The perfect Backyard Bird?

[lkellogg]

So we have started a Backyard Farm and we have 12 birds so far all of them in my mind are great breeds but I was wondering what everyone else thought and maybe if they could give some insight on their favorites. We are looking for attractive well producing birds that are good in an in town area. Please Please let me know what you think!! thankyou

 

[ChickenCanoe]

For a calm bird I love Jersey Giants and they come in Black, White and Blue. I've had all three varieties. They're gentle to other birds, lay well and are quite meaty when the time comes.
Other people will have their favorites. I like a bird that can fend for itself so I have others I like as well.
Anconas and Jaerhons are nicely colored, very hardy, wary and lay a lot of white eggs and would probably do fine in CO. They do well in MO.
Welsummers are great too, very dark eggs and cold hardy. I did lose one to the heat a couple years ago.

 

[cherylmad]

I really love my Brahma ( Devlynn). We got her at about a week old. I think she was a dog in a past life. She thinks my dog Daisy is her mother. I thought about reading her the book " I'm not your Mother." Devlynn meets me at the gate evey morning with a song. She is very vocal.I love all our hens but Devlynn is my favorite.

 

[BGMatt]

The Langshan is really the perfect breed for almost any situation. Very very hardy. Beautiful and huge. Good layers of a brown egg, decent size for eating too. For a white egg layer I'd look at any of the Mediterranean breeds (Leghorn, minocra, Andalusian, Ancona, Buttercup, Spanish, Catalana), great feed to egg ratio.

And of course highly endorse purchasing from a breeder, rather than a hatchery, the odds of getting a long lived healthy chicken that matches it's breed personality (and looks) is much higher.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The Langshan is really the perfect breed for almost any situation. Very very hardy. Beautiful and huge. Good layers of a brown egg, decent size for eating too. ...

Have you ever gotten dark eggs from a Langshan?

 

[BGMatt]

Have you ever gotten dark eggs from a Langshan?

Not like Marans dark. They're just a brown egg layer of different shades. The breed is not defined by its egg color.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm sure you know more about them than I do but I thought they were originally known for a dark colored egg. I know the Croad Langshans in GB are supposed to be almost a dark plum.
Barnevelder eggs were quite dark at one time and I think that got bred out of most lines. There is still at least one line in OK that has really dark Barny eggs.

 

[BGMatt]

I'm sure you know about them than I do but I thought they were originally known for a dark colored egg. I know the Croad Langshans in GB are supposed to be almost a dark plum.
Barnevelder eggs were quite dark at one time and I think that got bred out of most lines. There is still at least one line in OK that has really Barny dark eggs.

This is a misconception and false info. I won't derail this thread anymore with it, but not only are our Langshans and Croad Langshans the exact same, the dark plum thing is a misconception and myth. I'd be happy to discuss the breed anytime, but don't want to take over a non-related thread with it.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Thanks for that.

 

[DallasCriftins]

I'm sure you know more about them than I do but I thought they were originally known for a dark colored egg. I know the Croad Langshans in GB are supposed to be almost a dark plum.
Barnevelder eggs were quite dark at one time and I think that got bred out of most lines. There is still at least one line in OK that has really dark Barny eggs.

We have three Gold Laced Barnvelders and yes the eggs are tinted and not Brown at all
I was surprised until I read a few months ago that back breeding may have been the cause

As for Brown here you go