Must-Have Breeds for a Beautiful Unique Flock?

[ChickieChickieMama]

I'm about to put in an order of a selective mix of pullet chicks to make up for all the cockerels I accidentally ended up with from Tractor Supply.

I want a really diverse and beautiful flock that gets along well and are good with very young children (so far so good with all the chickens I have!) Egg laying is a plus, but they don't need to be prolific layers, I'm hoping more for a colourful basket.

What breeds (that are likely available in pullets from Ideal) would you recommend? Which would you tell me to stay away from?

At the moment, my mixed flocks of babies includes:

DEFINITE ROO:
Mystery Boy, probably Brown Leghorn

PROBABLE ROOS:
Golden Laced Seabright
Mystery Boy, probably Wellsummer
Buff Cochin
Black Bantam Cochin

UNDECIDED
Two light colored Easter Eggers
White Silkie
Buff Silkie
White Splash Polish
White Crested Black Polish

PROBABLE PULLETS
Two Golden Comets
Mille Fleur D'uccle

The Roos will need to be mostly rehomed, but I'd like to keep a couple...especially my darling little black Cochin.

Thanks! I can't wait to see all the beautiful birds you suggest!

 

[Mimi13]

I received 24 from Meyer Hatchery the middle of April and did basically what you’re gonna do.
I ordered a male and female Welsummer and they are both very sweet, but my favorites are Partridge Cochin, Barnevelder, Barred Rock, Columbian Wyandotte, Silver Gray Dorking and Cream Legbar. The Partridge Cochin is my absolute favorite.
Isn’t this fun?

 

[Mimi13]

My next purchase will be some Silkies and maybe bantam Cochins.

 

[ChickieChickieMama]

I would LOVE to get a partridge cochin but every time I add it to my order, it says there is no foreseeable date they could ship my order...even though they're listed as available.

 

[Mimi13]

O

I would LOVE to get a partridge cochin but every time I add it to my order, it says there is no foreseeable date they could ship my order...even though they're listed as available.

Oh no, that is awful. Keep trying. Luckily she is a pullet and will be beautiful. I only had one mishap from my order. Either my RIR or NHR has turned out to be a stinking little mean roo. At 4 weeks he’s already very aggressive. Pretty sure he’ll be a short-timer at this rate!

 

[PouleChick]

I am wanting the same things from my flock. I started with 3 layers just to get me going then got 2 silkies to be mama hens and they went broody very quickly. I have 3 Araucana chicks and a mystery (looking like possibly an Orpington / mix). Silkie 2 is sitting on some Orpingtons, Australorps and Salmon Favarolles. All those are meant to be docile / child friendly and lots of different shades of eggs!

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Salmon faverolles are very interesting looking and mild mannered. Cheeks beards and extra toes.

One of my buff brahma pullets begs to be picked up.

Cochins are the best for kids I think. My daughter had a cochin that would sit happily in a doll stroller all day.

 

[deepbluesea]

Definitely get a couple of marans--black copper, blue birchen or blue copper--dark brown eggs look great in the egg carton and the ones I've had are very friendly.

Maybe also appenzeller spitzhauben, speckled sussex, swedish flower hens and isbars. I have a bielefelder--they're supposed to be an 'Uber chicken' because they lay large eggs and they're auto-sexing, but she's a big jerkhead. She's beautiful, but still... Just my experience.

 

[PouleChick]

Definitely get a couple of marans--black copper, blue birchen or blue copper--dark brown eggs look great in the egg carton and the ones I've had are very friendly.

They are on my list - in fact I had one under my current broody but there was a scuffle between mama hen and the chicks and the broody and sadly it and one of the favarolles got broken

isbars

Now I really like the look of them after coming across them yesterday but for the life of me can't find anyone who has them in France or the UK (checked under Isbar and his name as some people say the name changed to that), not sure if there is another name for them? I'd love to get some eggs to hatch but a bit stuck if I cna't find a supplier!

 

[PouleChick]

appenzeller spitzhauben

Off to look them up!

speckled sussex

One of my layers is a Light Sussex and she is lovely - not very cuddly but a great layer and very calm even with a bouncy / running / yelling 3 year old!