The best chickens?

[LauraLO]

Hello BYC family!

Please let me know what you think of these chicken breeds: how do they work living together? Do they play nicely with each other? We're looking to get 6 to start. We have a 9 month old so I want to have pleasant chickens so he can easily be around them as he grows. I also want a variety; preferably all different. Here are the breeds I'm looking at: Oh! We live in the midwest so temperatures are quite a range! These seem to be able to cope well with that range.

Plymouth Rock
Rhode Island Red...think I read these don't like other breeds?
Australorp
Orpington...read these are REALLY good with kids!
Wellsummer
Delaware
New Hampshire Reds...or these are the red ones that don't like other breeds...
Wyandotte

THANKS!

 

[Shadrach]

Hello BYC family!

Please let me know what you think of these chicken breeds. We're looking to get 6 to start. We have a 9 month old so I want to have pleasant chickens so he can easily be around them as he grows. I also want a variety; preferably all different. Here are the breeds I'm looking at: Oh! We live in the midwest so temperatures are high all the way to pretty low.

Plymouth Rock
Rhode Island Red...think I read these don't like other breeds?
Australorp
Orpington...read these are REALLY good with kids!
Wellsummer
Delaware
New Hampshire Reds...or these are the red ones that don't like other breeds...
Wyandotte

THANKS!

You will find that there is no breed better than another when it comes to behaviour. It mostly depends on the individual and how you relate to them.
You may find, if that if you know how you are going to keep these chickens that some breeds are more suitable to their environment than others.
They say this about dogs often; there are no bad dogs, just bad dog owners. The same applies to chickens.

 

[Obsessed With Silkies]

I personally will recommend silkies because of their calm nature. Not to mention their overwhelming cuteness! This breed though is not the best for egg laying but is very calm.

 

[SeaSea47]

Yeah, I agree with the post above. It's all about the individual, not the breed. Some do have certain general traits, but like, I've had Plymouth Rocks with two different flocks. In one they were super sweet and laid back and in the other, they were kind of bossy and dominant. I've currently got Plymouth Rocks, Australorps, Jersey Giants, Cochins, Orpingtons, and Polishes living together, and they all get along pretty well and are all pretty people-friendly even though I don't handle them much. The Cochins and Orpingtons are probably the most willing to let me handle them, eat out of my hand, etc.

 

[Link120]

I think Buff Orpingtons are best. They are very tolerant of children.

 

[T-R-O-U-B-L-E]

I agree with Shad. Depends on individual chicken. However there is a typical behavior for each breed. First, I have never owned any of these breeds.

Plymouth Rock - No idea. @Barred Rock Mama

Rhode Island Red - My friend has this breed. There are definitely more mean birds of this breed, however most of the mean birds I have seen are roosters. She also had them in with different breeds including Wyondottes.

Australorp - No experience, I have heard they are a great breed.

Orpington - Another friend has these, they come in many colors which is nice. Her hens are great and her rooster is protective but great with people. These seem to be a great breed.

Welsummer - No experience @cherrynberry

Delaware - No experience

New Hampshire Red - No experience

 

[Egghead_Jr]

The production reds, hatchery Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire, do take longer to introduce new birds to. They do well with brood mates but once the pecking order of a flock is established are harder on new integrations to the flock.

A lot has to do with space given for birds and individual birds and how one goes about integrating new member to a flock. And there is a large learning curve for new chicken owners to understand "pecking order" and flock dynamics. What some call bullying is typically normal flock behavior when new birds are added until the new pecking order is established. That said, the production reds would go out of their way to peck and took about a week longer than others to treat new members as part of the flock.

 

[Iluveggers]

Agree that individual birds are different, even within different breeds. Of the ones you mentioned, I’ll give my opinions, but take it as opinions only!
Plymouth Rock: they are the friendliest in our flock and will sit on your lap for cuddles
Rhode Island Red: aunt had a bunch and said never again as they would bully other chickens
Australorp: very friendly, get along w all birds in the flock
Orpington: extremely sweet (don’t have one but my neighbors have 2)
Welsummer: never had these
Delaware: never had these
New Hampshire Reds: ours are not overly friendly but not agressive or mean
Wyandotte: ours have been very friendly but other posters have different experiences

I had Salmon Faverolles recommended to me by a bunch of people on here as a very sweet and gentle breed, along with Brahmas. If I had a little one, I would probably go with those 2 breeds plus Orpingtons. No guarantees on temperament but the more you handle them gently as chicks the friendlier they will be.

I would definitely avoid any roos to start, until your little one is much older.

Good luck, please let us know what you decide!

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC. If you put your general location into your profile it will always be there so that people can offer targeted advice.

What do you want your chickens for? If you want plenty of eggs I would make sure that you choose from known good layers and avoid breeds that are listed as poor layers or that are known to for extreme broodieness.

How important is easy care and maintenance to you? If you want a homestead livestock flock that can cope with weather extremes given basic care you'll want to avoid birds with non-standard feathering such as silkies and frizzles and if you live on heavy, clay soil you'll want to avoid feathered feet since both of these situations take extra maintenance.

Will you be free-ranging? If so, you want to avoid birds with large crests that impede their vision.

As others have noted, temperament varies from bird to bird and is affected by owner management too. But there are broad trends.

As for the breeds you listed:

Plymouth Rock -- Not familiar with them personally.

Rhode Island Red...think I read these don't like other breeds? -- Not familiar with them personally.

Australorp -- Half my flock is Blue Australorps. There's just something about an Australorp that resonates with what the word "chicken" means in my mind. I find them active but not hyper, calm but curious. They follow me around but stay just out of reach.

Orpington...read these are REALLY good with kids! -- I have no experience with the purebreds. My Orpington x Wyandotte girls are big and dominant but not bullies.

Wellsummer -- I have no experience with this breed.

Delaware -- I had these in my in-town flock and loved them for many of the same reasons I love the Australorps. They're blockier than an Australorp -- reflecting their broiler heritage.

New Hampshire Reds...or these are the red ones that don't like other breeds... -- I have no experience with these.

Wyandotte -- I have one Wyandotte. She's an unimpressive representative of her breed, being a poor layer and undersized for what *should* be a fairly large bird. She's docile and friendly, as close to a pet as I have in my flock. The crosses mentioned above are much better layers of much better breeds so her poor performance shouldn't be taken as representative.

Go Ahead, Pick the Prettiest Chickens!​

 

[Coops Dad]

My Delaware's are the gentlest hens I have. My silkies are very sweet and friendly birds but are VERY nippy when they get broody... and they get broody a lot. My smallest silkie gives me the worst chicken bites of all the birds I've ever owned. The Delawares are mellow even when I'm reaching underneath them to gather eggs. They're also the quietest chickens I have, too.