What are the best breeds for a "newbie" in the suburbs?

[opihiman911]

I have a couple austrolorps and they are very friendly and calm, will come right up to you and don't mind being picked up. They are big beautiful black birds that have a irridesence green sheen to them when the sun hit them.

My RIR are egg laying machines but are more stand offish. I had to get rid of my RIR roo because he was getting too agressive and wasn't safe with my 3 year old daughter who loves to go in the coop and play with her chickies.

Just finished hatching some barred rocks. This is the first time personally raising them, but my grandpa had barred rocks. I remember them jumping on his lap and laying down to be petted and I remember as a kid carrying them around and taking them for rides in my wagon, so they must be pretty calm and docile if they put with a rambuncious 7 year old boy.

My 1 buff orp hen is a big gentle girls too. She doesn't lay as many eggs as my RIR and ustrolorps.

Good luck in choosing....I know it is so hard to pick and choose which to get.

Aloha,
Cory

 

[chickenlover210]

Quote:
I sugjest Ri reds, silkies (bantam) ror Favverolles

 

[ChickenSquat]

get 2 buff orpingtons
2 barred rock
2 black austrolorp


Thats just my opinion.

 

[MiaPia]

Wow - and I thought this would be an easy decision!

To address some things brought up in this thread:

We do not have any codes governing the number of chickens we can keep - the codes just say chicken (and other fowl) 1. must not be allowed to roam the streets at large and 2. must not be a nuisance (codes do not define what a nuisance is though!

We are on a corner lot, and are putting the coop in the corner farthest away from the one next-door neighbor we have. We have a 7 ft privacy fence around our backyard.

I think I will make the run bigger. My hubby did some preliminary sketches, and in exchange for the wonderful "fertilizer" they will give me, I think I'll give up some of my garden space for the girls!

But again, thanks for all the great suggestions and ideas!

Anyone else have anything to add?

 

[Mr. Ree]

I think nuisance means, something like roosters crowing or something? But, if your neighbors dont mind then I wouldnt see a problem. Id look into them a little further to make sure it isnt anything like that. If you cant have roosters, then just get all hens and have one(or twelve) of everything you want.

~Casey

 

[MiaPia]

Quote:
Oh, we're definitely not getting roosters! Our bedroom looks out onto the corner of the yard where the coop will be, and I have NO desire whatsoever to get woken up at the crack of dawn!

Hee - if I had even ONE of everything I wanted we're run out of room soon! My original list had something like 16 different birds!

 

[Agilityscots]

Definitely Buff Orpingtons. Mine is my favorite, as I've said way too many times on this board. My GLW is a bit flighty but otherwise sweet and also an excellent egg-layer. Boo hiss to my Dominiques. I won't be getting any more of them, even though they're good layers.

Amy

 

[jmike]

I think you should get 2 silkies, a pair of silkies and two silkies but thats just me.

 

[MiaPia]

Quote:
Eh - why don't I just get a half dozen and call it a day?

 

[Mr. Ree]

What about this,....since everyone seems to be giving you different answers. Everyone seems to keep saying Cochins, Silkies, and Orpingtons. Why not get 2 pullets of each and see which you like better? If you dont like them im sure it wouldnt be hard to sale them to someone and you could just get more of what you like?


~Casey