'Sweetest' / most human friendly chicken breeds

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I have five 3 1/2-month-old speckled sussex and two 4-month-old buff orpingtons. I've had the sussex since they were chicks and I handled them often. They're all really social, eating out of my hands, jumping up to perch on me, and coming right up to me when I'm in their run. In terms of being picked up/pet, they'll all tolerate it to a certain degree but only a couple seem to seek it out. Really friendly birds though with curious and spunky personalities. The orpingtons are more standoffish, but will still come right up to me, eat out of my hands, follow me for treats, etc. They just don't like to be touched, but I got them when they were 8 weeks old and they hadn't been handled much until then. They were terrified of me at first and have come a long way in only a couple of months, so I'm really happy with where they are now. They may still become more tame, who knows, but even with not liking to be touched I think they're pretty friendly. They have such calm, sweet personalities.
 
Breed probably does play some part (some breeds are known for being flighty or skittish) but each bird is an individual, so you'll see some variance even if you have a flock of all the same breed.

My friendliest bird is an EE, she likes being picked up and carried in the air. Most skittish by far is a Sicilian Buttercup (but we got her as eye candy, she doesn't even lay).

onehander.jpg
 
We will be moving soon and the space I will have at the new house is limited, so I think I'm looking at bantam breeds (or under 3lb) for now. Within the next 5 years I should be able to purchase my own house with land for a big chicken coop/run and can get larger breeds then. I love bantam cochins like Namentuppen. Love silkies but it's too hot over here for them. Does anyone have experience with these breeds? (Pictures would be great!):

Cochin Bantam (love, especially the Barred, Mottled, and Laced color varieties).

Bantam Ameraucana

Belgian Bearded D'Uccle (seems they are not good in the heat?)

Quail Antwerp Belgian Bearded D'anvers

Japanese Bantams

Old English Games

Sebright Bantams

White Crested Black Polish Bantam

Rhode Island Red Bantam

Partridge Rock Bantam

I won't have a ton so price up to $20/chick isn't an issue if anyone has other suggestions for smaller breeds. I'm liking the Egyptian Fayoumis as well but those hens are a bit larger.
 
And of the ones listed here, when I have more space, I'm really liking these:

Lavender and/or Chocolate Orpington
Australorp
Ameraucanas
Barred Rock
Speckled Sussex
Welsummer
Blue Laced Wyandotte

I really like the Salmon Favorelle and Bielefelder but it doesn't seem they do well in heat(?) and I live in the south.

Others not on the list that I saw and liked in my hatchery magazine:
Ancona
Egyptian Fayoumi

I'd like like try quail at some point too when I have my own place.
 
Looks like the Egyptian Fayoumis aren't very friendly. Scratch them off the list (for now at least; they are pretty).
 
topochico225 said:
My Mille Fleur d'Uccle pullets are really sweet so far. One of them even jumps up on my arm when I open the run door!

I also had a Silver Laced Wyandotte bantam brother and sister that were the sweetest chickens I ever owned.
Click to expand...
JoyThatSticks said:
We will be moving soon and the space I will have at the new house is limited, so I think I'm looking at bantam breeds (or under 3lb) for now. Within the next 5 years I should be able to purchase my own house with land for a big chicken coop/run and can get larger breeds then. I love bantam cochins like Namentuppen. Love silkies but it's too hot over here for them. Does anyone have experience with these breeds? (Pictures would be great!):

Cochin Bantam (love, especially the Barred, Mottled, and Laced color varieties).

Bantam Ameraucana

Belgian Bearded D'Uccle (seems they are not good in the heat?)

Quail Antwerp Belgian Bearded D'anvers

Japanese Bantams

Old English Games

Sebright Bantams

White Crested Black Polish Bantam

Rhode Island Red Bantam

Partridge Rock Bantam

I won't have a ton so price up to $20/chick isn't an issue if anyone has other suggestions for smaller breeds. I'm liking the Egyptian Fayoumis as well but those hens are a bit
Click to expand...
Here’s the breeds I have that you mentioned

D’ Uccles.
61159F7A-783E-4FF5-82FC-F619A3861F59.jpeg
Sebrights
D724557D-C010-4452-AC61-2A8432112F2F.jpeg
Partridge silkie
F3B71903-1D13-4BE3-A0C0-26DE03284EE2.jpeg
Japanese bantam
030485C1-DA39-4B1C-AB4C-69B3658A7698.jpeg
oegb
71D91F97-8E18-4F44-905B-6F1554602ABD.jpeg
Cochin bantam
2B49ED6C-1951-4940-A7B0-1158AB5EAE21.jpeg
White Silkie
9136E284-AFD6-4362-877E-9665DDE545CA.jpeg
polish
6E3F876A-86C6-4827-B4A2-20C07DA5E191.jpeg
Speckled Sussex
F90560C8-9ED2-43A3-AB60-FC1C79E9F148.jpeg
 

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