Help me pick out my breed

[Senna95]

Hi all,

After raising many different breeds of chickens, I've decided that it's time to downsize to just one breed. I raise mostly ducks, but would like to keep just a few chickens on the farm, and I'm trying to decide what breed would fit me best. Here are my criteria:

-Need to be fairly sizeable because I plan on butchering extra roosters
-Descent feed conversion ratio, but not too critical because they'll be free-ranging a lot
-Need to be good foragers
-Need to go broody, and be good mothers
-I prefer brown egg layers
-Mellow and docile, not super flighty
-Egg laying rate is not too important, but I would like some eggs year-round

I'm hoping to start a nice flock this year, and don't mind paying a little extra for quality birds or hatching eggs. Here are a few that are currenly on the top of my list:

Black Australorpe
Barnevelders
Marans
Langashans

I'm open to suggestions though, so give me your thoughts......

Thanks!


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[Keltara]

Oh yay!!!

I LOVE sharing this kind of news with others. I read your list, but in my opinion, you can scratch ALL of them. I have the perfect breed for you. It fits ALL of your criteria!! It's Buff Orpingtons. I did a very comprehensive review here on BYC about them. Go here to read my review and learn all about the birds that your wishlist perfectly describes!! It's extremely thorough and filled with amazing photos. After you've read my review, then please head over to my blog. It's mostly about our chicken adventure with this incredibly loving, friendly, intelligent and delightful "heavy" dual purpose breed!! THEN, if you decide that Buff Orpingtons are the way you want to go, there is a woman on BYC who breeds pure breed English Buff Orpingtons. They are the prettiest I've ever seen. I wish I had known about her when I was building my little flock. Here is her profile page. Wow! I hope I can convince you of the amazing Buff Orpingtons!!

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Kelly

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Our Country Chronicles

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[Senna95]

I had concidered orpingtons too, but wasn't sure if their color might make them too visible to predators, but I'll put them on the list......

Any others?

 

[Senna95]

Okay, just checked on them (the orpingtons), and they come in other colors too, not just buff. Shows I still have much to learn. Okay, they're going on my top 5 list.......

Thanks for the suggestion!