I want a good layer like sexlinks but...

[ChickenGirl555]

Buff orpingtons or Australorps. Both are sweet and GREAT layers.

 

[DesertChic]

I really want sexlinks because they lay a lot and mainly because I want to tell the hens apart from the roosters they sounded great until I got to the part where they only live 2-3 years and my chickens are like my children and I want them to live a while also because we have a child in the house and they would be sad any advice?

Might I suggest Naked Neck Turkens? You can cross them with anything and everything to create as much visual diversity as you'd like, they're exceptionally hardy and healthy birds, and my top layer averaged 250 eggs per year for her first two years and now that she's well into her third year she still supplies me with five X-Lg eggs per week. They also have fantastic personalities. I have both hens and roosters that simply love to be held, pet and snuggled and won't hesitate to jump up on my lap for attention. Here's a sample of a few of my birds:

 

[Farm boy 14]

maybe isabrowns

 

[BantyChooks]

maybe isabrowns

ISA browns are sexlinks.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

I have some lehorns and they are great granted they aren't fans of being held but they come when called the kids love feeding them. I also have buffs they are a bit more stand offish then the Leghorn but the friendliest are the easter eggers they allow the kids to hold them oh and or family favorites delwares they are supper sweet and great layers we had one that would demand to come in the house and she would want to be petted. She got killed by a predator but she was greatshe was already three years old before she died. We have her sister who has become standoffish after her sister died.

 

[alexa009]

Buff orpingtons are good birds to have if you want a chicken with a long lifespan, mine is so far 2 and yet very active and my cousin has some that are 5, 6 and 7 years. They are decent layers but there will be times when they will be good layers for a couple weeks then pause for a month and keep going on the same process. They also take long breaks when winter hits. I would describe them as social but do not like to be held unless you are planning on being incredibly social with them, delawares and barred rocks are great layers, plus very friendly.

 

[KDMdesigns]

Buff Orpington great layers. Sweet temperament

Second on Buff Orphs... We lucked out with a 2nd hen and love both of yours!

 

[imnukensc]

Barred Rocks

 

[SonoranChick]

This is such a good question, and a tough one to answer. I adore my red star and I certainly hope she lives longer than a few years! She's sweet as honey. As far as "nice" breeds go, I agree that the buff orphington is a great choice. Mine acts like a dog and loves to be picked up/loved on. She's a good layer too. She rarely gets frightened and sets a very calm tone for the flock. My best layers are my leghorns, red star, and RIR. Some say leghorns are flighty...mine are not at all. But they were hand raised. My RIR is also a little love-bug, and not bossy like I've heard they can be. My barred rock lays well, but she's a bit of a bully.

 

[Chicken-lovebirdchihuahua]

Wow thanks so much everyone for all your long detailed and AMAZING suggestions