Making a Flock

[2lilchkns]

We have a Buff Orpington who is by far our favorite -- soft, fluffy, and very sweet. Follows the kids around like a puppy. She is also a very reliable layer (5 -6 per week) and has not shown signs of broodiness. I also LOVE our speckled Sussex (very chatty and friendly). But my kids would tell you to go for a Buff Orpington. Have fun!

 

[whittychick]

Buff Orpingtons are my favorite too!!!

 

[NHChickenOwner]

2lilchikns and whittychick - out of curiosity, what other chickens do you have?

 

[2lilchkns]

We have an Easter Egger (pale blue eggs), 3 Rhode Island reds, a barred rock, the buff Orpington, a speckled Sussex, and a young roo that a neighbor gave us last month. (He was supposed to be a black australorp, but I have since learned that his yellow feet indicate that he is a New Jersey Giant. He has also become enormous, another tell-tale sign). The chickens (except for our new rooster) have been handled by me and the kids since they were chicks, so they are all super friendly. I had my daughters go online and research the breeds we should get--- my only guidelines were that the chickens be docile, good egg layers, and both heat/cold hardy (we can have brutal summers, and freezing, snowy winters). I basically wanted sweet, but fairly low maintenance, chicks since we were no experts. We got the hens as day old chicks from Ideal Hatchery last October -- I chose that hatchery because I was able to get a small order, and they had all the breeds the girls had picked out. It was a great introduction to the world of back-yard chickens!

 

[2lilchkns]

I should add-- the rooster we got from our neighbor---whatever his lineage--- is also pretty sweet. He won't jump into our laps for food the way the hens do, but he eats out of our hands. I think he was born in March or April, though, so his mature rooster hormones have not yet come into play. We are keeping our fingers crossed that he will stay sweet.

 

[tcstoehr]

that sounds awesome! i personally wouldnt mind broody birds, just take there egg away x3 but x2 on the start with 6 thing

No, you don't want broody hens unless your hatching chicks. They don't lay eggs and they just sit there and waste away.
If you have a rooster and want to hatch eggs, then a broody hen comes in handy. And when the eggs hatch, she comes out of her broodiness.

 

[whittychick]

2lilchikns and whittychick - out of curiosity, what other chickens do you have? 

I have barred rocks, silkies, frizzle, Rhode Island reds, Easter egger, brahma and some mixed breeds

 

[lazy gardener]

NHChicken owner: I'm offering some advice that you haven't asked for: make your coop bigger than you think you'll need. Plan on at least 4 s.f./bird in the coop, and 10 s.f./bird in the run. Crowded birds can brutalize each other. I agree that if you eventually want 6 birds, you should get that many to start with. It's hard to add 1 - 2 birds later. Check Henderson's chicken breeds chart. In my zone 4 area, my criteria for cold hardy birds includes: Pea or rose comb, non-feathered feet. I also want a bird that will blend into the background well (not be as obvious to predators) and will be a good forager. Personal favorites: EE and Dominique.