How has your opinion of chicken breeds changed from before owning them to now owning those breeds?

[JacinLarkwell]

I'll also add that while people say sexlinks tend to be skittish and wild because of their parent breeds, my Calico Princess is a pet. She likes to run, but is by and dear one of the easiest birds to catch and when I do, she just sirs there, not flapping or screaming like most birds seem to do. I won't get more, especially right now, but she's a gem

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

Clicking, that's the word I should have used and phrased my original post better! I thought that I wanted the super calm aloofness in my chickens, but it turns out I prefer the feisty independent ones that are friendly to a degree without being too docile.

That sounds like a situation I'd like.

 

[DuckDuckSook]

I thought I'd adore AC's but it wasn't the case. They're visually striking and many people thought they were intimidating. Even though I handled them a lot as chicks and young birds, they were always a little on the skittish side. I raised them for almost 4 years and had 16 or 17 at one point. In my experience, they aren't prolific layers, the eggs are smallish and, unless you're mercenary in culling, you'll end up with a lot of birds that don't conform to what is generally accepted as an "Ayam Cemani". Pink toes, mulberry combs and wattles, patches of non-black feathers, patches of red in the comb/wattles, feathered legs, etc. From my investigations, a lot of backyard chick mills apparently incorporate black silkies in their breeding programs to add back in the fibeomelanistic genes that are lacking in their AC breeding stock. That means that your AC's progeny may show walnut combs, five toes or silkie type feathering.

I sold mine to people who, like me, thought they'd adore Ayam Cemanis.

I currently have an adult flock of a little over 30; mostly Ameraucanas with 8 or 9 RIRs and a handful of other breeds. The RIRs are friendly and inquisitive and lay daily, even in our current central Texas heat wave.

Right now my passion is finding a light or white chicken that is a prolific egger, gets fat enough to use as a meat bird and is heat tolerant.

I, like you, was initially very drawn to the Ayam Cemani breed. I still think they are amazing looking, but I feared what you mentioned (birds that didn't conform) I didn't want to spend a large amount of money on birds that I might ultimately find a bit disappointing. I adore 100% black chickens. I ordered one Fibro Easter Egger from Meyer Hatchery and took a chance. I knew that I'd have the possibility of getting a bird that didn't conform in some way, but I'm happy to report, that our Fibro Easter Egger is stunning. She is all black (clean legs, beak, wattle, comb - all black). She also has the muff that they mentioned might appear, which I just love to pieces. I was going to order several of them, but was so nervous about what I might get. I lucked out and would roll the dice again since she turned out to be so beautiful. However, her personality does leave a lot to be desired. She's timid and a bit flighty. Of all the birds in Flock #2, she is the most shy and hardly comes near me. I guess I can't be too picky though because she looks perfect.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I, like you, was initially very drawn to the Ayam Cemani breed. I still think they are amazing looking, but I feared what you mentioned (birds that didn't conform) I didn't want to spend a large amount of money on birds that I might ultimately find a bit disappointing. I adore 100% black chickens. I ordered one Fibro Easter Egger from Meyer Hatchery and took a chance. I knew that I'd have the possibility of getting a bird that didn't conform in some way, but I'm happy to report, that our Fibro Easter Egger is stunning. She is all black (clean legs, beak, wattle, comb - all black). She also has the muff that they mentioned might appear, which I just love to pieces. I was going to order several of them, but was so nervous about what I might get. I lucked out and would roll the dice again since she turned out to be so beautiful. However, her personality does leave a lot to be desired. She's timid and a bit flighty. Of all the birds in Flock #2, she is the most shy and hardly comes near me. I guess I can't be too picky though because she looks perfect.

Might I recommend Mystic Onyx? Apart from extra toes, the common ones appear extremely common to cemanis. To the point I (lovingly) call 2 of mine 'Rip off Cemanis" and "Poor man's Cemani"

 

[kurby22]

This is a fun thread! I definitely have been surprised by the chickens I click with versus the ones I thought I would. I read and read about breeds, so I started off with lavender Orpingtons, BLRW and GLWs, and silkies. I thought I would just LOVE silkies…but I would not put them at the top of my favorites list. I love MY silkies because they’re my silkies and they truly are sweet and docile and so gentle…but they also (mine anyway) sort of lack personality and are not they type to seek out attention ever. Mine are also CONSTANTLY broody They have been amazing mommas for my new baby chicks and teenagers and made great birds for my daughter in 4-H showmanship…but I don’t click with them. Wyandottes are exactly how I read they would be and I have found I like them more than I even thought I would. My GLW is sweet, independent, and HATES to be hugged or pet really…but also none of the chickens mess with her and she visits me every day. It’s like owning that cat that graces you with their presence but bites when you pet them I don’t want a whole flock of them, but I love them. All of my Orpingtons (3 boys and four girls) have been loving and sweet and get along with everyone. I feel they fit the golden retriever of chickens tag really well. I knew I’d love them and I do!! The breed that surprised me are my Ameraucanas and EEs. Other chicken friends described them as skittish, flighty, and weird…so I put off getting any for a long time. And then this breeder had a couple the day I was getting my marans so I decided to go for it. And I just clicked with them so fast! Of course the two I bought were both boys…but I love/loved them to pieces!! And I think I will be narrowing my LF flock to mainly Orps and Ams with a smattering of others for variety! I now have 4 LF Ameraucanas, 2 bantam Ameraucanas, 2 LF EEs and 3 bantam EEs…and if I had to get rid of a bunch of my chickens I would keep these before most all the others! They are my heart chickens. I love their animated expressions, their fluffy faces, the way they love hugs and security from you, and how each one is slightly quirky.

