IM GETTING CHICKENS!!!!Help on selecting breed please

[beachchickie]

I live in your area. I agree with the EE and RIR also Dominiques they are broody and good layers and very lazy. They don't typically fly much and are docile. I personally do not care for the bantams b/c of egg size. My EE and RIR lay great and can be broody if I would allow that behavior.

 

[juliawitt]

I have to second the Donimiques!!! What a lovely temperment they have!!! Very sweet, very pretty in an undestated way, lay appr. 240 eggs a year, somewhat broody and an all weather chicken. I have golden laced wyandottes and silver laced wyandottes, which are just beautiful also, but not as sweet as the doms. The doms will actually "cuddle" and my husband has suggested we "clicker" train them, because they are also very, very smart. Just my two sense worth. Oh, had to add, I am holding one of my doms in my avatar. When they were just little peeps they would run to be held. I was cuddling this one, when my husband just had to have a pic.

 

[eenie114]

I have a bunch of Buff Orpingtons, and they have gone broody before. They lay pretty well, I'm not sure how many eggs they lay per year.
As far as colored eggs goes, does brown count as a color? Mine are free range, so I don't know if they will stay in a fenced area or not. Mine are so stupid, they might just walk right into the fence.

Maybe not all birds are that stupid.

Americaunas lay blue green eggs, I have one, but she is seriously slacking.

 

[BarredBuff]

I suggest Barred Plymouth Rocks they lay brown to white eggs sometimes pinkish

 

[farmerlor]

Quote:
I agree, of all the chickens I've had thus far my Easter Eggers are by far my faves but no four foot fence will keep them in for sure.

 

[Keri78]

Why get just one kind? Go for hens and choose what you like! One rooster is nice to have around too for protection and a little entertainment as well! I just read on here that there is actually one breed that used to be used strictly for fighting chickens but if you get a roo they will fend off hawks and predators for you!!! Plus they are supposed to be pretty docile and gentle with people. Anyway, I may consider one of them to have around...would give you a little peace of mind to protect your girls. I have a nice mix of bantam & giant cochins both frizzled and smooth! I LOVE them! They are not old enough to lay yet but I'm not expecting more than a couple of eggs per bird a week. I also have Buff Orpies for layers and they are giving me the most beautiful nice brown eggs! Anyway, they are all really sweet and follow me around the back yard like puppies! I had mine in my 4ft. fenced in backyard but the poo on my back patio was just too much to bear! I had to go out with the hose twice a day to hose everything off??? You would think that they would have just stayed in the grass but...no they wanted to be on my back patio door looking into our living room most of the day!(lol) Anyway, it was also a very open space with no trees for shade or protection from predators and I had one of my big Orpie girls eaten by a hawk so after this we decided to move them into our side yard which is not fenced but they stay right there all day long anyway. We live on a bad busy road but the chikens honestly never venture out of the little side yard area...not even to go to my front yard for better grass. We built a couple of cheap chicken tractors for them to go into at night to roost and this keeps them safe from predators. They love to hang out in the woods or under my big pine tree during the day but they only roost on the lower limbs...mostly to take naps. Anywho...that's what I have going on...LOVIN IT!!!! And so will you!

Blessings, Keri

 

[Goat_Walker]

Thanks! I want to get a Max of two breeds though just because I want pure breeds and maybe a few crosses. I mean all My ducklings are mutts because Most of my ducks are rescues and I dont have any of the same breed.

 

[dwegg]

I have 2x EE that are laying beautiful green eggs (I am a teacher in the city of Atlanta and the kids and friends are simply amazed by these eggs) I have a blue orpington and buff orpington both are friendly beautiful birds (laying huge beautiful brown eggs), a RIR hand raised and super loveable (laying smaller oval shaped brown eggs), Silver Laced Wyndotte (beautiful looking but unfriendly) and a blue/lavender colored Barred Rock

I chose these because of their temperament and colors and the EE for their colored eggs.

So I have 7 all up and a beautiful colored flock one yellow, one blue/black, one lavender, one red, one white, one black and white patterned. I love all of them and they are ALL laying like super-stars...it is December and they lay so many eggs that I am giving them away EVERY day.

Enjoy..I love them all.

 

[SoCalChick]

Orpingtons are really great chickens! I love mine - they are big, friendly, and come in a variety of colors.

 

[cybercat]

There is alot of info here and on the net about chickens and keeping them. Check out the breed pages here as well as do a search here on breeds that catch your eye.

1. Lays at least 200 eggs a year. Many do of the large breeds if they are hatchery stock. Breed/show stock lays much less of same breed.

2. Likes to go broody. Bantam do this but your #1 negats them as well as #s 3 and 4. many heritage breeds go broody Rocks, Orps, Wyandottes (these all come in many color varities), many of the asiactics go broody too. again do your reading you have lots of time to read up.

3. Doesnt fly into trees.( I can clip wings if necessary ) Only large fowl fit here anythig over 7lbs.

4. Will stay in a fenced in area ( 4 feet high) and not jump out. Not happening any and all chickens and get out of a 4 foot fence. Even my heavy PR that are over 8lbs fly up to a roost that is that high. I have a few that fly over that just to get to me. If there is a will there is a way. You will have to put a top on the fenced area to stop them from going over.

5. Preferably colored eggs, but I can deal with white There are more brown egg layers than white. Your blue layers are a light breed that # 3 and 4 say you do not want.

6. Comes in alot of diff colors or is pretty to look at in general again Plymouth RocKs and wyandottes and Orpingtons all fit the bill but the last it is harder to find the other colors un less you get them from a breeder.

7. Size doesnt matter Size does matter or should I say weight. Heavier chickens do not fly as much and that is a conern for you.

The question is are you in town or out of town. Many towns have laws concering chickens or livestock check into it first to see what yours are. Coop size is depending on a few things one will they be in an enclosed pen if yes then you need 4 sq feet per chicken. If they will free range then you can go down to 2 sq feet. So what size is you coop going to be?