If you could only keep 3-5 chickens

[FortCluck]

I think barred rock are lawn candy! Ophelia sticks right out in the yard. She lays beautiful colored eggs they're like pinkish and she's very outgoing. She's not scared of dogs or anything.

 

[IdahoGal]

I initially was going to get a ton of chickens untill my first go around I realized we don’t eat that many eggs. If you could choose 3-5 different chicken breeds to have which ones would you choose. I would prefer some colored eggs so I know I want one Maran. And maybe some that lay blue or green. I’ve had Easter eggers that lay teal eggs but that was one mean chicken lol

my faves are Speckled Sussex and the Ancona. The Ancona is a funny bird, be prepared, they are a handful! But the best layer I’ve ever had.

 

[momma chickie]

I like the Wyandottes, Amaracaunas(sp), Ancona (white egg and quite the character)...wanted a Delaware but ended up with an all white chicken, looks like an Amaracauna...and out timid, some-what special Buckeye...Green, blue, brown and white eggs...pretty assortment.

 

[fawnda]

I really love our Sapphire Gems, very friendly, started laying about month before my others and lay well in the winter. I also really love my big Delaware girl. Also very friendly and a good layer. I would love a Cream Legbar someday or Welsummer

 

[JoCoKS]

I got a couple starlight green layers. So far they are nice and lay pretty green eggs.....almost every day. Mine are still pullets.

The prairie blue bell lay a pale blue egg. Mine are not as productive as the green layers.

If you want pet type birds buff Orpington are nice.

The sweetest and friendliest chickens I have ever had are the Salmon Faverolles that were hatched on May 6, 2019.. They have added a lot of fun and happiness to my life with the crazy things they will do especially the one I call Sweetie. I never know what she will she will do next, they all will squat for me to pick them up but Sweetie is the one that really loves attention. I was replacing some cedar shingles that got damaged on the house that are in their garden area and I was surprised to find Sweetie resting on my arm that was holding the new shingles. She keeps looking like she wants in the house even more then her 2 sisters so I bought diapers for them so they can keep this lonely old permanently disabled man company in the house because it is too cold for me outside. The only problem is what do with 80 pounds of Golden Retriever while they are in the house.
My wife is not real happy with their small eggs but they do lay everyday even now like my Reds. She preferred the really large eggs we received from our crazy Rhode Island Reds that were stolen late last summer. Henrietta the head of the flock would peck at my sweats when she wanted meal worms and her 2 sisters would help if I did not move fast enough for them.
I have had chickens as pets since I was a child, now over 70 years and never had a problem with any predators till this year when I lost two of my Salmon Faverolles to a hawk to the EPA's endangered hawk. I never locked up their coop and never worried when they had the whole neighborhood to look for bugs and other goodies.

 

[Debby R]

Here are my choices, based on friendliness and egg color/size. And all of these hens have gorgeous feathering, to boot.

1. Black Copper Marans - docile, friendly, deep brown eggs. Can be broody, so if you always need that dark chocolate egg in your basket, get two.
2. Crested Cream Legbar - sweet, not overly friendly, some may be labeled as flighty (mine are just not lap sitters), gorgeous blue eggs, non-broody.
3. Olive Egger - (not a breed, but a cross), sweet, docile, deep gorgeous moss green eggs, possibly broody.
4. Buff Orpington - friendliest and sweetest of all the chickens, total lap sitter, beautiful pinkish/light tan egg, can be broody.
5. Wellsummer - sweet, docile, friendly, nice dark brown egg, non-broody.
6. Silver Gray Dorking - just had to throw in a sixth, only because it helps to have a white egg to accent the beautiful colored eggs. Wonderful, sweet, docile, friendly, lap sitter, non-broody.

One of my 3 Wellsummers was broody for a month this year. Poor thing. There's always one to break the norm, right?

 

[Double Yolked]

Question: If you could only keep 3-5 chickens...
Well, I tried this. This year in fact.
I've only got 6 chickens. 3 Black Astrolarps, 1 Barred Rock, 1 Easter Egger who lays green eggs, 1 Gold lace Wyandotte, cause she's pretty... and the crankiest little hen I have ever put up with. You'd think she was broody all the time the way she cranks on everyone else and scolds. But nope, she's just Goldie and that's the way she is.
I admit I was a little nervous about having fewer hens but it's worked out really well. The ladies are peaceful with each other (except for Goldie) I've had 'just' enough eggs so far that I'm not feeling the pinch and the food bill isn't more than it would cost me to buy the eggs from a local free-range farm.

 

[Vicker]

1)Ameraucanas lay beautiful blue eggs and if you get one with a good muff of feathers around the neck, they stand out in looks. They can be flighty, but I've had some real cuddlers. 2)Buff O is my all around favorite. I've had different types of 4)Reds that aren't that eye-catching but were as friendly as puppy dogs. 4)Laced Wyandottes are big beauties that lay brown eggs. 5) Black Sumatra-small white eggs, beautiful iridescent plumage, can easily fly away from predators (and over a fence).

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Wellsummer - ... non-broody.

Overall, yes, but boy could I show you some exceptions. When locked out of the coop (background) this was one of mine's response.

.

 

[pacorona]

I've found my Rhode Island Reds to be the friendliest and the most talkative of all my hens! They will follow me everywhere, whether I have food for them or not. They are content to remain at my feet while I am out and about. My White leghorn, while the smallest of the group, lays the largest white eggs!! Winter is the leader of the pack, and leads the others to where she thinks they should be!! Bossy with them, she is a dear with me!! My blue egg layer, an Americauna, lays a bit more inconsistantly, and is more of a loner than the others. But she is beautiful!! I love each of the ladies, and each has a different personality. As my hubby has observed, "You must love them because buying an $8 bag of food every week for a product that can be purchased as cheaply as $1 per dozen in the grocery isn't the most economical way to run a business!" LOL