Others I thought sure I’d love—Polish and bantam Cochins. They’re super pretty and nice birds, but lack personality and the Cochin hens have been the meanest birds in my flock!

And the other ones I hadn’t expected to like as much were d’Anver chickens. I got some thinking they’d be just like d’Uccles only clean legged…and then started reading about how they are feistier, the roosters can be jerks, and they’re generally more lively and active birds. So I was really worried I’d made a poor decision getting some…and I adore mine! They’re pretty, they are super nice and easy to handle, have puffy adorable cheeks too, and I sort of like the bit of spice! I agree with everyone saying you should get a variety and see what best fits you…don’t let generalities keep you from trying out another breed cuz you just never know!

 

[igorsMistress]

Each bird is different and so I tend not to have an opinion based on breed. I’ve had RIR that were confident and the flock leaders, but never mean to the others. My Wellsummer was independent and sassy, never a girl to be held. I’ve had Australorps at opposite ends of the personality spectrum. Nn that were super friendly, some skittish, some mean and authoritarian.

 

[Iluveggers]

My Wellsummer was independent and sassy, never a girl to be held.

You never know…my Welsummer is quiet, sweet, & jumps up for cuddles daily!

 

[Happy hen lover]

As I walked into the barn this morning I stopped to pet my broody Welsummer before going about my chores. She gave me her usual greeting and allowed me to pet her (if you had told me in years prior to reach my hand into a nesting box with a broody hen I would have laughed at you). After my Maran, Orpington and Sussex all ran up to greet me. This made me start to think about how my opinion of each chicken breed I own has drastically changed from what I originally expected of each breed. My prior experience was only with production and meat breeds. Growing up (as I'm sure most of you who also grew up on the farm have experienced) chickens were a means to get fresh eggs or dinner. Nothing more nothing less. When I moved back to the country and got back into chickens again, I wanted different breeds to figure out which ones I preferred. When placing the order for chickens, I thought that my favorites were going to be the Faverolles, Brahmas, Barred Rock and Wyandottes. The other breeds I had purchased simply to try other breeds and add some more color to the flock. Looking back, I'm now laughing because my Welsummer, Jubilee Orpington, Speckled Sussex and Blue Copper Maran have become my favorites. I never thought I would enjoy owning chickens again this much and it's all thanks to my Welsummer, Orpington, Sussex and Maran. I think I may slowly switch over to only those four breeds in the future. With that all being said, what has your experience been with chicken breed expectations? Did your breeds end up being everything that you thought they would be? Have some they surprised you?

Well 2 years ago I decided on mixed flock so I would know who was who! I didn't even know what "broody" was! Lol I too think it's all about the individual. I have an aloof RIR , 2 curious ISA browns, and one broody BA that's a sweetie. I wanted some calif whites and the 2 hens that are complete opposites, one sweet please hold me girl, other one don't touch me!!! Same with my 3 leghorns! My smokey Pearl s are very flighty but would eat out of my hand as chicks! The EE are crazy scared CUTE but crazy frantic which I can see is getting better with age( 15 week olds now) but I don't hold our much hope for their friendliness. So imo it's a crap shoot but my leghorns have been the biggest surprise so far.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I have a VERY mixed flock (19 chickens, 14 breeds - lol), so I am not an expert on any breed. I have found that the ones I have who are EXACTLY as described are my Brahma, my Silkies, my Leghorns, and my Orpingtons. The ones who have been surprising are my Spitzhauben (much friendlier and smarter than predicted), my Welsummer (high strung and neurotic), my Naked Neck (very, very friendly), and my Barred Rock (confident as predicted, but #1 lap chicken). And I never expected to adore my red sexlink as much as I did, but there you go.

As aforementioned, I think it's the individual burden in a lot of cases. It might not be so variable with heritage birds or high quality birds from breeders who breed to enhance certain traits. But my birds have sll been hatchery birds where it's a grab bag of traits because they are bred for quantity rather than quality.

 

[SourRoses]

I went from never wanting chickens, to in love the first time I saw a picture of a Silkie. They really broke my idea of what a chicken was. I ordered eggs online and hatched them without any experience around poultry, then later found myself surprised by how small and few the eggs were

So, we moved on to breeds that lay well, but always chasing that idea of an "unchicken", and finding popular breeds too chicken to be our chickens..

After many kinds of eggs, I found I consistently loved the experience of pulling out blue eggs to cook with. (Only to break them )
So Ameraucana are my favorite for eggs.
We love spots, so mottled is our favorite color.
The long feathers of our Hackle birds makes me so happy.
And the gentleness of our English Orpingtons this year is just shocking to me. They're so sweet with one another! So floofy!
All stuff that seems unchicken.

And then we realized when raising some leghorns for a neighbor... they're not so bad.
Quiet, friendly to each other. It makes me feel bad for all the times I wrinkled my nose at the Leghorn level of chickenness.