Illinois...

[jdragonwings]

I have a question for you guys... I found a local feed store to order chicks from and I placed an order, but I recently discovered a few other breeds I'm interested in. I am in a residential neighborhood, with kids, so we're looking for layers and pets, especially friendly as we're new to chickens. I was thinking 1 Easter Egger, 1 Black Australorp, 1 Bielefelder, 2 Light Brahma... But I'm also interested in the Salmon Faverolle and Barred Rock. What are thoughts about combining those breeds and experiences with them? We have room for 6 little ladies.

 

[Molpet]

I broke my plow Tuesday.
The pivot bar and brackets, that joins the blade frame and lift frame, broke. My cousin is going to fix. His pa came over yesterday and figured out how to lash it together and followed me to his son's house near Elwood.
About 300 in parts, hoses are cracking so might as well change them too.
I am so blessed. It broke in my own driveway, when I was 3/4 done. I had finished the 2 neighbors already. ...and I have family to help fixing it.

 

[BReeder!]

I have a question for you guys... I found a local feed store to order chicks from and I placed an order, but I recently discovered a few other breeds I'm interested in. I am in a residential neighborhood, with kids, so we're looking for layers and pets, especially friendly as we're new to chickens. I was thinking 1 Easter Egger, 1 Black Australorp, 1 Bielefelder, 2 Light Brahma... But I'm also interested in the Salmon Faverolle and Barred Rock. What are thoughts about combining those breeds and experiences with them? We have room for 6 little ladies.

I have an EE and 2 Light Brahmas in my dock. I truly adorev the Light Brahmas. They are among my favorite. The EE ads variety to the egg basket and seems to do fine with the other birds.
I do not have experience with the other breeds you listed tough. However, since you mentioned kids, I will add that my since was only a year old when we got chickens and he is just four now. He has been able to do just about anything to our Speckled Sussex and Gold Laced Wyandotte. They let him pick them up, pet them, old them, run around near them, etc. Many of our other birds run away and avoid contact as best they can.

 

[cavemanrich]

I am in a residential neighborhood, with kids, so we're looking for layers and pets, especially friendly

I have been keeping chickens as pets for over 20 years now. Had children in the beginning, and now have grandchildren. I only keep hens, and while some are more cuddly, and friendly, than others, none of my hens were of any danger concern to my children.
Roosters, while some are friendly, are the ones that can get mean/protective. You probably are limited to hens only in your area.?

 

[Faraday40]

I have a question for you guys... I found a local feed store to order chicks from and I placed an order, but I recently discovered a few other breeds I'm interested in. I am in a residential neighborhood, with kids, so we're looking for layers and pets, especially friendly as we're new to chickens. I was thinking 1 Easter Egger, 1 Black Australorp, 1 Bielefelder, 2 Light Brahma... But I'm also interested in the Salmon Faverolle and Barred Rock. What are thoughts about combining those breeds and experiences with them? We have room for 6 little ladies.

Welcome to the wonderful world of backyard chickens!

We enjoy and breed Orpingtons (big, beautiful, calm, cuddly birds - but clumsy & eat a lot). I've been told that Brahmas are a lot like Orpingtons (but have never actually owned one). We also have seramas - which kids adore. Seramas are small so the kids have no problem handling them. There's a lot of personality and intelligence in that little package. (I do, however, call them my "useless chickens" because they can't take the cold well and lay small eggs. LOL) Although we breed seramas, ours are pretty much spoiled pets. The rooster actually sleeps in my daughter's room and visits the hens when the weather is nice.

View attachment 2535666
Above: Our pet rooster
Below: a serama hen (Yes, the kids dyed her pink to look like cotton candy)
View attachment 2535700

Like the seramas, silkies are a kid favorite. Sort of a mix between a bunny & chicken. Our hen, Xansie, just melts when held and will pull at our pants & whine to be picked up. Silkies tend to go broody easily, so not the best for eggs. Silkies can get bullied by more aggressive chickens and look weird - in my opinion.
View attachment 2535646
I personally like the Easter Eggers, but they can vary in personality. They're fun, quirky, and the eggs are great. I recommend them. Our oldest hen is a 9-yr-old Easter Egger.
View attachment 2535656View attachment 2535657

I also like the Bielefelders. Big birds, good, production, calm, gentle giants. We owned a few and debated breeding them back in 2014. Like other big breeds, they are very winter hardy but may have issues in the severe heat of summer.
View attachment 2535642


Black Australorps are supposed to be very similar to Orpingtons. On paper they sounded like the perfect blend of gentle hen and good production. However, ours was skittish, didn't enjoy being held, and a bully to other chickens. (She also pooped on us EVERY time we held her, so her name quickly changed to "Poopy Poo.") She was held just as frequently as the other chickens, but never truly trusted us. I feel that perhaps we got a bad one. The black feathers were pretty, and she did lay many medium to large eggs, but that's about all we liked.

Like the Black Australorp, Barred Rocks are supposed to be a great backyard chicken. My daughter loved the way they look, but when we visited friends who had them, the darn birds pecked at us! They were the only mean chickens I ever met. Again, it could have been that those particular birds were not used to being touched or held. We got our daughter a Dominique instead. (A great decision since "Bubbles" was one of our most talented hens.)

