What breed do you recommend???

[operator16]

I have 6 EEs, 2 WCBPolish, 2 Red Stars, and 2 Barred Rocks. Our feed store taking orders and they are offering 20+ different breeds.

Can you recommend a breed that you've found to be the friendliest, most hardy, good layers, easy to care for, etc...not broody, hens?

I love my EEs because they are all of that. The Rocks are the same. The Stars are susceptible to frostbite with their large combs and they are slightly irritable.

I am thinking of sticking with EEs or Rocks but am wondering if I'm missing something wonderful out there.

Thank you for your thoughts!!

 

[Illia]

Sex Links, Production Reds (what people call Rhode Island Reds these days) Black Australorps, . . . Basically any commonly found breed from a hatchery.

 

[speckledhen]

I agree with Illia, though I do not like sex links (not attractive to me). Hatchery Barred Rocks are probably the best all-round from my experience. I have those, plus some generations-removed from the hatchery, and they fit the bill. Though some folks occasionally have broody BRs, I never have. They are my favorite. They're friendly, but not a trip-hazard, great foragers, great layers. They are not pushovers in the pecking order at all, but I've never seen one go out of its way to be an outright bully.

 

[Nostalchic]

Hey Operator, have you been on the MyPetChicken site? They have a selection tool that allows you to put in the qualities you want (cold hardiness, egg production, etc) and it gives you a list of breeds that might work for you. Think about feathering and comb size in terms of hardiness here in CO. I love my Orpingtons and Australorps, too, but they are very prone to broodiness - still, they are very good layers and very docile, friendly birds, and very pretty.

 

[gritsar]

One word - brahmas.

 

[operator16]

Thank you all for your ideas! I'll go to the pet chicken site too and see what they have to say.

 

[KimM]

I have a Buff Orpington that meets all those criteria, though I have heard others say they have broody tendencies. Speckled Sussex is also a good one, very friendly, hardy, and during the laying season she laid exceptionally well.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I have two BOs and one is broody all the time.
My favorite that meets your conditions are Jersey Giants, mine are docile, big, hardy and good layers. Lots of meat when they're done laying.
I like this chart for comparison.
http://albc-usa.org/documents/chickenbreedcomparison.pdf
This one also has some good info.
http://professorchickensbreeds.webs.com/

 

[what's kickin' chicken]

In the past I have had Buff orpingtons,BR, sex links,SF and PR ....And will try them all again (when coop is ready)..I LOVE buffs they are the sweetest things,they are broody.to the point ours helped raise a litter of Kittens..When the mother cat would get done nursing...Buffie would be standing there for her shift...mother cat would move,Bufffie would go in and open her wings and the kittens would be warm and guarded..mother cat would have to stare for a long time at buffie before she would leave..for feeding time...they had a great system.when the kittens got older they didn't understand they couldn't play with mother Buffie like their other mother,that she didn't really like it when they waited on a bale of hay to jump on her back and ride her to the ground,LOL but being a good mom she never got on to them too bad just a lot a "talking" ..we enjoyed her every day....and miss her lots.....the broody is worth it IMO...they are great!!! I have stories about BR and Sf too but I'll save them..... sorry for the long post...I just LOVED BOs so much.....