If you kept only one breed...

[Lovem all]

Barred rocks. I love my lavender orpingtons and austrolorps but my rocks take first place

 

[Anime2lover]

The question is simple: if you could only keep one breed, whether or not you have it now, which one would you choose? I realize that this is a hard question, as a lot of people keep different breeds for different reasons. But the fun questions are rarely the easy ones.

I would go for old english bantams, silkies, jersey giants, or polish. I would want to prepare a flock of ahow birds because I want to be show my birds someday.

 

[Trisseh]

Hands down, Swedish Hedemora. I had never heard of them before I ordered some rare breed eggs from my favorite hatchery, but the one bird I wound up with is phenomenal so far. It’s perfect for my climate, which is bitter cold in winter, and they’re supposed to be decent layers even through winter. Small combs and wattles, an extra bit of down fluff/feathers, and the personality on this one is amazing. From hatch, it’s been the calmest, most personable bird I have.

runner up would be sebrights. So much personality packed into a tiny bird.

 

[centralcaligirl]

My friendly, reliable Black Australorps.

I feel the same way.

 

[AlanOfTheBerg]

I’m in to chickens for the eggs, not colors or personalities. I feel that I am in the minority so far in this thread. Because of that, I’d choose Novagen.

 

[Beer can]

The question is simple: if you could only keep one breed, whether or not you have it now, which one would you choose? I realize that this is a hard question, as a lot of people keep different breeds for different reasons. But the fun questions are rarely the easy ones.

I've had many different breeds. Not knocking anyone on their choices, it's all down to personal preferences, all of them are awesome!!
Easter Egger's are pretty cool. Good dual purpose and the colorful eggs are awesome. First time I showed my dad a dozen olive eggs (he never heard of them) he looked disgusted, said "they look rotten" Kids love the green eggs. I've had people I've gave eggs to say their kids would never eat eggs, and were amazed they loved mine, thought they were eating green eggs and ham
If I was to pick one breed... It would have to have Naked Neck Turken in it. I never wanted them before thought they were ugly but now that I have them there is not any breed that can touch them in awesomeness. Awesome layers, awesome meat birds. They lay great. And for processing half the feathers and no hair absolutely no hair to singe off, even crosses have no hair. And any breed can be crossed to a Naked Neck.
Currently I mostly have Jersey Giant Naked Necks.

 

[HappyClucker7]

This is such a hard question! I think I'm going to have to say EE because they come in so many different colors, they lay different colored eggs, and they're a lot of fun. I also love my cochin bantams though, and my australorp.

 

[AquaDuck]

Orpingtons! I wanted to breed them a few years back, but they're rare in my country (ironically, as they seem to be regular in the US ) and the breeding stock I got was awful exterior wise. I still LOVE their temperament and shape, and breed them in my mix-flock.

 

[trainman]

Well, I keep my chickens for eggs and meat. I'd have to say Plymouth Rocks as they are good layers, get pretty heavy and are very gentle and friendly. The roosters are very watchful and protective of the girls without being aggressive which is good as I have 2 young grandson who love being with the chickens.

If I were just going to have a few as fun or for pets I'd probably go for Olive Eggers, Easter Eggers or Welsummers. Their colored eggs are very nice and they aren't flighty of aggressive. My Welsummers always followed me around the farm and often waited by the back door for me to go outside.

It's really hard to narrow it down to one though. Buff Orpingtons, New Hampshire Reds, Black Australorps and White Rocks are all good for the same reason as the Plymouth Rocks. I have found Rhode Island Reds to be aggressive, especially the roosters.

I've tried Lavender Orpingtons and whatever they breed to make them loses all the great qualities of the Buff Orpington. I've had 2 roosters and they sure deserved the name "chicken". They were both cowardly and bullied the hens and stole choice bugs and things from them. They were the first ones to run and hide if any varmints showed up. They taste good though!

My 2¢
trainman

 

[Farmgirl1878]

If I could only have one breed, but I could have it in multiple colors, I would pick hatchery-quality standard cornish (and I would then select for better egg laying, thus poorer meat production--so they would basically be dual-purpose chickens.)

Why? Because I like pea comb, clean legs, brown eggs, and multiple colors. Preferably in a dual-purpose type bird. (Easter Eggers don't lay brown eggs, Brahmas have feathered legs, Buckeyes only come in one color--there really aren't many pea-comb chicken breeds to choose from.)

I have two EEers who look totally different. Bertha is yellow and lays blue eggs and H. R. Puffinstuff (Puff or Puffipoo for short) is grey and lays brown eggs! Love them both.

Bertha after a hard day in the office...

Puffipoo last year before her first big molt. Her head is dark now.