Need help choosing between these hens

[BYOChickens]

Greetings...I have wrapped up the coop finally and am now looking at some chicks at the local feed store. I will be looking at 8-10 hens and these are the chicks they have at the feed store. If I were to get combinations of birds from this list...what would you recommend or stay away from. The coop will have a run area , so the girls will be able to get out a little bit.

Chicks they have are: Buff Orpingtons, Light Brahmas, Americanas, Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds.

They also get in hens between 5-6 mos old that are a cross between leghorns and Rhode Island Reds...any thoughts going this way instead of chicks?

Thanks for the replies!

 

[Deanner03]

It would help if you gave us some more information about WHERE you are (north/south, etc). Some birds are better for heat/cold than others. Are you looking for laying hens only, do you want dual purpose for meat/hens, are you planning on breeding/hatching?

Any time you buy chicks, you have a chance to get roos. Sexed chicks are not 100% so it IS a small risk. But it's happened to LOTS of people.

 

[JustAChickenLittle&More]

I personally dont care for RIR, but thats just me. Buff Orphingtons are good layers and can be broody at times. Just get a few of each you'll be happy.

 

[mboreham1]

i think chicks are a great experience, if you buy the 5-6 months you will obviously get eggs much quicker but miss out on the 5-6 months of growing!

Everyone on here will have their favorites, from a few months of trolling through these pages - buff orpingtons seem to have a very friendly reputation and will be good mothers if you choose to add to the flock later. Most people will love to remind you that the Amerucanas you buy at the feed store are in fact EE's or "easter eggers" and are not pure bred Amerucanas. Rhode Island Red (RIR's) will be the best egg layers out of that list, i have 4 of them and they are brilliant birds, they are dominant out of my 9 birds. I also have barred rocks (BR's) brilliant personalities, very inquisitive, they have built a good relationship with the resident squirrel and scrub jay, they come, eat from the bird seed table and knock down the seed they dont like, the BR's see this and leg it over to vacuum up all the dropped seed. They are also very consistent layers.

I will be adding a couple light brahmas this season when my D'uccle goes broody (ready to be a mom!)

All those breeds are suited to back yard flocks, the amerucanas (EE's) should probably lay green or olive colored eggs, people seem to like the variety in their egg boxes. I dont know where you are geographically but those birds are a good mix that will fair well in the cold and warmer areas of the country, i suggest you get 1 or 2 of each!

Good luck and welcome to the most rewarding back yard hobby ever!

 

[wsdareme]

I have a Buff Orpington and a Barred Rock. Both are great girls. The BR is my DH's favorite.

I would bet the the "Ameracanas" are not Ameraucanas, but Easter Eggers (an Ameraucana cross). Even so, I have 5 EEs and they are great birds! One lays a blue egg, the others varying shades of green.

I don't have a RIR, but am getting a pullet (chick) when I go to the feed store tomorrow (along with a Speckled Sussex and Welsummer). I've heard the RIRs can be aggressive but they are great layers of beautiful brown eggs, so I'm going to give one a try!

 

[jenesis536]

I say get a mix. I used the breed selector on BYC when I was looking because I have small kids and wanted docile and quieter birds. A got a Delaware, 2 lt brahmas, an EE and an Australorp. The Delaware is the most outgoing, the lt brahmas are the bossy ones to the others but they are all really nice. At 5 months they are all starting to follow me around the yard. I just picked up some buff orps and more EEs, so we'll see how they are once they grow up a bit.

 

[FMAFarms]

I'm biased, but I would go for the Buff Orpingtons. They are very cold hardy (if you're in a snowy area), they are extremely docile and great for children, they are tolerant and even friendly to other breeds, and they can go broody should you wish to hatch some chicks some day. They're also good layers of brown eggs. You can't go wrong with a Buff Orpington.

Brahmas -- both light, dark, and buff -- have always been my back up bird, the species I've wanted to try but just never got around to buying. So... give them a try too and let me know!

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Get some of them all!!

 

[TigerLilly]

My personal favorite is the buff orps. I just love the color, not to mention their attitudes.

 

[chickenaddictntn]

Get two of ea. of the breeds.