I am thinking about getting chickens what is the best breed?

[punky rooster]

Depends what your purposes are, where you are, ect.
Want eggs? Get Leghorns or sex-links.
Want pets? Get Cochin's, Silkies, Rocks, Orpingtons.
Want meat; choose larger dual-purpose birds or Cornish X.
Want all the above? Get a dual purpose breed (when getting these for this purpose, stay away from hatcheries).
Mitch &

 

[WitksChicks]

First Off:

My first flock was 2 Rhode Island Reds, 2 Silver Lace Wynadottes, 2 Black Stars (Black Sex Links), and 1 Leg Horn.

All week great breeds for CT weather, and produced 5 - 7 eggs per day.

Hope this helps!

 

[Nicole01]

Quote:
My friend had 2 rhode island red and she said they were really mean. i even went and saw them they were really mean

Mine is sweet, but I do handle them on a daily basis. She wasn't always so sweet though. My RIR has challenged me when she was 10 weeks old right when I moved her to the coop. All three were challenging each other for the pecking order and my RIR viewed me as a chicken too. I picked her up and carried her for a couple days and pet her nicely on her back. She's a big sweetheart now, especially now that she's ready to lay eggs. I've heard they can be aggressive. I'd never keep an aggressive chicken, they'd be dinner very quickly!

A lot of times when I walk by her now, she squats I'm submission.lol

 

[Judy]

Some Easter Eggers (EE's) give bluish eggs and some more tan. And some egg buyers object to the blue eggs. Some EE's are friendly and tame, others not at all. I have three; one is my flock bully and I can't get near her, the other two will not let me pick them up or pet me but don't freak out as badly if I sneak up on them. The tameness is mostly a factor of a lot of handling as chicks, not breed, though some breeds like Leghorns are almost always flighty, afraid of people. For lots of eggs and generally tame, my recommendation would be Black Australorp; mine lay all winter. Buff Orps are also a good choice. Or, get one or two of different breeds so you can tell them apart. I'd avoid hatchery "reds" such as RIR, NHR and production red -- though I have two who are friendly, not laying yet but should be good layers.

Two good resources, a breed selector tool and a pretty comprehensive breeds description:

http://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/which-breed-is-right-for-me.aspx

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

There's also a breeds guide on BYC.

Most people at least start off with hatchery chicks, and hatcheries breed for good egg laying. If you happen to have a good breeder near you, though, I'd choose that as my source.

 

[phasian]

I have raised over 70 different breeds of chickens. Each had their pros & cons and human preferences are very subjective; though I base mine on what I find to be practical for my wetter climate. As I have a lot of room, I keep a lot of birds and have a mix of goals that the diversity of my flock allows for. At present I have 24 different pure breeds and a couple of mixes in addition.

What I would recommend is to attend as many chicken shows/fairs, etc. as you can to see chicken breeds in person and find out what you're attracted to. Talk to the attendant breeders, and if you have one in your area, join a local poultry club which will provide you with a lot of seasoned mentors and hopefully access to locally raised birds. It is a good investment to buy your birds from a breeder with integrity rather than a hatchery.

Having a mixed flock will help you find what breeds work best for your climate, your goals, and appeals to you. Then you can always zero in later on a breed or two if you want a less diversified hen house. (My very first flock were Rhode Island Reds and they were fine birds, though now I find much prefer Buckeyes.)

While egg production is a practical goal (with egg colour often being equally important for some), I think it is always nice to include a bantam breed or two. Having eggs that fit in your mouth for appetizers is a great thing. If you have children, they are often delighted to have a bird that is their scale to interact with. Bantams are often the best mother birds by far. I recently put out a flock of 14 keets in my nursery pen with some bantam mothers and their chicks. My Partridge Wyandotte mama tries to shove all of them under her wings at night along with her 2 hatchlings (which are a Runner Duck & a younger keet!).

Don't forget- there is other poultry that lays reliably too. Runner Ducks are great layers, affable and just plain funny, delightful birds. Quite a few of mine lay stunning green eggs.

 

[punky rooster]

Erin~TheChickenLover :

For the first time chickie owner it depends.
-If you want a pet that you can hold and cuddle: Bantam Cochins or Silkies
-Cool eggs and friendly: Easter Eggers, Olive Eggers, Ameraucanas
-If you want a good bird to let out to free range: Orpingtons, Plymoth Rocks, Wyandottes, or Rhode Island Reds
-If you just want them for eggs or meat: Red Sex Links, Black Sex Links, or Production Reds
-If you want some rare but hardy beauties: Barnevelders, Welsummers, Marans, or Wyandottes

from Arkansas!
Overall, I would recommend Orpingtons or Easter Eggers. They come in different colors. They are hardy healthy chickens that do good free ranging. They have sweet temperaments and are not skittish. They occasionally go broody, but not too often. They do well in most climates and are good layers.

Couple things; I've not found sex-links to be good for meat; as most are small, so they can perform their purpose; laying eggs.
Also Wyandottes are not really rare, they are one of the more-common breeds (even in most shows).
I do agree, Orps and Easter Egger do make very nice pets & layers.
Mitch​

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

I will have to say from my experience I suggest Buff Orpingtons and Barred Rock. My girls love to cuddle up with me ,be held and hugged on. They are vbery sweet. They are still kinda young so no eggs yet.

 

[patman75]

Get one of each. It makes for a very colorful flock and eggs.

 

[Mahonri]

If you want eggs and lots of them: Pearl White Leghorns and Black Sex Links.

If you want colored eggs: Ameraucanas, Olive Eggers, Marans

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

Quote:
Couple things; I've not found sex-links to be good for meat; as most are small, so they can perform their purpose; laying eggs.
Also Wyandottes are not really rare, they are one of the more-common breeds (even in most shows).
I do agree, Orps and Easter Egger do make very nice pets & layers.
Mitch

I was speaking of the blue laced red wyandottes but any way, whatever floats your boat. I don't know where you are, but they are pretty rare where I am.