Is there a breed that you’ve had that you would absolutely not have again?

[mandymcg05]

My girls peck my fingers when I feed them mealworms. It is not malicious, they just think my fingers are big worms. Doesn’t hurt.

I agree.. but there is one little roo... He. IS. Mean lol. I can tell... He goes after my feet if I walk by the cage lol

 

[barkdh]

Now you’ve got me worried. I wish I had asked this question prior to getting chicks! Oh poor chicks! I didn’t realized they were that big. And it gets so humid here I wonder if they will be ok.

I would not worry about the feathered feet. I have several breeds (cochins, silkies, favoralle…) that have feathered feet and yes they do get wet and muddy but I do not give them any extra attention than the other breeds. Love them all. The issue is heat for all of them...I give them ice cubes with corn frozen in them. they love em. The only breed I have an issue with is the silkie breed. They breed and go broody like nobody's business. I had an explosion of peeps last year. We went from 22 chickens hens and roos together by the end of fall I had 57 chickens total. I tried breaking those hens from being broody and nothing worked short of re-homing them. I even lost two silkie hens because they refused to get off the nest even though there were no eggs under them. I even tried taking peeps from other hens and putting them under the setting hens. They perished sitting on the nest. So now when I have broody silkie hens I take out all but 1 or eggs to hatch and pass around the peeps so they have 1 each and I am still having trouble getting them to get up with the babes. I love silkie breeds they are very friendly and motherly only had 1 silkie rooster that went after my grandkids but he was more show than kick lol. But Man! can they reproduce

 

[Uff Da]

Mediterranean type has to do with the mild climate around the Mediterranean sea. Where I live it simply means breeds from southern Europe. E.g. of Spanish and Italian origin. Like Ancona, Livorno, Minorca and Andalusian.

In general chicken breeds from Mediterranean origine have no foot feathering and big combs.
Iceland is certainly not Mediterranean.

Icelandics were originally from the Mediterranean region and have the Mediterranean body type. I know Iceland is not Mediterranean.

Chicken Origins DNA Study page 843

 

[treehugger1979]

I have an adoption bunch from Meyers (Easter egger Jersey giant polish etc) and now 2 brahma and 1 lavender Orpington

I’m just curious if there are any breeds that you would stay away from and why

I know for me I wouldn’t raise silkies again just because they need special accommodation (roosts etc) and didn’t seem to be part of the flock.

I would not raise Black Australorps again. They are beautiful hens and great egg layers, but they have a loud, raspy call that grates on my nerves.

 

[chickenlittle21]

I have had many breeds and I absolutely would never have Polish chickens again. Their feathers cover up their eyes and they can’t see! I had birds that literally just stood still in the coop all day because they couldn’t live normally without good vision.

I love polish but I would probably not get anymore. One of my polish named charm was being bullied so I built a new coop for her and put her and my other polish in the new coop. Now I have some chicks and young pullets and cockerels and the polish, especially charm, bully them. I put charm in a cage in the coop but I feel bad for her because to her because of her head feathers the chicks probably just look like small moving blobs. The only reason you would get polish If you just got a flock of just polish, no other breed.

 

[mscallisto]

Haven't had any I don't like myself, but a friend of mine had a cuckoo marin who was an absolute nuisance. Living in town, sure you csn have chickens, but no one likes a mouthy one. This one was loud, proud, and stubborn. She was also an escape artist. Wasn't long until she was dinner. My friend said she'd never get that breed again.

 

[AquaDuck]

Wyandotte. Had two girls and they were... how to put it... really stupid! Got lost in open fields and couldn't find food right in front of their beaks. They were aggressive towards the others birds too. I ended up giving them away.

 

[Possum chicken farm]

I have a mixed flock of 6, so my experience is probably more about the individual rather than a breed, but the Silver Laced Wyandotte is a bully. She and the RIR are mean girls and pick at another hen relentlessly. I've been trying to rehome them but no success yet. If you live in SW Ohio and want two hens who lay well and don't mind a bully....

 

[MarmaladeSings]

I keep trying to figure out what a BA is, too,

Black Australorp

 

[MarmaladeSings]

What is BA?
I had 2 barred rocks that were the most docile hens I’ve ever owned. I mean crazy friendly. Would jump in the kids lap and lay down to be petted. Isn’t that strange how your experience is so different.

Black Australorp