Orpingtons good breed to have around young children?

[banter]

A friend of mine who has a 2 year old wants to get a few chickens for eggs, and wants a roo so the eggs are fertile.. She needs a very gentle breed as she has a 2 year old child, and she has to consider her safety. The chickens will probably range on occasion. I love my Orloffs and find them very gentle, but I keep hearing that Orpingtons are a sure bet for being sweet. Are all colors of this breed gentle?

 

[hobbychick]

I have buff orpingtons and my roo is very nice. He really does not free range very much but I have no problems with him getting after me or my kids. I am sure that it does probably depend on the roo. I am sure all breeds can have a mean one.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

I have heard lots of great things about the Orpingtons being a gentle breed and more laid-back as a general rule. It is true that personality can vary from bird to bird, but it seems Orps are more inclined to be friendly.

It also depends on how much time you spend with your birds getting them used to interaction with humans, and how you teach your children to interact with the chickens.

 

[L&Schickens]

SERAMAS!!!

Loren age 5 w/ Baby Sarge

Loren age 3 w/ Goldie

Loren age 2 w/ Big Sarge

Loren age 2 w/ Big Sarge

Edited to add ages.

 

[futurefarmer08]

ok Those have got to be the cutest pictures!!! You can tell thats a great pet as well as a quality bird. I agree with teaching kids how to treat animals!!!! I have seen 2year olds be very gentle. Also Roos be very gentle. Around here I take a 2 year old to the park that happens to have a flock of Roos living there. I put him down and he feeds them. I have never had them run at him or even peck him. I too have heard good things about Buff Orps.

 

[banter]

Cute pics!

 

[Fay at Frizzled Feathers]

Great pics , L&Schickens ! The Serama is really cute and looks really friendly . Thats one breed i don't have yet that i been thinking about getting.

 

[Laskaland]

I love my orps. The rooster is nice too. Just be sure your friend gets about 4 or 5 hens for the roo or he might be overloving... At least mine went crazy when he hit the dancing age... He now has 12 ladies and is the sweetest overseer.

No Rhode Island Reds...that's all I'm sayin'

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Brahmas are also very gentle, and have more personality. Silkies are usually great, too. I haven't had marans, but the people I know that have them RAVE about how nice they are as birds, and including the roos.

 

[shortcake1806]

Those are some super cute pics. Totally unlike the serama roos we've had. Most of our's seemed to a have a little man complex. The good thing was that they're so small the flogging didn't hurt.