Official BYC Poll: What Breed Characteristics are Most Important to You?

[aliciaplus3]

its amazing how goals change, even over a year! a year ago I would have said eggs! and some meat qualities... I still have 4 distinctly different groups of breeds that are for different purposes on the place... and I am toying with some additional ones to help out the local 4h kids.

I fell in love with the Idea of an old fashion Delaware, You know the one that was Originally used for the broiler industry? yeah that one. but Finding it Now is Hard. I am still working on improving the ones i have and selecting for the best meat qualities i can get at the fastest time, while still having a Good number of eggs from the ladies and a long laying life... probably a pipe dream, but its where I want to be. I just ordered some of the Delaware Broilers from murray Mcmurray that I hope will come closer to my ideals... we will see...

Oh and the egg basket Must carry many colors so one of my flocks is a blue/green egg flock!

Another is a Dark egg flock with Marans and Marans mix birds in it.

for meat we have a couple chicken tractors running with cornish cross from welp hatchery.

Did I remember to mention that Necked Necks get sprinkled around and added to Most of the flocks??? I Love my Nn!

we have developed a following of egg customers and could easily sell 40 dozen eggs a week?? Ok I currently do not get that many but I hope to improve our numbers and Having the correct(for us) mix of birds is important!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I now am choosing breeds based on being able to avoiding predation, or doing well under confinement due to our ever increasing predator population.

 

[OmnipotentOrpington]

I choose my breeds based on the ones who will be the friendliest, or whom lay colorful eggs. It's enjoyable to go to the coop, and among brown eggs, there are also blue and green ones! My chickens are mainly pets, but we try to get the ones who will lay a substantial amount of eggs. (180 is my minimum.) I have Orpingtons, whom are my sweetest, Australorps, who lay the most of them all, and an EE, who is quite funny looking!

 

[casportpony]

I now am choosing breeds based on being able to avoiding predation, or doing well under confinement due to our ever increasing predator population.

Any recommendations on breeds?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Any recommendations on breeds?

My Cochin bantams and bantam Easter eggers do well under confinement. My bantam coop has a run thankfully, so everyone gets locked up at night.

Buff Orpingtons are a big no, as well as standard cochins. Too slow to react, and slow at running apparently.

My Easter eggers, welsummer, and barnevelder are holding up well. They seem more cautious, and stick to the shed more where they are safer. Also lighter breeds like Ancona are good at running, and avoiding predators.

It was never an experiment I meant to run around here.

 

[BDutch]

Size: small bantams with small poo
Looks: chickens that look like chickens
Eggs: hate to buy eggs
Health: don't want diseases or to go to a vet
Temperament: smart and nice to have around

+ chickens that roost (no Silkies) in the coop
+ not too loud / searching a silent rooster

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

I choose my breeds based on climate tolerance, hardiness, looks, and egg color. I’ve found EEs to be great in all of those areas.

 

[centralcaligirl]

I chose: Temperament, Lack of Broodiness, Bird Size, Resistance to disease and parasites. I generally look for breeds that are larger (can't fly over the fence), friendly with people and other birds, and fairly hearty. So far my favorite breed is the Australorp. They're easy going, no nonsense birds and they lay well also.

 

[JaeG]

Temperament it is for me. We have a variety of breeds and I don't like troublemakers. Our two bantam wyandottes can be mean so we won't be getting them again, and boy are they loud when they want to complain about something. But our Mottled Houdan runs a tight ship and keeps the peace. I think she is a big reason why we have such a peaceful flock.

 

[kcan2]

I did not choose my breed, he chose me, when he crossed the road in the quest for grasshoppers and greener pastures. However, as @BDutch mentions, I am grateful for the small chicken/small poop ratio, but that also means small eggs unless I upgrade.