we may be getting new chickens soon, what is the best breed to choose? POLL!

[TexasSam]

The best egg layers are RIR and leghorn but both seem to be aggressive.Cochin can be broody but are nice ornamental. Silkie can be aggressive and not really a good layer.Comets and New Hampshire are pretty good layers along with Wyandotte . Don't know much about buff Orpington or Plymouth Rock. I do know Easter eggers are great layers not to broody and will let you hold them. So I vote EE

 

[AllynTal]

If you don't want to deal with broody hens, get your chicks from Tractor Supply or one of the many hatcheries that ships chicks from a slew of different breeds. Since they cater to the backyard chicken collectors, the breeds are skewed toward production. Any breed can be bred toward 'production.' Normally, the heritage breeds have a tendency to go broody, but if they're bred toward 'production', they'll look like the breed (though usually a bit smaller), but they'll lay more eggs than the breed normally would.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Leghorns are typically very flighty, although amazing egg layers, do not make as great pets. I do recommend them for eggs though! I suggest golden comets or easter eggers! Both are great egg layers, are extremedy friendly, and because golden comets are hybrids and commericall layer, will not typically go broody. Out of the many I have seen, I have only seen 1 Goldend comet go broody. Easter Eggers are more commonly broodies, but do not go broody often, and both birds are extremelyou friendly and calm tempermented. They are typically quiet, (although my Comet loves to talk, A LOT! ). My comet is 4 years old, and, aside from when she is molting, lays nearly everyday, even in the winter! Silkies make perfect pets, and are quiet, although I would not recomend them for what you are looking theu also go broody nearly every year and are not the best egglayers.

Other than that, go Eastereggers and Golden comets!!

My white leghorn became quite the snuggler after she started laying. She will let me pick her up, jumps up on me and lays big white eggs.
Best. Chicken. Ever.