I have 10 (each a different breed); which 6 do I keep?

[SF-Tall-Girl]

I'm in the Bay Area as well. I don't have experience with the breeds listed. I just want to defend your set up. You seemed a bit pecked on. My hens have a large run, but a fairly small coop that is used mostly for sleep and nesting boxes. If you have some shade and rain/mud protection in your run, your coop should be OK for 6. Personally, I'd research them and weed out any breeds prone to broodiness. I don't like small eggs, so I've never kept bantams.

 

[FabledFeatherFarm]

Hi Folks,
Mix and match: pick 6, ONLY 6
Assumptions:
* 6 hens
* All same hatch date (7/18th)
* hand raised together
* urban backyard
* San Francisco Bay Area (maybe 2 weeks in the 90s in late September; otherwise mild year round)
* coop: 13 square feet
* attached, enclosed run: 82 sq feet
GOALS:
* entertaining pets (but choose quiet and boring over noisy and fun)
* low conflict… I have learned my lesson; I’m never introducing new hens into an existing flock. This is my do-over.
* colorful egg basket

So much depends on individual temperament, but I’ll need to rehome a few gals in a couple of weeks. Which 6 would you KEEP? (As much as I would like to keep them all, I cannot.)
A) cream legbar
B) black copper marans
C) green queen Easter egger bantam
D) Favaucana
E) mottled Cochin bantam
F) buff silkie bantam
G) silver spangled Hamburg
H) golden buff (red star)
I) Swedish flower
J) Mille fleur d’Uccle bantam

THANKS!

I would definitely keep the legbar, marans, and Favaucana. Less common, more expensive if you ever ended up wanting that kind again, good variety of egg colors, sweet breeds (in my experience).

 

[joydix]

Hi Folks,
Mix and match: pick 6, ONLY 6
Assumptions:
* 6 hens
* All same hatch date (7/18th)
* hand raised together
* urban backyard
* San Francisco Bay Area (maybe 2 weeks in the 90s in late September; otherwise mild year round)
* coop: 13 square feet
* attached, enclosed run: 82 sq feet
GOALS:
* entertaining pets (but choose quiet and boring over noisy and fun)
* low conflict… I have learned my lesson; I’m never introducing new hens into an existing flock. This is my do-over.
* colorful egg basket

So much depends on individual temperament, but I’ll need to rehome a few gals in a couple of weeks. Which 6 would you KEEP? (As much as I would like to keep them all, I cannot.)
A) cream legbar
B) black copper marans
C) green queen Easter egger bantam
D) Favaucana
E) mottled Cochin bantam
F) buff silkie bantam
G) silver spangled Hamburg
H) golden buff (red star)
I) Swedish flower
J) Mille fleur d’Uccle bantam

THANKS!

You have one of each of these or?? Personally I would keep 1BCM, Swedish flower 2 if you have them, Cochin bantam, EE bantam, cream leg bar.

 

[Red Dirt Rose]

Hi Folks,
Mix and match: pick 6, ONLY 6
Assumptions:
* 6 hens
* All same hatch date (7/18th)
* hand raised together
* urban backyard
* San Francisco Bay Area (maybe 2 weeks in the 90s in late September; otherwise mild year round)
* coop: 13 square feet
* attached, enclosed run: 82 sq feet
GOALS:
* entertaining pets (but choose quiet and boring over noisy and fun)
* low conflict… I have learned my lesson; I’m never introducing new hens into an existing flock. This is my do-over.
* colorful egg basket

So much depends on individual temperament, but I’ll need to rehome a few gals in a couple of weeks. Which 6 would you KEEP? (As much as I would like to keep them all, I cannot.)
A) cream legbar
B) black copper marans
C) green queen Easter egger bantam
D) Favaucana
E) mottled Cochin bantam
F) buff silkie bantam
G) silver spangled Hamburg
H) golden buff (red star)
I) Swedish flower
J) Mille fleur d’Uccle bantam

THANKS!

I disagree with others about your coop size. You live in a place with mild weather. Your birds won’t be holed up in the coop for months of snow, ice, and sub- freezing temperatures. All they really need the coop for is to sleep in and lay eggs in. The rest of their time can be spent outside. The size coop you have should be plenty for six chickens. Likewise, I’m not sure why others are hesitant about the size of your run. It’s about twice as much space as I have for 8 large breed chickens. Our size is not ideal, but it works okay for us as long as we regularly rotate the area they have access to (to let the grass recover). They’re on one half of the yard for a couple weeks, and then we move them to the other half for a couple weeks.

 

[SalsaChick]

I'm in the Bay Area as well. I don't have experience with the breeds listed. I just want to defend your set up. You seemed a bit pecked on. My hens have a large run, but a fairly small coop that is used mostly for sleep and nesting boxes. If you have some shade and rain/mud protection in your run, your coop should be OK for 6. Personally, I'd research them and weed out any breeds prone to broodiness. I don't like small eggs, so I've never kept bantams.

Thanks Everyone is entitled to their opinions, and I did ask...

 

[SalsaChick]

You have one of each of these or?? Personally I would keep 1BCM, Swedish flower 2 if you have them, Cochin bantam, EE bantam, cream leg bar.

Hi there, I have one each of these breeds. I have experience w/LCB, BCM, and Favaucana. I had a standard cochin that was a dream, so I'm hoping the bantam is similar.

Regarding the Swedish Flower (which is standard size, and judging by how much bigger she is than the others, going to be a big gal), do you know if they're very chatty? Thanks!

 

[SalsaChick]

I'd keep 4 bantams- cochin, Swedish flower hen, silkie, and Mille Fleur. I have 2 Mille Fleurs and they're as sweet as can be! One of them even jumps onto my arm when I go out to see them like a little falcon

Thanks! I have a friend who adores her Mille Fleurs, so I think she's a strong contender

 

[Red Dirt Rose]

Likewise, I’m not sure why others are hesitant about the size of your run. It’s about twice as much space as I have for 8 large breed chickens. Our size is not ideal, but it works okay for us as long as we regularly rotate the area they have access to (to let the grass recover). They’re on one half of the yard for a couple weeks, and then we move them to the other half for a couple weeks.

Correction: The size of my run is similar to the size of yours (possibly a little bigger), but the area the chickens have access to at any given time is half that size.

 

[Roosters Egg]

Hi Folks,
Mix and match: pick 6, ONLY 6
Assumptions:
* 6 hens
* All same hatch date (7/18th)
* hand raised together
* urban backyard
* San Francisco Bay Area (maybe 2 weeks in the 90s in late September; otherwise mild year round)
* coop: 13 square feet
* attached, enclosed run: 82 sq feet
GOALS:
* entertaining pets (but choose quiet and boring over noisy and fun)
* low conflict… I have learned my lesson; I’m never introducing new hens into an existing flock. This is my do-over.
* colorful egg basket

So much depends on individual temperament, but I’ll need to rehome a few gals in a couple of weeks. Which 6 would you KEEP? (As much as I would like to keep them all, I cannot.)
A) cream legbar
B) black copper marans
C) green queen Easter egger bantam
D) Favaucana
E) mottled Cochin bantam
F) buff silkie bantam
G) silver spangled Hamburg
H) golden buff (red star)
I) Swedish flower
J) Mille fleur d’Uccle bantam

THANKS!

Do you have a picture of your queen queen Easter egger bantam? I just ordered 7

 

[Sneakyturtle]

Just curious, what chickens did you end up keeping?