New to chickens! Have no idea what kind to get...

[frogkt]

Hello everyone!
I have not purchased or ordered any chickens yet, and can not decide what types to get. We want them to be good producers, but we also don't want them to be too timid or flighty. We ant to be able to handle them easily if needed. We have plenty of room and can build any size coop/ run and will supervise free ranging. Any suggestions?

 

[wildriverswolf90]

I have buff orpingtons, cochins, easter egger, marans, brahmas, wyandottes and salmon faverolles, I love them all, they are sweet and easy to handle, they love to sit by me and get petted. And I get a beautiful colorful egg basket!
But there are many breeds out there that are sweet and will give you lots of eggs!

Welcome and good luck finding the perfect breed for you!

 

[Remudamom]

RIRs? Sussex? I have some of both and I like them. Lay a lot of nice eggs and are not flighty. Mine aren't really affectionate but they come when I call them.

 

[Remudamom]

I've got some Wyandottes, Favorelles, Jersey Giants, Welsummer and some other breeds, but they aren't laying yet. They're nice quiet birds though.

 

[Lute]

I love my black sexlinks. I have a new hampshire red, too. Her name is Rosy. She's my favourite. She's going to lay less eggs then the others but she's a sweet heart that likes to be picked up and petted.

The sexlinks are supposed to lay up to 300 eggs a year.
New Hampshire Red is supposed to lay up to 260-280 eggs a year.

I also acquired 6 Rhode Island Red pullets that are a week old. Eventually they'll be laying up to 300 eggs a year as well.

I picked out my chickens due to their high egg laying abilities.

There are two breeds that I'll be picking up that do not lay as well; a Cuckoo Maran (lays dark chocolate coloured eggs, 160-210 eggs/year) for my sister and I'll be hatching a half dozen Ameraucanas (blue egg layers, up to 250 eggs/year) later this spring. The later probably won't lay until this time next year.

 

[Lute]

Sorry, multipost.

 

[Andrewdp123]

Black australorps are great layers along with the Rhode Island Reds or the White leghorn if your looking for white eggs.