If you could only have 10 chickens...

[nikki1]

Run this one up the flagpole and see who salutes!

If you could only have 10 chickens, which variety/varieties would you get, and why? I'm curious to hear your thoughts.

--Nikki

p.s. Just remembered chicken math. "10" could be interpreted rather loosely, I'm afraid.

 

[debilorrah]

Buff orps and white leghorns. Hands down. They are the friendliest and the best layers.

 

[bustermommy]

EEs and Marans. Because of the pretty colors.

ETA: egg colors.

 

[DanEP]

If I could only have ten I'd probably have a couple each of 5 different breeds. Maybe as follows
2 australorps
2 barred rocks
2 slw
2 white rocks
2 orpingtons


I have all of these breeds now and like them all for various reasons but if I had to go with just one breed it would probably be the aussies. And yes chicken math does happen. I started with 15 bo and some how I now have about 40.

 

[jeslewmazer]

Any color LF Sussex and a couple of OEGB. A tiny bird with a big attitude.

 

[OvertheHenHouse]

2 Wellsummers
2 Buff Orps
2 Golden Laced Wyandottes
4 EE's
And might have to trade out Wyandottes for more Wellsummers .. making it 4 Wellsummers and no Wyandottes...just based on experience w temperament...have brahams now, they're young and might swing the vote...Love my marans, but the EE's have so much personality and are totally swaying the vote!

 

[spiritdance]

EEs or Ameracaunas (probably EEs for the variety of colors)
Black Copper Marans (best roos ever for flock protection)
Dutch bantams (best personality of any breed I've ever had! Real lovebugs!)

 

[Mahonri]

I have to go with variety.

1 SLW,
1 RIR,
1 Black Star
2 PW Leghorns
2 Wheaten Ameraucanas
1 Polish
1 Olive Egger
1 FBCM

ONLY 10 is HARD!

I can barely make it with 20 hens and I still want MANY more.

 

[Matthew3590]

If I can only have 10. Is that with breeding or without breeding? As in I can start with ten but they will then breed to have more?

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Like Mahonri, I love variety and find it hard to make a list of 10. If I had to choose only 10, I would choose the following for both personality and a colorful egg basket.

1 Speckled Sussex
1 Orpington (any color) or 1 Black or Red Star
1 Easter Egger
2 Wheaten or Blue Wheaten Ameraucanas
1 Black Copper Marans
2 Welsummers (for egg color)
2 Barred Plymouth Rocks


I currently have a flock of 20 and am happy with the breeds:

1 Speckled Sussex
2 Easter Eggers (standard size)
3 Wheaten and Blue Wheaten Ameraucanas
1 Barred Plymouth Rock (had 2, but just lost one of them)
1 Black Star
1 Delaware
1 Barnevelder
2 Welsummers
2 Black Copper Marans
1 Red Star

5 Easter Egger Bantams