Planning For "First" Flock, What Breeds Should I get?

[HetaChick]

Hey everybody ^ ¬ ^ ~!

Today I as thinking about chicken breeds and got the idea to ask all of you what your favorite breeds are and what you would recommend.

I guess my birds are like a hobby/pets/family thing for me (I love my birds!) and my main focus is collecting pretty and odd birds.

Eggs and meat aren't an issue, basically I want some "Lawn eye candy" to scratch around my place, I absolutely love unique breeds.

Also I say "first" flock because I don't consider my 5 birds a flock… yet XD I mean more around 20+ (don't get me in this chicken math because that never stays a clean 25 or 50.) I won't be buying these birds for a while as we are in the process of moving back out to the country, but I'd like to start a list.

When it comes to actually buying, I may buy eggs or hatchery chicks. Preferably eggs as I like to hatch them myself. They always seem to end up tamer when I do anyways.

So far I have two Shamo, an EE, an OEGB mix (she's oegb in looks, color, and stature but someone in her genetic line wasn't and she has a pea comb) and a shiny new BO.

Apparently I have some extremes going on here already though, O-shamo and OEGB, but my two birds are really close and get along well so it doesn't matter I guess.


OKAY peoples!~ So hit me with your favorites! Of the breeds I already know I want are some dark egg layers (Marans maybe?) silkies, and other ornamentals. When I make my coop, I'm doing a rotation style fenced in yard (maybe into 4's?) and possibly a divided coop so that I may separate them if I ever need to.

 

[Domestic_goddess]

Well I'm not to worried about eye candy. I love my red and black sexlinks, great layers. My all time faves are Barred Rock, have out layed any of my other breeds and friendly. One I don't have that I want are, speckled sussex...although they say they aren't the greatest of layers. Also would love to have polish, marans and frizzles.

 

[spacecowgirl]

Can't wait to see the responses!! I am adding on to my "flock" as well. (I only have four full grown chickens and three chicks).

I have two mutts that are by far the sweetest and cuddliest. I have a Red Star that is an egg laying machine, and a Black Copper Maran that, though friendly, is a great layer but doesn't like being touched that much.

 

[HetaChick]

Well I'm not to worried about eye candy. I love my red and black sexlinks, great layers. My all time faves are Barred Rock, have out layed any of my other breeds and friendly. One I don't have that I want are, speckled sussex...although they say they aren't the greatest of layers. Also would love to have polish, marans and frizzles.

^ ^ I just want variety. Since I don't really need great eggs or anything I'm focussing on what different birds I can get. I'll have more than enough eggs anyways with the birds, whether or not they're big. I am the only one who really eats my birds eggs anyways LOL.

 

[ldutch123]

I have a little bit of everything. 72 chickens in all lol. But they have a detached garage as a coop! And five acres to run. So out of everything I think my favorites are the buff brahmas (very friendly) and the polish tophats. Wait and the silkies, bard rock(cause they r so docile) speckled Sussex, my rooster is a white crested polish tophat and he is so darn nice. But the non hat girls pick on him. My Kookoo maran lays a beautiful chocolate egg but she is so darn skittish. I also have one lonely salmon favorelle and she is so darn cute. The only ones I'm not a huge fan of is the silver lakenvelders And golden campine ONLY because they are skittish and flighty. All are laying really well.

 

[Chicks on DL]

ldutch123, your Barred Rock is docile? I decided to get BRs because I heard that they are docile. When we went to look at some the first one we picked up (she was 4 weeks old) fell asleep in my son's hand, he named her Obama (that is another story). She is still the nicest of the two BRs but doesn't seem docile. The other BR is okay as long as she is with her two sisters but without them she is noisy. All three don't like to be touched at all and just wants you to give them treats. Obama is only one that tolerates my Buff Orphington (4th chicken) name Goldy (because she glistens like gold in the light). Goldy is so docile she gets picked on and she would rather be with humans. Having such a hard time integrating her.

 

[ldutch123]

ldutch123, your Barred Rock is docile? I decided to get BRs because I heard that they are docile. When we went to look at some the first one we picked up (she was 4 weeks old) fell asleep in my son's hand, he named her Obama (that is another story). She is still the nicest of the two BRs but doesn't seem docile. The other BR is okay as long as she is with her two sisters but without them she is noisy. All three don't like to be touched at all and just wants you to give them treats. Obama is only one that tolerates my Buff Orphington (4th chicken) name Goldy (because she glistens like gold in the light). Goldy is so docile she gets picked on and she would rather be with humans. Having such a hard time integrating her.

I have 1 BR that I got from someone who had overcrowding and she isn't that docile BUT I have 7 girls that I raised that are 7 months now and I can't walk in the yard without them RIGHT at my feet. When I bend down they stop (which i realize is for the roo to get on lmao) and I can carry them around the yard. They just don't care. The NEVER run from me and my 7 year old nephew can stop and pet them all. I have never known chickens to be so tame. I'm now chicken obsessed in less than a year lol

 

[Chicks on DL]

My BRs run like the wind when you bend over, but I wish they wouldn't. They could have learned to run from the Comet or my 5-year-old. Who knows? They do have personality and I like to watch them. The Comet is the smartest by far and not very trusting. I hope if I spend time with them things will change.

 

[ldutch123]

CHECK THIS PIC OUT. they r so darn sweet. she sits with me on the swing. lol

 

[HetaChick]

My first chicken ever was a BR. =] I'll probably have one or two around, they are good birds.