I want some STANDARDS!!!

red rosecomb

Songster
12 Years
Sep 28, 2008
94
16
109
Pretoria- South Africa
So here's the thing, my first chickens where bantams ( silkie, dutch bantamand pekin) and I got them 2yrs ago and they are now each laying on random days. I like the texture and taste of these chickens' eggs, but they are producing too little now. My solution, GET MY FIRST STANDARD GIRLS TO LAY ME SOME EGGS. I still want to keep the bantams as pets because they are just too sweet! So here are the questions I wanted to ask, brace yourselves:

I need a breed that is very docile so that they can get along with each other and the bantams. So which breed is docile in the standard world and if there are not, what measures can i take too ease the bullying?

Which standard breed lays the most and the largest eggs?

Which standard breed lays the most in the later years where laying declines?

And finally what do I feed hens so that they can lay up to their optimum ability?

Please I need help before I take the plunge
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I found Orpingtons to be the most docile. 4 and 6 year olds feed the free ranging roosters. You could even call the roosters wimpy. Good layers and very sweet.
 
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I've seen both faverolls and orpingtons at a poultry show, very cute and BIG obviously. Very interested in those. Havent seen dominiques, I'll have to research on them. thanks so far guys
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This is just my first year with chickens, and I only have four, but I'll weigh in on the first question anyhow.
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We have RIRs and BRs. I most wanted to have the RIRs, so was suprised to find I enjoy the BRs more. They are very sweet, and while they don't allow themselves to be bullied, if they can, they'll walk away from a fight. The RIRs start what little trouble there is.

Interestingly, when my dad came out to visit this year, his partner brought an article her (late) mother wrote decades ago reminiscing about chicken raising when she (the mother) was a kid. Must have been back in the 1920s or maybe a bit earlier. She started her article by saying that her parents believed the only chickens worth raising were Barred Plymouth Rocks!
 
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I have Faverolles, Orpingtons and Barred Rocks. The Faverolles are the most docile. I would trust them with bantams. The Orpingtons are very friendly with me. The rocks are the best layers though. When it got chilly here I had one rock that kept laying an egg a day when everyone else had stopped. I hope this helps. I feed them purina -- Layena they seem to like it.
 
I'm relatively new to raising chickens, but I have had Buff Orpingtons for over a year now and I can say that they are calm and docile and very easy going chickens. I've never seen one of my Buffs be aggressive at all. I also have some Welsummers and they are also easy going and calm chickens ( and they lay beautiful terra cotta colored eggs). I think Orpingtons are a great all around chicken breed.
 

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