Hey there :)

Welcome to BYC, Tara! Glad you decided to join our flock. My wife was a stay at home mom, and now my daughter is following in her footsteps. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Do you have any breed preference?
 
Welcome to BYC, Tara! Glad you decided to join our flock. My wife was a stay at home mom, and now my daughter is following in her footsteps. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Do you have any breed preference?
I would like birds that are friendly and good layers. I would also appreciate a breed that would eat the fleas that we keep tracking in the house from the yard. My daughter would love a flock of silkies. :)
 
I would like birds that are friendly and good layers. I would also appreciate a breed that would eat the fleas that we keep tracking in the house from the yard. My daughter would love a flock of silkies. :)

Australorps, Orpingtons, Cochins, Brahmas, Silkies, Sussex, and Faverolles all have a well deserved reputation for being friendly, calm, and gentle birds. Of these, Australorps are the best layers and Silkies and Cochins are the poorest layers (although they are the best brooders and mothers). The lay rate of Orpingtons, Brahmas, Sussex, and Faverolles is about the same, although Brahmas eggs can tend to run a little smaller than the others. Silkies, being bantams of course, have quite small eggs. I don't know if any chickens eat fleas. In 50 years of raising chickens (dozens of breeds), I've never personally observed them eating fleas. Whatever breeds you decide to get, good luck with your flock.
 
Australorps, Orpingtons, Cochins, Brahmas, Silkies, Sussex, and Faverolles all have a well deserved reputation for being friendly, calm, and gentle birds. Of these, Australorps are the best layers and Silkies and Cochins are the poorest layers (although they are the best brooders and mothers). The lay rate of Orpingtons, Brahmas, Sussex, and Faverolles is about the same, although Brahmas eggs can tend to run a little smaller than the others. Silkies, being bantams of course, have quite small eggs. I don't know if any chickens eat fleas. In 50 years of raising chickens (dozens of breeds), I've never personally observed them eating fleas. Whatever breeds you decide to get, good luck with your flock.
Thank you for the breed suggestions.
To clarify about the fleas, the house we bought came infested with fleas, inside and out. Bleh. I was researching to see if chickens would be bothered by them, but to my surprise, I saw a few articles where people claimed that their flea problem disappeared when they let their chickens free range in the yard. I don't think they actually saw their chickens eating any. I'm hoping for the best!
 
Thank you for the breed suggestions.
To clarify about the fleas, the house we bought came infested with fleas, inside and out. Bleh. I was researching to see if chickens would be bothered by them, but to my surprise, I saw a few articles where people claimed that their flea problem disappeared when they let their chickens free range in the yard. I don't think they actually saw their chickens eating any. I'm hoping for the best!

You're welcome. I hope the chickens can help with your flea infestation. Good luck.
 

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