Leghorn, Production Red, or Buff Orpington for starting out?

[Srawl]

Please help me compare and contrast these three breeds. I have done a lot of reading and believe it is between the first two with the Buff Orpington coming up as a close third.

My main goal is lots of eggs followed by good pets... I have even considered getting one of each and seeing which I like more.

I live in town and have a fenced in yard for them to run around in... I have two small boys that would likely want to hold and pet them.


Thanks,

Shane

 

[Chick Charm]

I have raised all three of these chickens. I can give you some of my experiences with each and I'll throw in a bunch of opinions as well. This year I am raising 6 more brown leghorns.

Production Reds - I clump these with Sex Links ect. These tend to be GREAT LAYERS summer and winter. "A" rating on the laying grade. My sons also like these as they will let you hold them. They will follow you around and are curious even at close range.

Leghorns, White and Brown are SUPER LAYERS. "A+" rating in my grade book. They are freakishly "skitish" (sorry can't remember how to spell that). They fly high and won't come close. Some say they can be tamed to pet status but I can't seem to manage that. Leghorns are one of my favorites. They eat less than all the others and lay really big eggs, especially for their small size.

Buff Orps are big meaty birds that can be used food in a couple of seasons if you choose. Sounds like you want pets though and not something to eat. These in my OPINION are the BEST for pets. Mine have tended to be more on the quiet side and more like pets. They lay well but in no way can compare to Production Reds or Leghorns.

Wish you the best on your decisions.

 

[Srawl]

Will I have to clip the wings of a Leghorn or do they usually not try to jump fences?

They will be a pet but an egg layer first if they outlive their usfulness (that sounds harsh) we will be eating them and replacing with a more productive bird.

Would getting one of each be a problem or should I stick with one breed at a time starting out?


Also something I have been wondering that I am sure is more of an opinion thing, should I start out with chicks, just old enough to stay in the coop, or egg layers to start?

 

[Chick Charm]

Leghorns are great flyers. Some of mine like the roof. You can clip if you like. I prefer mine to be able to fly, though sometimes I wish they wouldn't.

Getting a mixed flock is more colorful and fun. If you really want to keep a self sustainable flock then I would stick with the chicken of choice. Rooster would be needed for that though.

Just my two cents...chickens that I have raised from chicks seem to be friendlier and more like pets. I have never had the same liking from pullets that I didn't raise from chicks myself. Chicks always know where home is and most don't try to leave like some pullets do.

 

[Srawl]

I think I may start with a production red that is almost ready to lay, a orpington that is a couple months younger and than a leghorn chick that is just old enough to be sexed.

 

[galanie]

Sounds like a good plan! I personally like raising them from chicks rather than getting them already grown for a couple of reasons. One is, a chick is less likely to bring in disease. Two, the ones you raise from chicks look to you like a parent more than if they grew up somewhere else and are always "yours." But for first chickens, sounds good but you might have trouble with the older ones picking on the little one. From a chickens point of view, better to have them all close to the same age.