Seeking input on breed choice

[loofa]

Hello everyone,
I am getting ready to keep chickens again after several years without. I'm trying to decide on what breed or breeds to get. Here is what we are looking for:
• Easy taming/sweetness/friendliness
• Not tending toward broodiness
• Likely to survive in an area with predators. Okay, so this one. We have lots of coyotes around us, and I don't want to keep the chickens constantly locked up (I count chicken tractors as being constantly locked up). I was thinking of getting bantams because they are better flyers and I think would have a better chance of escaping a predator. Does this theory hold water? Are there any larger chicken breeds who are good flyers?
Thank you kindly for any ideas

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Old english game bantams are good at escaping predators, but they are a little broody and a little wild. But, they aren't way too broody or wild.

 

[BantyChooks]

Old english game bantams are good at escaping predators, but they are a little broody and a little wild. But, they aren't way too broody or wild.

My OEGB have all been very tame, good at avoiding predators... And crazy broody.

I'd suggest looking into a breed in the Mediterranean class. They're range wary, decently friendly with handling, and most aren't broody.

 

[BantyChooks]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancona_chicken

Here's an example. They may be a bit hard to acquire but they fit your description and are beautiful birds.

 

[Bullitt]

Hello everyone,
I am getting ready to keep chickens again after several years without. I'm trying to decide on what breed or breeds to get. Here is what we are looking for:
• Easy taming/sweetness/friendliness
• Not tending toward broodiness
• Likely to survive in an area with predators. Okay, so this one. We have lots of coyotes around us, and I don't want to keep the chickens constantly locked up (I count chicken tractors as being constantly locked up). I was thinking of getting bantams because they are better flyers and I think would have a better chance of escaping a predator. Does this theory hold water? Are there any larger chicken breeds who are good flyers?
Thank you kindly for any ideas

The friendliest chickens are generally the worst at escaping predators. The unfriendly chickens, such as Leghorns, are better at escaping from predators. In other words, the ones that are a little wild do better at escaping predators.

I am editing my comment because I just remembered the California Gray. This bred is much like a White Leghorn in that it lays eggs very well and generally does not go broody. But the California Gray is much calmer and friendlier than the White Leghorn.

Privett hatchery in New Mexico sells California Gray chickens.
www.privetthatchery.com/


Stromberg's in Minnesota also sells the California Gray.
https://www.strombergschickens.com/product/California-Grey-Chicks/white-egg-layers

 

[loofa]

Thank you everyone, I appreciate your input. Looking into these breeds

 

[Bullitt]

Thank you everyone, I appreciate your input. Looking into these breeds

You did not say anything about eggs. But I am guessing you want these chickens for eggs, correct?

 

[loofa]

You did not say anything about eggs. But I am guessing you want these chickens for eggs, correct?

We do want eggs, yes. But will happily love them as pets when they stop laying

 

[Bullitt]

We do want eggs, yes. But will happily love them as pets when they stop laying

I do not think think you will find a perfect breed of chicken to meet all your criteria. But I have been thinking about it, and besides the California Gray, another breed you may consider is the Dominique. This is the oldest American breed of chicken. It is a medium-size chicken, is fairly friendly, lays fairly well, is good at avoiding predators, but can be broody. You may decide you want to have a hen hatch out some chicks in the future. If you get chicks, I would say to handle them regularly so they become more friendly to people.

Cackle Hatchery, and other hatcheries, sell Dominique chickens, which many call Dominickers. https://www.cacklehatchery.com/dominiques.html

 

[TinyBirds]

I would get easter eggers and welsummers. They give beautiful eggs and fly well. And for white eggs the white faced black spanish are very good at avoiding predators, probably most of the flighty mediteranian breeds would be, but I think their black color might help them hide too. The rooster in my picture was our head easter egger "zebra boy" and fought a hawk to save his girls. Sadly he died but his girls were saved.