Picking breeds

[JaceAgain]

Ok so my local place will have Americaunas, sexlinks (??) and golden wyandottes (?) next week, I read here that the americaunas are suited well for me, I don't need a meat breed or a broody bird, and it says they forage well and are not super flighty so win win all around. Now I'm only getting 5 or 6, does anyone have anything on the other 2 kinds? The chart on that link didn't include them.

Americanas or plymouth rocks or buff orpingotns?

 

[ChickenPox]

Welcome to the delimma of chickens! Trying to figure out which breed to get, and what to do with yout boys. LOL! My son is named Jace, BTW.

Personally I have both EEs and Wys and both are great. You will LOVE silkies, and I have a little polish that is an awesome bird! I also am in love with my swedish flowers. They are so curious and friendly. I have the problem of wanting them all. Wait until you decide you want to try ducks or geese.

 

[JaceAgain]

Such a cute name for a boy!
I just got off the phone with the local supply place and they are going to order 6 silkies and I can pick out two. I need to learn how to sex them fast! :cd

I already want indian runners lol. Im making myself wait 2 years for ducks

 

[JaceAgain]

Well I ended up finding a local place that had silkies, and picked out three. Now I need 2 layer breeds that will get along, I have the choice between plymouth rock, buff orfington, or americaunas? Should I get one of each of the of them or two of one? And which ones will do better with silkies?

 

[blucoondawg]

I have no experience with silkies but the rocs, orpingtons, and americaunas are all nice breeds of chicken, however I would caution you, depending on where these chicks are coming from they are not likely americaunas, the are probably just easter eggers which is a mix breed chicken which lays colored eggs, not really a true bred blue egg laying americauna. Many hatcheries call easter eggers americaunas for some reason.

Sex links are generally very tame birds, nice to handle, they are terrific layers and produce decent meat for a dual purpose bird. They are either red or black, reds are a cross between a red rooster and a silver gene hen like a rhode island white or a silver laced Wyandotte or Delaware, blacks are a cross between a red rooster and a barred hen like a barred roc, these can be sexed by color at hatch.

 

[JaceAgain]

Thank you for your input! I plan on free ranging though, and I read the sexlinks aren't predator smart?

 

[blucoondawg]

Well none of the dual purpose birds are overly predator weary if that is a big concern you would be best off sticking to the games or a smaller more flighty breed. The heavy layers who can't fly well aren't the greatest at avoiding predators, the best you can do with them is have a good rooster to keep watch and possibly fight and have plenty of places for them to hide if the rooster sounds the alarm. In a true free range situation you are likely to lose birds no matter the breed really. Also I don't think silkies stand much chance free ranging, be careful with that and supervise them as much as you can.

 

[JaceAgain]

I dont need a dual purpose bird, just a couple layer birds.

 

[MargoTexas]

Ideal poultry have silkies look them up on web they have a large selection of all chickens ducks game heb

 

[blucoondawg]

I dont need a dual purpose bird, just a couple layer birds.

I only mentioned that because the birds you are considering are dual purpose breeds considered dual purpose. They are good layers but also grow larger enough to grow into meat birds at adulthood which hinders their ability to fly well and escape predators more easily