Looking for more chicks

[SS]

Recently I have been browsing the hatchery online looking for more chickens, I can just not be happy with my small flock of birds I bought out of a cardboard box at a swap meet. But with all the choices of chickens online I am stumped, they all look so good and sound good to. so Instead I decided to come on here and Let you guys choose for me So lobby your favorite breed and explain why.

 

[JessaLynn]

Depending on your use for them but for us I need egg layers:
Red Stars are my favorite!! Good temperments,pretty to look at,best brown egg layers but not much meat on them
Delawares and barred rocks are both good for meat and eggs! win! win!

I have alot of different breeds for different purposes but those make top.

We also have Wyandotte,Cochin (bantam and standard), silkies, black stars, Easter Egger's, Orpingtons, Welsummer's

I think that's it

 

[Cherstin]

Good morning! I can understand your affinity ... I didn't buy mine at a swap but I did buy mine from a guy who raises chickens and had a lot of week-old's for sale. His flock were all in separate pens and he raises Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Barred Rock, and white Leghorns. We ended up bringing home ten chicks (for $1.50 a piece with the guarantee that on a straight run he'd buy back any roosters we didn't want) ... I figured we couldn't go wrong.

The oldest were Barred Rocks at about 2 weeks, the RIR were just shy of that, and the Leghorns were a few days old. Here's what I can tell you from MY experience over the past week with this group:

I had NO experience whatsoever with chickens so I didn't have any type of "favorite" going into it. I have a definite favorite out of my three now: The Barred Rock, hands down. These chicks are so inquisitive and so friendly toward me. I have one that I think is going to end up being a roo but who I will make every possible effort to keep despite that. I love this guy or gal.

My vote, hands down, goes to the Plymouth Barred Rock.

Good luck!

 

[SunAngel]

As far as egg laying, my Red Sex Links and Barred Rocks can't be beat. Love my EE and EE mixes for their Blue/Green eggs.

Standard Cochins are my favorite breed...sweet personalities, huge n fluffy...but lay a medium egg... 4-5 times a week.

I have my first Speckled Sussex in my juvie pen right now and out of 22 youngsters she is the sweetest, most inquisitive, eye candy I have had yet. Can't wait to see how she turns out as a hen and I am not sure about their laying abilities, but she is really pretty. She just may cause me to change my breed favorite!

My first Australorps, Welsummers and Salmon Faverolles are just juvies also, so I have no experience with them. Have heard Australorps are good layers though and my two juvies seem pretty curious and friendly.

Buff Orps are sweet birds too and decent layers. Theres a lot of Orpington lovers on BYC.

Good luck picking your next breed/breeds!!

 

[DukeDawg528]

I like the Golden Comets and Isa Browns for egg laying and the roosters make really good fried chicken and chicken and dumplings. And the Buff Orpingtons make a pretty good layer and are realy good for meat...

 

[Sillystunt]

Well the only hens i have are fleamarket mutts...lol but they give me a large brown and med light brown everyday!!
I recently bought a barred rock and RIR and they still are little. Love the BR she is the sweetest.
I am gonna try to hatch . wish me luck , some blue laced red wyandotts i will be buying from harleygirl. they look like they will be my new favorite chicken. I love the colors and they lay brown eggs as well.

best of luck~

 

[tomato lady]

I have several breeds. We haven't reached the egg laying stage yet so I cannot speak to that. My favorites are the Light Brahmas that I have. They are calm, gentle, and friendly. One of them comes to us to be picked up when we go into the coop or run.

For thier unusual look I love my White Crested Polish. I understand that they lay smaller white eggs, but if you want something fun and unique, they are great.

Have fun!

 

[Mahonri]

I love black stars, Cinnamon Queens and Wheaten Ameraucanas.

Lovely, lovely birds.

And the Black Sex link and CQs are egg laying machines.

 

[austinhart123]

if your looking for egg layers, rhode island reds are better than the red stars, becuase the red stars productivity drops emenselly after two years, rhode island reds are also much hardier, and white leghorns are great egg layers, if your looking for meat, specifically, then the cornish Xs are great, unless you want more of a healthy breed than BOs and any plymoth rocks are good for meat. if your looking for just pets thn the choice is endless, its whatever tickles your fancy. my personal favorites are pekin bantams, or cochins. they come in tons of different colors, they are great broodies, they are sweet, so much personality, adorable from day one, they look like round snowcalls lol, i also love modern game bantams.

 

[SS]

Thank you all for the input. I think right now I am leading more towards the Barred Rocks. but all the breeds above sound so good, I dunno I'm still young and crazy hopefully one day I can get A few of every breed. Thanks