Quick!! The chicken lady called, what should we get?!

[rhetoric]

We had a bunch of breeds picked out for our first chickens ever (standard, good layers) but the order is mixed up and now our choices are limited to these... auracanas, dominiques, light brahamas, cochins, speckled sussex, golden and silvery wynadots, black sex link. The auracanas were already on our list so we'll get two of those, but what of the other four? We want friendly and good layers, we don't really care about appearance (yet). The brahams look promising as do the dominiques. Agree? We have to get them today (they are going fast). Thanks!

 

[speckledhen]

Wyandottes and Brahmas are good layers in winter. I have both. Speckled Sussex were bred more for meat than laying, but I have one and she's a doll and beautiful! Doms are good heritage breed chickens and lay well, but not quite as well as Barred Rocks. So, I didn't help at all, did I???

 

[scgamecock]

Out of that group definately the black sex links are the best layers although they are not a true breed.The next would be the silver laced wyandottes and brahma's.Americauna's lay real good but of course they are colored eggs.

 

[JustChicky]

I have Dominiques, they are my first chickens. They are 1 week old and very sweet. They came with some buff colored chicks (males) and they are a little feisty. I ordered a straight run and even the males are sweet.

 

[rhetoric]

Too late! Two Auracanas (one is a puff cheeked bird), two dominiques, and two light brahmas. I am offcially wearing my straw hat. Cat seems REALLY interested. Another mixed batch is coming in May, but when TSC gets some on the 15th, I'd like to get some Rhode Island Reds, too. Will post pics later. Thanks for the advice! Actually, I thought we had wood shavings -- must have burned them all so I have to go back to Higbies (our local feed store) to get some and I'll try really hard not to buy more!

 

[Brian]

Black sex links and golden laced wyandottes: two of each.

 

[greyfields]

I would have gone 2 BSL and 2 Sussex. :0

I raise/make both those breeds and for good reason.