Looking for very friendly good layers for backyard

[theoldchick]

I like buffs for people just starting out and need a small flock.

https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/buff-orpington/

 

[Kirkwooder]

Wyandotte's tend to be my favorite of the calm breeds.

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

I'm getting my first chickens and they are all the same breed. ( 5 Mottled Java pullets about 7 months old.)

 

[jdragonwings]

I think that ordering four different breeds is a good way to start. Individual personalities, different looks, different egg colors, all entertaining and fun. Over time you will develop favorites, but diversity is good, especially at first.
Speckled Sussex, definitely. then an Easter Egger, maybe a French Marans, an Orphington, and/ or any Wyandotte, Plymouth Rock, Buckeye, so many choices!
Look at Henderson's Breed Chart and feathersite, and enjoy.
For cold weather, big single combs are difficult, although hens won't have the problems that roosters have, with their very large single combs and big wattles. Any of the 'production reds', red sex-links and hatchery Rhode Island Reds, can be overly pushy with their flockmates, and Salmon Favorelles, adorable as they are, might be pushed around too much, especially if you do get those production reds.
Mary

Thank you so much for all the information; that is very helpful and just what I was hoping for!
I was also really interested in the light brahma. After all my researching, I'm thinking of getting a light brahma, black Australorp, bielfelder, and Easter egger, and hopefully 2 speckled sussex.

 

[jdragonwings]

I have 3 SS. They are pretty mellow, but if you're looking for a steady supply of eggs, they may not be the best. Mine lay at best a medium size egg and barely laid during this last cold snap, but all my others kept laying. I keep the SS eggs for myself and sell the others. They just look silly in the carton. Yolks are big for the size of the egg, and the taste is great. They're just small.

My ISAs are probably the friendliest of all my chickens and seem to lay no matter what. Last summer all 3 of them laid an egg for 27 days in a row, then one took a day off.

When it comes to looks, the SS beat the ISA hands down. Both are fairly quiet.

ISA egg compared to SS egg:

View attachment 2540033

Oh wow, that's a big difference! On paper I thought SS were good winter layers. What does ISA stand for?

 

[jdragonwings]

Wyandotte's tend to be my favorite of the calm breeds.

So I keep reading that they can bully the other breeds so I was kinda staying away. Oh and are they broody? I'm not looking for broody.

 

[bill3607]

No one has mentioned Plymouth Barred Rocks. They would work well for you. Someone has already mentioned RR's and EE's and they are great also. These are hardy birds and good layers. You can expect around 250 eggs per girl a year. Also, friendly. I would say the BR's and RR's even more so than the EE's.

 

[MissE]

Oh wow, that's a big difference! On paper I thought SS were good winter layers. What does ISA stand for?

I don't remember exactly what it stands for. They are a red sex link similar to Red Star or Golden Comet. They are a production layer. Hoover Hatchery has them. I assume others do, too.

The SS haven't been bad winter layers. I was averaging 2 eggs a day from 3 pullets, but once it got below -30 F at night, they shut off. Other than that, they handled the cold well, and had the least amount of frostbite compared to the others.

 

[jdragonwings]

Pet chickens!

That is so great! So what do you have? They all seem so sweet!

 

[Kirkwooder]

So I keep reading that they can bully the other breeds so I was kinda staying away. Oh and are they broody? I'm not looking for broody.

I keep a fairly large mixed flock, I think there are about 35-38 hens and three roosters out there. 5 or 6 of which are Gold Laced Wyandotte hens. They do tend to rule the coop, however, every flock has a pecking order. There is always a bully, that's just chicken life. They lay fairly well and are very friendly, and in my humble opinion, are some of the best looking hens in the coop. Silver Laced are truly my favorite.

I have had dozens of Wyandotte hens and don't remember any that were broody. But my memory for such things isn't all that great.