Help me pick a breed Please!

[awalters0815]

I am wanting to add my 8th and final girl to the flock. I want something pretty, unusual and talkative, but would also like her to be at least a decent egg layer. Any suggestions. I live in Indiana, so winter and heat hardiness is a must.

 

[chics in the sun]

What do you have so far?

 

[hcammack]

Get a Faverolles they are amazing birds! Good winter layers, friendly, beautiful, unusual, and they make weird noises

Here is my old Faverolles hen I used to have now I have a whole flock of bantam Faverolles.

Henry

 

[chics in the sun]

I want to get some of those next, too!! There is a breeder near here, but they don't use their own pictures on the CL add, so I don't know if I should trust them. They are such cool looking birds!
I love the noises my EE's make. I miss hearing them now that they are out in the coop instead of the brooder in my laundry room.

 

[awalters0815]

Quote:
5 Easter Eggers and two golden comets.

 

[chics in the sun]

My Barred Rock is pretty and talkative, but not particularly unusual.

 

[gryeyes]

Oh, you have EEs already, so.... Welsummer? Or maybe Cuckoo Marans? Or Barnevelder? All lay nice, dark eggs. My CM Bernadette is very friendly, and talkative. Shirley Welsummer is strikingly pretty but she surprised me by going broody on 9/14 - and she's a young pullet!

I don't have any Barnevelders yet, but I've got some eggs on the way for me to incubate.....

Australorps are GREAT layers, very friendly, and have those wonderfully black feathers which turn beetle-green in the sunlight! I miss my Matilda, but Molly will start laying in a couple of months.

 

[hcammack]

Quote:
PM me the breeders add and I will take a look at it for you if you want. Also if you have there name I can find out how good their birds are.

Henry

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

I can only say that after raising chickens for a LOT longer than you have been alive... (30 years) I still don't know what breed I want.

Here are few things to think about:

Do you love history? If so, consider some of the really old breeds. You can probably get folks from your school involved with this.

Some of these breeds are:

Javas
Dorkings
Sussex
Dominques (Dominickers)
Buckeyes

If you want chickens that are strange in appearance then you might consider the following breeds:

Polish - have the puff on their heads...
Silkies - look like they have fur
Favorelles - look like they have beards and booties
Cochins - look like puff balls.

If you just want pet chickens then here are my favorites:

Buff Orpingtons... think they should be on your lap especially if you raise them on your lap
Delawares - really tame and lay a lot of eggs...

If you are looking for a chicken who lays LOTS of eggs: These are the easiest to find...

White Leghorn - white eggs
Rhode Island Red - brown eggs
Barred Rock - brown eggs

There are literally hundreds of breeds but maybe this will help some.

Dave

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

Oh, forgot... go to www.feathersite.com to look at the different breeds... That may help too.