Vote on what breed I should get!

[MGG]

Those are all beautiful breeds! I am considering getting a silkie but I've been told I need at least two. Do you think having a larger bantam (silkie) and a smaller standard (hamburg) could work and they would become friends?

I've never owned either breed so I'm not sure. Maybe though!

 

[MGG]

When ordering though, I believe you have to get either all LF or all Bantams.

 

[Twizzler]

Those are all beautiful breeds! I am considering getting a silkie but I've been told I need at least two. Do you think having a larger bantam (silkie) and a smaller standard (hamburg) could work and they would become friends?

I believe silkies would do fine in a flock of mild mannered birds. As for the friends thing, I believe it depends on the individuals. They may become friends, or they may bond with established flock members for who knows what reason.

 

[black_cat]

When ordering though, I believe you have to get either all LF or all Bantams.

MyPetChicken lets me mix After MUCH deliberation XD I think that I am going to get a silkie. They are beautiful little floofles.

 

[Jambo88]

My vote was for Speckled Sussex and SS Hamburgs as I've got a SS and she is really sweet and friendly and the SSH for no other reason than I think they look really cool!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

My Grandparents bantam rooster grew up with all the hens and is the leader of the flock, under him are the RIR’s and Barred rocks.
Also its not just me saying the RIR’s and Barred rocks are a mean breed other chicken freinds of mine dislike those breeds because of their temperament to others in the flock. And it’s not confidence it’s that they want to be on top and boss the other hens around so they beat them up.

Raised together, not introduced to mature hens as a cockerel, they already accepted his dominance early on. I have had a bantam cock accepted by SOME ladies and not others.. and some bantam cocks completely shunned. Most often my mature ladies will NOT accept a bantam cockerel. And a bantam cock has to work twice as hard as their large fowl counter part.. and side by side.. is almost never chosen as the preferred mate. The ONLY absolute I've seen thus far regarding chickens is.. cockerels/roosters do NOT lay eggs.. everything else seem negotiable. Hens can crow and grow spurs. Roosters can set on eggs and even egg sing. Hens mount other hens and cocks mount other cocks.

I've been attacked by Silkies cockerels, they were biters very early on in their brood.. the alleged moist docile of them all. Perfectly edible like the rest! Raise enough birds and you might see it all.

Breed does NOT matter and stereotyping is ignorance (IMO).. some may have tendencies to one way or the other.. but selecting for qualities we care about are key.. Good breeders select .. and for me demeanor is more key than other superficial things. Also learning how to communicate appropriate body language helps a lot. But they are hatched with their personalities in tact.. some can be identified as boys day one after hatch just according to behavior alone.

Please understand I did not call you out personally despite disagreeing with your post. What I said was please consider ALL experiences. We don't have defend our point every time someone else offers a different perspective than our own.. that's what's great about this large community with a wide array of experiences.. No two birds or set up are the same.

Have you ever heard of rental chickens in your area? If you have I'll be shocked.

100% yes, I have heard of it! Not looked into it though.

https://www.rentacoop.com/

http://www.rentthechicken.com/

 

[WVBirdsAndBees]

Just putting my .02 in that every mixed flock should have a cream legbar in it. Blue eggs, cute crests, good at foraging, productive layers etc.

Silkies and barnevelders are our other favorites but you can't really go wrong

 

[MykaMom]

So this might not actually end up happening, depending on what parents decide, but in one of my 2 possible plans, I am getting some chicks and I don't know what breeds I should get. One of them will be a white leghorn, but there are two more chick slots that need to be filled.
Options are:
-Cream Legbar
-Red Sex Link
-Barred Rock
-Delaware
-Speckled Sussex
-Olive Egger
-Silver Spangled Hamburg
-Golden Laced Wyandotte
-Silver Laced Wyandotte
-Black Australorp
This will be going into a flock of:
-Cochin
-Silkie
-Silkie
-Easter Egger
-Black Copper Marans
I enjoy having varied egg colors, so any egg color. I get hot summers and cold winters. I'm not looking for broody hens but don't mind breaking them, and for the parent's sake, high egg production would be great. These birds will have some free range time but not infinite time, so I'd need breeds that can adjust to being confined and I don't need any super good foragers. I'm mostly open on traits like egg color, foraging, and broodiness, as I don't mind variation.

I am a big fan of rocks. I personally favor barred: hens aren't too broody, great layers, plus inquisitive docile girls. My first one remained tame(and loved to jump in a lap for petting) throughout her life.

Similarly, buff orpington have been calm, hearty girls with even tempers and reliable laying. Similarly, I have had excellent luck with wyandotte. This year I have quite a few golden comets, a speckled Sussex and three jersey giants thrown in the mix. It will get interesting

I would steer clear of high-strung birds that don't do well in confinement and you should be fine.
We are in ag zone 5b, so summers can easily get to110° with heat index. Winters with wind chills can go -60°. I expect mid 90s to -20s on average.

While I don't truly free range, I do 'pasture' the flock in my 1/2 acre fenced yard. We've had the usual predation, but to me the biggest risk are raptors: we are near enough to the Mississippi River flyway that we get Bald Eagles. Thank goodness for run under shelters.

 

[Ab1010]

So this might not actually end up happening, depending on what parents decide, but in one of my 2 possible plans, I am getting some chicks and I don't know what breeds I should get. One of them will be a white leghorn, but there are two more chick slots that need to be filled.
Options are:
-Cream Legbar
-Red Sex Link
-Barred Rock
-Delaware
-Speckled Sussex
-Olive Egger
-Silver Spangled Hamburg
-Golden Laced Wyandotte
-Silver Laced Wyandotte
-Black Australorp
This will be going into a flock of:
-Cochin
-Silkie
-Silkie
-Easter Egger
-Black Copper Marans
I enjoy having varied egg colors, so any egg color. I get hot summers and cold winters. I'm not looking for broody hens but don't mind breaking them, and for the parent's sake, high egg production would be great. These birds will have some free range time but not infinite time, so I'd need breeds that can adjust to being confined and I don't need any super good foragers. I'm mostly open on traits like egg color, foraging, and broodiness, as I don't mind variation.

Delaware, astralorp, creme legbar. They all look different lay differently and lay well at different times of the year. Plus I've had so much luck with them being friendly! My astrolorps are hardy and smart. Delwares are endargerd and lay amazinging well and can be used for meat. Legbars and just so different and lay pretty eggs!

 

[black_cat]

Thank you for everyone's wonderful input! My finalized plan: (this is the option where I get the most chicks, so it's what I"m sharing)
-1 Silkied Easter Egger (standard size silkie that lays blue eggs)
-1 Silver Laced Cochin
-1 Barred Rock
-1 Easter Egger
-1 Black Copper Marans
-1 White Leghorn
-1 Speckled Sussex
-1 Black Australorp
-1 Olive egger OR Cream Legbar OR Delaware (undecided)
Runner Ups:
-(whichever two on the last one don't get picked)
-Laced Wyandotte (silver or gold)
-Lavender Orpington
-Salmon Favorelle