Recommendations for a very small (2-4 birds) flock

[MROO]

Oh yeah I was hoping someone with Sussex would chime in. How are they with confinement? Free ranging will be minimal. I do love the look of the Speckled Sussex. Are all the colors similar in personality?

My sister has a mixed flock that includes two SS. They aren't truly flighty, but they definitely aren't the friendliest birds in the flock ... although they are among the prettiest. If you only had one or two, I'm thinking that they would be much friendlier and people-dependent.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Black Australorps. They're calm, long-lived and long-laying, they don't tend to fight, they're good producers, and they're happy living in a smaller setup. Leghorns are good, too. I like California whites, but they tend to rule the roost and fight, and sexlinks of any sort are really prone to diseases after about two and a half years.

 

[Acre4Me]

There are many breed that would fit what you want. Personally, I recommend Chanteclers, but I am a bit biased. All the breeds mentioned in this thread would be a good fit too. Good luck!

Our White Chantecler chick is a female, I think. She seems curious and fairly active, but only 10 weeks old today. She seems more trim than I expected, but she is young, so will likely fill out more as she ages. A good breed for areas with very cold winters - the comb and wattles are very small!

 

[CrazyChookChookLady]

Job Description: Chicken Sitter!

My dream job!! I just want to be a stay at home chicken mom...

 

[CrazyChookChookLady]

Here are some BJG pics:

the Male and female at about 4 months old.
(this is when the roosts were on the flat side. We ended up turning them to the narrow side due to breast blister. But rounded bars or tree branch roosts would also work well).
View attachment 1839669


The next two pics are when the BJG male was about 12-13 months old. next to a regular size Legbar.View attachment 1839670

And in front of a regular sized SLW. BTW, the coop is elevated 2.5' above the ground, so you can see how tall he is at around 1 year old!! But, he is very handsome. He is taller now at 16 months.
View attachment 1839671

Simply stunning!!!

 

[CrazyChookChookLady]

Just wondering if you are to be the caretaker, and if there will be someone to care for them when you aren't working? (The Debbie Downer in me comes out occasionally)

Yep I'll be the main one in charge of the chickens. My boss is also more then capable of caring for them. I work in a converted house in the middle of farm fields, so it's not like I'm in town.

 

[CrazyChookChookLady]

Black Australorps. They're calm, long-lived and long-laying, they don't tend to fight, they're good producers, and they're happy living in a smaller setup. Leghorns are good, too. I like California whites, but they tend to rule the roost and fight, and sexlinks of any sort are really prone to diseases after about two and a half years.

I've been looking at the australorps. I'll add them to my short list along with the Jersey Giants and Speckled Sussex.

I currently have a few California whites myself and they are slowly growing on me. They were quite flighty but are coming around.

 

[so lucky]

My Speckled Sussex were very friendly, nosy and flighty. which sounds like a strange combo...they would be the first to come to me, but quick to fly or run away if something startled them.

 

[Acre4Me]

couple of other notes:

Recommend that you get 4 birds, and not just 2. If one were to die, then there would be a lone chicken, and chickens need at least one chicken companion. So, if 4, then they should make a nice chicken family of sisters, even if one dies for no apparent reason (it happens).

Don't discount getting some showy breeds either - maybe a polish, maybe a Faverolle (5 toes and feathered legs), crested (like Legbar), muffed (like Ameraucana or EE), or a laced variety. Often a lone polish can be a target of feather picking (of those showy head feathers), but not always and if given enough room and good personalities and feed with enough protein, then that should not be a problem. Anyway, a small flock, but can be eye catching: Big JG, showy Polish, speckled Sussex, muffed Ameraucana for example. But pick what is appealing to you and your boss!

We sold a few birds at auction several months ago. A family bought 3 of our birds bc they wanted some more "eye candy"! They bought our Salmon Faverolle, Buff Polish, and a bantam Ameraucana - a nice mix of visually different chickens.

Good Luck!

 

[CrazyChookChookLady]

couple of other notes:

Recommend that you get 4 birds, and not just 2. If one were to die, then there would be a lone chicken, and chickens need at least one chicken companion. So, if 4, then they should make a nice chicken family of sisters, even if one dies for no apparent reason (it happens).

Don't discount getting some showy breeds either - maybe a polish, maybe a Faverolle (5 toes and feathered legs), crested (like Legbar), muffed (like Ameraucana or EE), or a laced variety. Often a lone polish can be a target of feather picking (of those showy head feathers), but not always and if given enough room and good personalities and feed with enough protein, then that should not be a problem. Anyway, a small flock, but can be eye catching: Big JG, showy Polish, speckled Sussex, muffed Ameraucana for example. But pick what is appealing to you and your boss!

We sold a few birds at auction several months ago. A family bought 3 of our birds bc they wanted some more "eye candy"! They bought our Salmon Faverolle, Buff Polish, and a bantam Ameraucana - a nice mix of visually different chickens.

Good Luck!

Oh yes I like a variety of breeds. I like to be able to tell them apart and name them, so 4 different breeds would be good too. My own flock is a mix of 15 standard breeds and 5 silkies.