Starting over.....Need help deciding what breeds.

[featheredroots]

It's been a rough week, and I want to thank everyone who posted words of support and encouragement. I'm not sure I'm truly ready to start over again, but I don't have much time before the feed stores will be done carrying chicks, so I guess it's now or wait until next year(I definitely don't want to do that).

The men at our local Southern States were extremely helpful and kind to me while I was trying to figure out what was happening to our chicks, even though we didn't purchase from them. That kind of personal care and service means a lot to me, so we've dedided to get our next batch from them. Monday they'll have Golden Laced Wyandottes, and Leghorns, and EE's and Golden Comets the following week.

I definitely want some EE's and Comets again, but am intrigued by the Wyandottes. I'm fairly certain that I don't want Leghorns, but someone may know something about them that may change my mind. I'd love to hear from anyone who's had these breeds, the pros and the cons, so that I may make an informed decision.

Thanks in advance for any advice or info.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I have EEs, and have always adored them. They're friendly birds and they lay beautiful eggs! I've just recently gotten some Leghorns (which I was also a little skeptical about), but I'm really liking them alot! They're only about 6 weeks old, but they are friendly curious little critters. They love to be held, will "talk" to me and are always the first to run to say hi. I've never had wyandottes, but my neighbor is a big fan of them. Hers are sweet and they look fabulous roaming her yard. Good luck with your new babies, whichever breeds you decide to go with!

 

[AlienChick]

Sounds like you will end up with a good assortment of breeds.
Leghorns are good egg layers, but that's it. They tend to be flighty.
The Wyandottes are beautiful birds and the EE's will lay you some pretty colored eggs.
Those breeds will also tend to be more docile.
I've never owned Coments, but hear they are good layers.
Good luck, and I'm sorry for your previous loss.

 

[crchickens]

I have one leghorn, because a friend told me to get one, as she would be queen and keep order in my coop. I have silver laced wyandottes and love them!! I wanted easter eggers, but they did not get any in during the two weeks I purchased my chicks, so they will come next year. I love my gang!! I think you will be happy with whatever you get!!

 

[Kiki A]

I have had 2 barred rocks, 2 ameraucanas, 1 buff orpington, and 1 white leghorn. The leghorn, Meggy, is the SWEETEST little girl and lays TONS of eggs. The barred rocks were named Salt and Pepper. Salt was killed by a raccoon.

The ameraucanas, Roxane and Clue, let me hold them like babies, on the first day of school Clue was attacked by our dogs. She was ok but now has a phobia. My buff orpington, Resa, is sweet as can be. It all depends on what you want to use them for though.

 

[BirdyMe]

I've never owned Leghorns (until three days ago

), but everyone around here talks about what good layers they are. Yes, they may be a little flighty, but when you're out with the foxes and skunks around here, you need to be flighty. I'm anxious to see what they'll be like when they're older.

I have one Golden Comet, who's a doll, and I've always loved my EE's and Wyandottes. My Wyandottes have always layed massive brown eggs. Gotta love 'em!

 

[felidaet]

I have all of these breeds you listed and will get more of all of them.

Yes Leghorns can be somewhat flighty but I don't think they are as bad as some people say. Are you looking for pets, egg layers, or something in-between? Leghorns are not "pets" but they are friendly and are laying machines. They lay a large egg nearly every day. I have found my brown leghorns are much more flighty than White Leghorns. In fact I am going to replace my 2 brown leghorns with 3 or 4 white leghorns (chicken math...) this year. My brown leghorns are only laying a medium size egg and only every other day.

I like most Wyandottes. I currently have 2 gold laced, 1 silver laced, and 1 Columbian. I did have a BLRW but I found it was broody most of last summer. I also did not think it was as nice looking as my others. I gave it away a couple of weeks ago. All of the Wyandottes I currently have are very friendly and are good layers. I will be getting 2 more SLW the first week of Apr. I would like to get a couple of more Columbians but I have not found anyone local that is going to have them this year. One of the local feed stores is supposed to get a large assortment of various Wyandottes on arriving on Apr 6. This happens to be the exact day I want to get my chicks this year. I am going to stop by as early in the day as possible to see what they have. Hopefully I won't go too crazy picking out various types. I would like to get a blue (not blue laced red), and maybe a black. If they have any "penciled" I will probably get at lest a couple of them. I may end getting one of each color that they have. Unfortunately they already know that they won't be getting any Columbians.

I currently have 7 Easter Eggers. Most of them are very friendly. 1 lays blue eggs and the others lay various shades of green. These are very popular with my customers. I am getting about 3 - 4 blue/green eggs per day right now. I made sure when I got them to get chicks of various colors. My favorites are the lighter colored birds. I am getting 3 or 4 more EE this year. I am going to look for just lighter colored birds, even if I have to run around to several feed stores.

I currently have 3 gold comets. They are great layers and are friendly. I had a 4th one that was laying a giant size egg nearly every day but a predator got ahold of it a couple of weeks ago. I think it was a neighbor's dog but I am not certain. I don't know yet if I will get any more of these this year or not. I might wait until next year and then get 3 new ones to replace my current 3. I think this year I am going to get 3 black sex links to replace the 1 gold comet I lost this year. (uh oh... There is the chicken math again.) I have not raised the before and would like to give some of these a try.

 

[aggiemae]

I am a newbie and don't have any suggestions. Actually, reading the responses to your post made me wonder if I should have done more research before ordering our chicks. I thought that only chickens that would do well our area would be available so I pretty much just let everyone pick one they liked from the choices at our local feed store.


Our town requires permits and limits us to five adult hens, roosters are not premittend at all. We are getting a Black Astralorp, a Speckled Sussex, a RI Red, a Salmon Favorelle, a Blue/ Red Laced Wyamdotte and an Ameraucana. We are in western Oregon. The winters here are mild and it's never really humid and only occasionally over 90 degrees. Hopefully they will all do well and the Speckled Sussex can join my adult son's flock of RI Reds in Portland.
I am finding this site very helpful.

 

[featheredroots]

We're looking for mostly for egg production, but have kids and a limit on coop space(4 to 6 chickens max), so friendliness and the ability to tolerate confinement are extremely important also. So if I'm understanding correctly, Leghorns would probably not be a good choice for the latter two reasons. I'd like the idea of a broody hen if we were going to raise chicks(hopefully sometime in the future), but at this point, the Wyandottes don't sound like a good fit for us either.

It looks like our best options are the EE's and the Comets. I'v had a little experience with both breeds, and have liked them very much, and it sounds like we should get more than enough eggs from them. I'm still really nervous starting over, but as they say, the third times a charm, so I'm crossing my fingers, praying, researching and asking as many questions as I can. Hopefully we'll have success this time around.

Thanks again to everyone for all the support, advice, and information....I don't know where I'd be without this community.