Please recommend a breed for me!

[fogbubble]

Hi
I already have ducks and I'm thinking of getting into chickens.
Here's my criteria:
-I need broody chickens that can raise ducklings if needed.
-I'd like decent layers but extreme productivity isn't important - the ducks give us more than we can eat already. I would like the eggs to be colored (not white), but that isn't a deal-breaker.
-I like a clean-legged, "normal" looking bird without any extremes like naked necks, bouffant feather hairdo's, etc. Just your typical old fashioned looking farm chicken.
-I like my roosters to have long tails, and my favorite color is red. Any color is OK, but solid black or solid white are just a little boring to me.
-I like a single comb, but it isn't too important.

I love the look of Welsummers, but I read they aren't broody. Any ideas?

Shannon

 

[Teach97]

Why one breed...get about 6 of every breed...then pick you 12 favorite breeds and get like 50 of each...

Pick a breed...from this group! Not gonna happen! We are enablers...get more birds!

 

[pringle]

Ok I know...I think lol Google cubalayas they are a very intresting chicken and the males are especially stunning.They are very tame towards humans raise chicks well and are just overall cool birds.The bird under my name is a cubalaya male.

 

[okiehen]

Buff Orpingtons great broody hens that lay nice eggs.

 

[ErieSpurs]

Here are the first ones that popped into my head.

Buckeyes - Match all criteria except single combs

Partridge Rocks - Some strains aren't as broody

Rhode Island Red - Some strains aren't as broody and males can be aggressive (not sure if that matters to you)

Good Luck.

 

[BarredBuff]

Buff Orpingtons definetly broody, brown egglayer, single comb, a traditional chicken.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Quote:
Agreed- but get them from a breeder- in any color. They are more likely to go broody than hatchery ones. They're so pretty free-ranging as well, with their big fluffy butts.

I have Welsummers, but they have yet to lay for me. I don't think mine will be big enough to cover as many (or big) eggs like duck eggs as an Orp could. Australorps make great broodies too- but it's hard to find them as colorful.

 

[Ms~Silkie~Girl]

BO's (Buff Orpingtons)

 

[Chris09]

Standard Old English.
They meet all your criteria. Cackle Hatchery has quite a few colors.
The colors you might like would be the Ginger Red, Red Pyle or the Spangled..
Here is a list of colors that Cackle has.
Black Breasted Red
Golden Duckwing
Silver Duckwing
White
Blue
Spangled
Black
Ginger Red
Brown Breasted Brown Red
Wheaten
Black Breasted Brown Red
Red Pyle
Birchen
Splash
Crele
Cuckoo

Chris

 

[CelticMoon1]

Gold Laced or Blue Laced Red Wyandottes

(breeder stock tend to go broody, hatchery stock not so much from what I've heard)

Mine have been great mothers, they are decent layers year round of tinted (light brown) eggs.
They are clean-legged, and although they have rose combs (and you wanted singles), they DO have beautiful colours