Please Help Me Decide What Breed My 4th chick should be.

[Chicks on DL]

I have 2 BR and 1 Golden Comet that are 9 weeks. I want one more (DH is finishing the coop Thursday) and can't decide between the following:

Silver Laced Wyandotte;
Partridge Rock;
Easter Egger; or
Barnvelder.

We have one BR that is especially docile, when she was a chick she would fall over asleep when you pet her, she looked narcoleptic. Now see is the nicest chicken, so I want another one that will be nice and docile. But a good layer is important too. It also needs to be quiet.

What do you think? Thanks for your input!

 

[FireTigeris]

My EE are not lap chickens
My SLW got eaten by hawks but were not quiet
I don't have the others

 

[Chicks on DL]

So sorry to hear about your SLW getting eaten by hawks. Our run is completely covered. More concerned about the neighbors. Thanks for responding.

 

[ChickasaurusRex]

Silver Laced Wyandottes are nice and great at laying, same for Plymouth Rocks, EE's are spunky and outgoing and like FireTigeris said they aren't really lap chickens. If you want color in your egg basket though, go for the EE or Barnavelder. The Barnavelder's eggs are a rich brown and I've heard they're friendly chickens. It's really up to you!

They're ALL great breeds! Though I have to say... finding a blue egg every other day in the nesting box is awesome

Good luck with your flock!

 

[kidcody]

What about the English Orpingtons? they are so beautiful and super docile. I know they are not on your list but I just wanted to say what a wonderful breed they are!

 

[This_chicks_place]

A year into our first chickens I can tell you this. Choose your chickens not only based on the feather colors, but by the egg colors! I have a beautiful mixed flock but they are all brown egg layers and I wish I had some blue or green eggs!

 

[Chicks on DL]

I know this is going to sound stupid but...my Dad says that he has had colored eggs and they taste different, funny almost. Is this true? Again, sorry for the question. I think my kids would love the colored eggs!

 

[Dingo]

I know this is going to sound stupid but...my Dad says that he has had colored eggs and they taste different, funny almost. Is this true? Again, sorry for the question. I think my kids would love the colored eggs!

Different sources can produce different tasting eggs. If they were from the same flock and fed the same, it was in his head.

I had an EE and a cochin last year. The EE was definitely a lap chicken. Even as a chick she was always trying to get on me. She would follow me around the yard when let out to free range. She was an active bird though. The cochin was extremely aloof and hated being touched. I always had to check on her cause she'd be off on her own and was too big to really defend herself.

 

[Bullitt]

I have 2 BR and 1 Golden Comet that are 9 weeks. I want one more (DH is finishing the coop Thursday) and can't decide between the following:

Silver Laced Wyandotte;
Partridge Rock;
Easter Egger; or
Barnvelder.

We have one BR that is especially docile, when she was a chick she would fall over asleep when you pet her, she looked narcoleptic. Now see is the nicest chicken, so I want another one that will be nice and docile. But a good layer is important too. It also needs to be quiet.

What do you think? Thanks for your input!

The Partridge Plymouth Rock or the Silver Laced Wyandotte should produce 4 brown eggs a week on average in a year. They are also friendly breeds.

Your father probably grew up eating brown and/or white eggs, and has a negative reaction to eating blue or green eggs. It could be a mental thing that makes him think the colorful eggs taste different than brown or white eggs.

But if your father is going to be eating some of these eggs, you might want to just go ahead and get hens that lay brown eggs.

 

[Time-Out]

The blue eggs are mint flavoured. Fact.