We never owned a Salmon Faverolle, but I know that breed has a huge fan club. Like silkies, they tend to be at the bottom of the pecking order. I would probably avoid putting one with a black australorp or barred rock.

 

[jdragonwings]

I have been keeping chickens as pets for over 20 years now. Had children in the beginning, and now have grandchildren. I only keep hens, and while some are more cuddly, and friendly, than others, none of my hens were of any danger concern to my children.
Roosters, while some are friendly, are the ones that can get mean/protective. You probably are limited to hens only in your area.?

Yes, we can only have hens. I didn't really think any would be a danger but just wondering what is a good mix of breeds.

 

[jdragonwings]

Welcome to the wonderful world of backyard chickens!

We enjoy and breed Orpingtons (big, beautiful, calm, cuddly birds - but clumsy & eat a lot). I've been told that Brahmas are a lot like Orpingtons (but have never actually owned one). We also have seramas - which kids adore. Seramas are small so the kids have no problem handling them. There's a lot of personality and intelligence in that little package. (I do, however, call them my "useless chickens" because they can't take the cold well and lay small eggs. LOL) Although we breed seramas, ours are pretty much spoiled pets. The rooster actually sleeps in my daughter's room and visits the hens when the weather is nice.

View attachment 2535666
Above: Our pet rooster
Below: a serama hen (Yes, the kids dyed her pink to look like cotton candy)
View attachment 2535700

Like the seramas, silkies are a kid favorite. Sort of a mix between a bunny & chicken. Our hen, Xansie, just melts when held and will pull at our pants & whine to be picked up. Silkies tend to go broody easily, so not the best for eggs. Silkies can get bullied by more aggressive chickens and look weird - in my opinion.
View attachment 2535646
I personally like the Easter Eggers, but they can vary in personality. They're fun, quirky, and the eggs are great. I recommend them. Our oldest hen is a 9-yr-old Easter Egger.
View attachment 2535656View attachment 2535657

I also like the Bielefelders. Big birds, good, production, calm, gentle giants. We owned a few and debated breeding them back in 2014. Like other big breeds, they are very winter hardy but may have issues in the severe heat of summer.
View attachment 2535642


Black Australorps are supposed to be very similar to Orpingtons. On paper they sounded like the perfect blend of gentle hen and good production. However, ours was skittish, didn't enjoy being held, and a bully to other chickens. (She also pooped on us EVERY time we held her, so her name quickly changed to "Poopy Poo.") She was held just as frequently as the other chickens, but never truly trusted us. I feel that perhaps we got a bad one. The black feathers were pretty, and she did lay many medium to large eggs, but that's about all we liked.

Like the Black Australorp, Barred Rocks are supposed to be a great backyard chicken. My daughter loved the way they look, but when we visited friends who had them, the darn birds pecked at us! They were the only mean chickens I ever met. Again, it could have been that those particular birds were not used to being touched or held. We got our daughter a Dominique instead. (A great decision since "Bubbles" was one of our most talented hens.)

We never owned a Salmon Faverolle, but I know that breed has a huge fan club. Like silkies, they tend to be at the bottom of the pecking order. I would probably avoid putting one with a black australorp or barred rock.

Thank you so much! This is awesome! Ironically you are the second person to mention that astralorps aren't friendly... I really wanted speckled sussex but the place I'm buying from doesn't have them. I'm excited about the brahmas

 

[Justso]

I have definitely researched the heck out of this! I am building my own, with help from my loving (and patient) husband. I recently learned how to use a miter saw and a few other fun power tools so hopefully I won't be in too much over my head-but if that happens I have him to help.
I'm planning on roughly 10'x6' for the whole structure (coop and run). The coop will be raised about 2' off the ground, situated at one end and 4'x6'. I had to get a permit here and will have to have it inspected when I finish. Personally I feel that is overkill, and going to add to my cost bc they have specifications I have to follow.
I attached my most current sketches.
The nest boxes I haven't drawn out but will be 2-3 along the front section, possibly a bit of extra area for storage next to them bc I know I don't need 4.

Don't forget ventilation! Not just the windows, but use the soffits for venting. Remember you don't want things too airtight.

 

[Justso]

I made this multi purpose from a cat food can, nailed to 1 x 2 piece of wood.
reaches eggs in hard to get to places with ease. View attachment 2533985

Brilliant!

 

[SnootyHen]

Don't forget ventilation! Not just the windows, but use the soffits for venting. Remember you don't want things too airtight.

And let me share my mistake so you don't make it. I have a single roof vent as well as 2 windows. It worked fantastic all summer long and just fine in the fall and spring. But when my dumb butt is up on a ladder scraping snow off the coop roof in the winter, I curse myself for not thinking this through. Soffit ventilation would have been an awesome option but the way my coop is built, adding it now is going to be a challenge.

One other thing, after you build but before you add anything (including chickens) get some Flex Spray and hit the creases, corners and window frames so you aren't wishing you did at the first heavy rain. It's a lot harder to do after you have bedding and birds in there.