help choosing those last birds to get

[college town chick]

Ok, I placed my order for chicks, and got a very mixed group -- this is my first attempt at chicken keeping, and I wanted to figure out which breed(s) would work best for me (the ALL looked really neat and attractive -- it was like picking out your favorite flower...which is why I got so many different ones!).

I've still got room for one more breed (I want a rounded off number of chickens, so I'm thinking of getting a few more, and want another breed rather than getting more of what I'm already getting -- one can never have too many flowers, er chickens, right?)

I'm narrowed down to either getting:
-- one of the types of Brahmas
-- Rhode Island Red

I'm looking for hardiness, good egg production, and a very nice disposition (I have kids). We also have a pretty healthy predator population around here, but our coop/run isn't easy access and we do have some very good dogs about the place.

Second question -- if one of the Brahmas, then which type would work best for me?
Thanks for any help in advance.

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

I have a small flock of Light Brahmas and I absolutely love them - I'm getting some more of them (chicks) tomorrow, actually. I haven't seen nor owned the dark brahmas, but the pics of them are pretty.

My brahmas are VERY hardy and they lay fantastic - usually large to extra large eggs - many double yolkers. They did slow down a lot when we had a really quick cold snap back a month or so ago (ice storm) but they picked right back up and lay every day for me, again. They also laid right through the winter pretty well.

They do get noisy at times, they like to "chat" usually when they've laid an egg, though, so it isn't a constant thing. They are very outgoing and friendly - big balls of fluff that I have to shove out of the way with my foot to be able to get into the coop, cause they all rush me to get food or treats.

I can put my hand into the nest box with them sitting there (to find eggs) and they just look at me like "hurry up, I'm working here"

They've never been aggressive at all, and if anything they are so friendly I can go in and pick one up without a squawk out of them.

They were hatchery birds, and I got them as pol pullets - not chicks. They had been running in a coop with a large mixed flock, and not played with, so I am assuming their disposition is inherent in the breed.

I only have 7 hens of those right now, I can't wait to have more.

RIR - well, I've never had any luck with red chickens

I have one red hen who goes broody all the time, so I keep her around - otherwise, my experience has been most red chickens are psychotic - but other folks haven't had the same experience and seem to love the RIR - so it must just be me.
I would never have another red rooster on the place, though.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I have to agree, brahmas are fantastic. Personality plu, but calm and gentle. Huge eggs. Red chickens are more aggressive, at least here. I do NOT like RIR--mean to the other birds.