody. Can anyone else recommend any other good breeds for me? I am not interested in bantams or silkies, and i would prefer a friendly breed I cannot really let them be free range all day (foxy area), but the coop will be on grass and i will let them run around for and hour a day while i watch them.

Thanks for all your help in advance

 

[Judy]

I've had several buff orps and never had one go broody. The "really broody" breeds do not include orps; they are Old English, Silkies, Kraenkoppes, and a couple more I can't think of right now. But a hen might go broody even if she's not one of the "broody breeds," so in the end you take your chances. Usually they only stay broody a month or so -- or there are some ways of breaking them. I just broke two by moving the flock from their usual chicken yard into the spent garden -- not why I moved them, but it sure worked.

Orps are indeed a very friendly, mellow breed. Good luck!

 

[ChickiChick]

ah ok thankyou i will go for Buff Orps then

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

We got some barred rocks this spring from Cackle. Very friendly birds, calm too.