What are the Best Breeds for a Quiet Urban Flock?

[Hishigata]

I am looking to add to my current pair of chickens but want to be sure to get calm, quiet birds that are reasonable egg layers. I currently have a sweetheart of an Easter Egger and a trouble-maker Lakenvelder. In your experience, what breeds make the best city birds? I have heard Orpingtons and Barred Rocks are pretty quiet and gentle. They are also pretty heavy and I live in a hot climate with mild winters.

 

[Skittleinaustin]

Gotta say that my buff and my black stars are the best girls all around. Quiet, great disposition and wonderful producers. I love having colored eggs, but if I had to start all over again, I'd go with Buffs and black stars exclusively! They also do great in the Texas heat.

 

[Spangled]

In your experience, what breeds make the best city birds?

Parakeets.

But seriously, any quiet breed can end up making quite the ruckus when you don't want them to.

Australorps and Black Copper Marans. Those are the two quietest I've encountered. My Barred Rocks were not quiet, but no one cares. The neighbor has chickens. I suspect it's a little bit of luck of the draw and what strain/line/etc. you end up with.

AustraWhite = noisy.
Buckeye = quiet.

 

[LaPetiteFarmer]

My rocks (barred and blue) are very quiet, same with my welsummers,australorp, orpingtons, black marans, red star, wyandotte... The ones that are loud are my ameracaunas, EE, and especially my Campine.... she is REALLY loud.

 

[Hishigata]

The store currently has Welsummer, Barred Rocks, and Golden Laced Wyandottes. Poulette seemed to have good luck with barred rocks and welsummers so I may give those a try. I mainly want to avoid another Lakenvelder-like hen. Today she started crowing at 6:30 AM. She is definitely a hen, I have lots of eggs to prove it, but she barks and/or crows at the slightest provocation. None of my neighbors have chickens and when I mentioned I was getting chicks earlier this year I got a lot of dirty looks. In fact, the other day my neighbors dog "escaped" and was in my side yard while the chickens were out. Luckily, I was working in the yard at the time and noticed the intruder. I escorted the dog back through the neighbors opened back gate and locked it behind me.

 

[Chicks on DL]

One of my Barred Rocks (I have 2) stands at the back door and squawks when she wants treats or if someone else is in her laying box but the other is quiet. I have a Buff Orphington that pretty much squawks all morning and is not as good of a layer as the BRs. My best layer and quietest is my Golden Comet. She also seems to be the most heat tolerant and didn't slow in laying all summer. Really, there are breeds that are know to be more docile, I think each bird has their own temperament. I think when it's time to add to the flock I will get more BR and Comets. I have been thinking about getting Wyandottes, but although Comets are not as pretty as Wyandottes they lay such nice eggs.

 

[Spikes Chooks]

I agree that Australorps are great for a city flock. I have also found our RIR and Barenvelder quiet and calm. As for the Silver Campine....... luckily the neighbours so far say they find her noises "charming". But I wouldn't do it again she is so noisy all day until I let them out to free range in the afternoon. She's lucky she's so friendly and pretty when the neighbours bring kids to visit.

 

[Fluffypuffy587]

Silkies. I had silkies in my garage and back behind my house and none of my neihbors knew I even had any till one day I went over and asked if they were bothering them. "Oh you have chickens?, I didnt even notice." Not just that but one of tee neihbors is right across my street not far from my garage and one on the side of my house. So yeah they are good birds to have. sadly though they are banties and they only lay small eggs. Another is Polish. banty and standard. I think they were calmer because the silkies were so calm. i dunno

But they are fun too. especially with those funny fluffy heads they bob all over the yard haha

 

[TXchickmum]

Our two chickens that make little to no noise are our bantams - Japanese and Old English Game. They are very quiet and are good layers, as well. Our Golden Comets, Golden Laced Wyandotte, Australorp, and Buff Orpingtons are quiet, also -thus far, we've had no noise in the AM with laying eggs. My gals don't sing eggs songs. -only time they sound off is when someone is mowing the back lawn and they are in the coop.

 

[Jayecookie]

Rhode island reds are very docile, and great eggs layers. Along with Barred Rocks, Australorps, Wyandottes, and Ameraucanas can be the quietest of the breeds along with a good egg production rate. Besides Ameraucanas all the other birds are dual purpose so they are also good for meat.