Match me a breed.

[April0617]

I was going to vote for Australorps, but it looks like you are already looking for some I can't say anything for their broodiness (ours are not even a year old yet), but they definitely check all your other boxes.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Haven't read through the whole thread so not sure if they have been recommended yet but I 100% recommend Ameraucanas! They are pretty and super sweet!

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Just some to get your research started:

• Some sort of laced Wyandotte (silver, gold, blue laced red)
• Easter egger
• Welsummer
• Sussex
• Black star
• Australorp
• Partridge or Barred Rock

I just swapped two reds (RIR production) for two Easter Eggers. I will never have another red. I have a Silver Laced Wyandotte, a couple of Black Stars, three Easters, a Buff Orpington, and one I can’t spell (similar to a Buff). They are all wonderful. The two reds and a previous red created lots of drama and aggression in the flock. They can be mean to humans and also the other chickens. I am so happy to not have the reds any more.

 

[Chickedee]

I live in Utah, so it seems like we share weather conditions. I have 12 chickens and nine different breeds:
Barred rocks - great temperament, pretty zebra-like feathers.
Americana - very gentle and docile. Lots of variation in brown colors with interesting colors.
Black Australorp - black feathers with a gorgeous green sheen
Golden laced Wyandotte - super pretty black and brown feathers
Speckled Sussex - Super pretty Brown feathers with flex of white and green (in the sun) speckled throughout. She’s by far my most adventurous chicken. I thought she was a rooster because she was always off in the yard by herself foraging. She also is the only one out the the 12 that frequently flies over my 4 foot chicken wire fence into my backyard. (We have to clip her feathers to keep her from doing this - which is super easy to do.)

 

[CassieD]

Looking for more ideas besides the ones I already NEED. (Java and Brabanter.) Much prefer recommendations from people that have or have had the breed. WAY too much conflicting info when you just "google". Look at 4 different sites and they generally say 4 different things. Which is accurate? It is quite obvious most sites are just copying what they read on a another site, rather than speaking from personal experience.

"Requirements" are:

#1 Larger size. (So no bantys, silkies etc...)

#2 Tends to go broody.

#3 Cold hardy, BUT won't suffer too much in the heat. (VERY low humidity though as I live in the high desert.)

#4 PRETTY! (I don't like plain old white, buff, etc... But I DO like solid black. LOVE mottled and spangled.)

#5 Not overly fluffy, Especially in the butt feathers. (So nothing like English Opringtons.) Just NOT practical in my area.

#6 NO FEATHERS ON LEGS.

#7. Docile temperaments. ( I don't DO aggressive animals of ANY kind. I don't take that crap from cattle or horses. Not having it from a bird either!) They don't have to be the "pet" type wanting to sit on my lap, but no going after me for sport either.) Also don't want any that are known for being on the aggressive side with flock mates. I'm not talking about "pecking order". Of course THAT is natural. I mean jerks that like to beat up on others for sport.

#8. No care at all for egg color nor number of eggs as that is not the reason for having them.

#9. Need to be tolerant of confinement. Will have large outdoor run, but no free ranging in the winter, so they need to be OK with that.

So what say you? Am I looking for a unicorn? Or do any of you have ideas for me to look into. Also wanted to say I will NOT be going the hatchery route. So no need to go into breeds that are overly rare and have 1 breeder in the USA that is on the east coast and doesn't ship! LOL

Our silver laced Wyandottes fit that bill, nut we also have a couple of Barnvelders that do really well in our Houston heat.

 

[CassieD]

I live in Utah, so it seems like we share weather conditions. I have 12 chickens and nine different breeds:
Barred rocks - great temperament, pretty zebra-like feathers.
Americana - very gentle and docile. Lots of variation in brown colors with interesting colors.
Black Australorp - black feathers with a gorgeous green sheen
Golden laced Wyandotte - super pretty black and brown feathers
Speckled Sussex - Super pretty Brown feathers with flex of white and green (in the sun) speckled throughout. She’s by far my most adventurous chicken. I thought she was a rooster because she was always off in the yard by herself foraging. She also is the only one out the the 12 that frequently flies over my 4 foot chicken wire fence into my backyard. (We have to clip her feathers to keep her from doing this - which is super easy to do.)View attachment 2472006

Great picture!

 

[Amber the Easter Egger]

Easter egger, or Speckled Sussex, or maybe gold laced or silver laced wyandottes. The Wyandottes go broody, and are sweet, and sassy. Easter Eggers in my experience are beutiful, lay pretty good, are great mothers, lay beautiful eggs, and are sweet, they like to be handled. Barnevelder are also great for what you are looking for, that is the photo.

 

[Viergacht]

Looking for more ideas besides the ones I already NEED. (Java and Brabanter.) Much prefer recommendations from people that have or have had the breed. WAY too much conflicting info when you just "google". Look at 4 different sites and they generally say 4 different things. Which is accurate? It is quite obvious most sites are just copying what they read on a another site, rather than speaking from personal experience.

"Requirements" are:

#1 Larger size. (So no bantys, silkies etc...)

#2 Tends to go broody.

#3 Cold hardy, BUT won't suffer too much in the heat. (VERY low humidity though as I live in the high desert.)

#4 PRETTY! (I don't like plain old white, buff, etc... But I DO like solid black. LOVE mottled and spangled.)

#5 Not overly fluffy, Especially in the butt feathers. (So nothing like English Opringtons.) Just NOT practical in my area.

#6 NO FEATHERS ON LEGS.

#7. Docile temperaments. ( I don't DO aggressive animals of ANY kind. I don't take that crap from cattle or horses. Not having it from a bird either!) They don't have to be the "pet" type wanting to sit on my lap, but no going after me for sport either.) Also don't want any that are known for being on the aggressive side with flock mates. I'm not talking about "pecking order". Of course THAT is natural. I mean jerks that like to beat up on others for sport.

#8. No care at all for egg color nor number of eggs as that is not the reason for having them.

#9. Need to be tolerant of confinement. Will have large outdoor run, but no free ranging in the winter, so they need to be OK with that.

So what say you? Am I looking for a unicorn? Or do any of you have ideas for me to look into. Also wanted to say I will NOT be going the hatchery route. So no need to go into breeds that are overly rare and have 1 breeder in the USA that is on the east coast and doesn't ship! LOL

 

[metarachel]

Australorps are probably perfect for you. Big hens (mine are about 6 to 7 pounds), reliably broody (one of mine has raised two broods a year for me for three years running now), very docile and calm even when brooding, beautiful (all black with that gorgeous green-beetle sheen), not too fluffy, tolerant of a wide range of temps (we get down to about 0 and up to about 90 and they've had no problems). They tolerate confinement well (we legally cannot free-range our birds but the australorps do fine in a large run and roomy coop), and as a bonus, they lay about five large tan eggs a week for the first 18 months, then drop to about 4.

 

[Orpingtons Mom]

Except they are super fluffy.

The English are, but the American’s are not as fluffy... (I think)