'Sweetest' / most human friendly chicken breeds

[Namentuppen]

It will be a while before I get more chickens, but when I do, what breeds have you guys found to be the most human friendly? By that I mean anything ranging from:

Doesn't run from people
to
Likes to follow people around
to
Likes or tolerates human handling

Or is that more of an individual chicken thing versus a breed thing?

 

[primatologica]

I have a flock of six pullets who are about 3 and a half months old.

So far, my Dominique is far and away the friendliest--she's a total lap chicken who follows me around and makes a cute little squawk when she wants cuddles. My Buff Orpington is also friendly and has been known to nap on me. My Easter Egger and Black Copper Marans are both friendly enough, but don't seek me out quite the same as the first two. My Salmon Faverolle is a little nutcase who either demands attention or wants to be left the heck alone. And then there's my Silver Laced Wyandotte, who is completely uninterested in people and isn't food motivated (I can easily round up the other five with a handful of treats, but the SLW could not care less).

All six tolerate being handled (with the Dominique getting jealous when I'm holding someone else, and the SLW just being quietly resigned to her fate; the Faverolle either snuggles in or screams bloody murder--and I never know which she's going to do!).

 

[GC-Raptor]

For me Barred Rocks are by far the friendliest.
Out of seven Barred Rocks in my second Flock, 5 were friendly.
My fourth flock 4 Barred Rocks and 4 Rhode Island Reds.
All 4 Rocks were friendly before 4 weeks old.

Shown at 9 weeks old.

My Barred Rocks hop on my knees if I let them.
My first Rhode Island Red hopped on my knee yesterday, no picture yet. 3 haven't at 10 weeks old.
The other chickens in my first and third Flocks were Red sex-links. Golden Comets and ISA Browns.
Most were friendly, but don't like to be picked up and petted like the Barred Rocks.
I've never had Cockerels/Roosters so can't comment on them. GC

 

[odchooks]

Our buff Orpington is like a golden retriever. Loves cuddling and she crouches for me pick her up any time I want. She will jump on my daughter’s lap and purr and trill when getting stroked by her ears. My barred rock will follow me around the yard sweetly talking to me but sometimes runs when I try to pick her up. But she will also close her eyes and make sweet trilling sounds when cuddled. The most important thing has been lots of time with them..

 

[HawaiiCoyote]

Buff Orpingtons, English Orpingtons, Black Sex Links, and Easter Eggers are the friendliest chickens that I have worked with so far

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

The sweetest chickens I own are my Easter Eggers. It does vary from chicken to chicken, though. One of the EE's could care less about me! The others love to snuggle, though. Pretty much any chicken can tolerate humans if you spend a lot of time with them, especially as chicks. Even just being in the coop with them, not trying to touch them, can make them more calm. Raising chicks with a broody hen makes them more shy, though. Chickens are curious animals, and all of mine, even the rooster, eat food from my hand. Good luck with your next batch of chicks!

 

[Texasclucker]

Polish and cochins but only the hens

 

[Show Sebright]

I will tell you the best breed for this is the Sebrights. (I have an article for them) They love to just sit on your lap or walk around you. Boys and girls are friendly. My friends joke I raise dogs not chickens because of how they act. Minnie (pictured below) will follow me around. The are very treat motivated. Loving to all. Like all bird if you come running at then they will run away. But if you approach them and just wait they will come over to you to investigate. Feisty little birds that can be in any flock. They live long lives (so far I have an 8/10 year old). And my experience they aren’t that loud. They also have fantastic looks.

 

[All4Eggz]

I would say it's sometimes a breed thing and sometimes an individual chicken thing.
But the breeds that stand out to me for being:
"
Doesn't run from people
to
Likes to follow people around
to
Likes or tolerates human handling
"
are:
-Cochins (and as someone mentioned, ONLY the hens)
-OEGB's (roosters mainly)
-Salmon Favorelle
-Barred Rocks
-Black Sex links
-Easter egger

 

[AntiqueB]

I have 2 EEs, a BO, and a Speckled Sussex. All are lap chickens, and wait their turn to sit on my lap and nap, sunbathe, and be petted and talked to.

I think the best way to tame them is to spend a lot of time with them as chicks. Pick them up, pet them, cuddle with them, let them sit on you, feed them, take them with you wherever you go. . . and they will respond to you. All of mine come when I call their names, all greet me in the morning and when I come home, and say good night to me. They even answer during evening roll call!