Please help me choose the next incubation eggs!

[funnybirds]

Hi all,

I've looked up these breeds several times and each time and from each source outside BYC I get different answers about what I am looking for. For instance some sources say Houdans are good egg layers and others say not so much, so...

I'm getting ready to pre order my next eggs and would like to know, in your experience which of these breeds:

1. Which lays the most eggs/ longest egg layers
2. Which is the most docile?
3. Which can also be used successfully for "show" (4H)?
4. Is the quietest, least ranging.
5. Gets along well with other chickens (primarily the Polish birds I already have)

Brahmas light or dark
Barnvelders
Golden Laced Polish, Silver laced Polish
Jersey Giants

Thanks so much in advance.

 

[funnybirds]

Nothing? hmmmmm

 

[ChickenWisperer]

Well, obviously polish would get along with polish. The polish used to be primarily an egglaying breed but that depends on the strain now. Egglaying also depends on strain with the houdan from what I understand.


My Gold brahma lays very well for me. 7 1/2 months and she lays an egg a day. But I don't know that my dark brahma is laying yet. They both behave very well during the day, but are quite hateful at night with bedtime squabbles. The dark brahma is one of, if not the lowest on the totem pole. The gold brahma is a feather picker. They both talk a lot.


My barnevelder is very, very shy. She is like the brahmas - fine during the day but can get a tad hateful at night. Though not as bad as my brahmas. She is SUPER quiet.


I've never had giants.


All of them could be used for 4-H.

 

[theredroosta]

I would say Leghorns but they have a terrible temperament.

 

[RareBreedFancier]

Out of your list I'd go with more Polish.

Brahmas and Jersey Giants are BIG. This could be a problem for a child doing 4H to handle. They may also squish or bully your Polish who may not be able to see them coming.
Barnevelders can be nice or can be skittish depending on strain. Egg laying can vary a lot between strains too.

Hope that helps

 

[Mahonri]

I have 6 BBL Polish hens.

1 is about two years old. At presents she gives me 3 eggs a week.

The other 5 hatched out in March. Not one has laid an egg yet.

They are very calm and gentle.