What breed of chicken should I get?

[chillychelsea]

I am new to backyard chickens and would be grateful for advice on which breed is best for me. Thanks in advance! I need a chicken that:
- is a great egg producer
- very heat tolerant (I live in the desert with 100F summers or hotter)
- not inclined to fly over a ~6 foot block fence
- very friendly
Tips are appreciated. I have a well-shaded fenced in area (~500 square feet surrounded by block fence) with a few trees tall they should love, plus I'll make a nice big coop. Let them out a few times a week to roam the quarter acre backyard.

Thoughts on my plan? Happy for any help!

 

[DobieLover]

I am new to backyard chickens and would be grateful for advice on which breed is best for me. Thanks in advance! I need a chicken that:
- is a great egg producer
- very heat tolerant (I live in the desert with 100F summers or hotter)
- not inclined to fly over a ~6 foot block fence
- very friendly
Tips are appreciated. I have a well-shaded fenced in area (~500 square feet surrounded by block fence) with a few trees tall they should love, plus I'll make a nice big coop. Let them out a few times a week to roam the quarter acre backyard.

Thoughts on my plan? Happy for any help!

Welcome to BYC!
Something of a tough bill to fill all your requirements. Usually, the lighter bodied birds fare well in the heat but are also great fliers and tend to be a bit flightly in temperament.
However, I have a pair of white leghorns that are quite friendly. Not cuddlers but they don't run from me as if I'm coming at them with an axe. They would do well in the heat and are little egg machines. I usually get an egg a day from each of them.
In order to prevent their escape from my electronetted pen, I've been forced to cut primaries and secondaries of both wings on both of them. I didn't want to cut wings but I had to keep them in their pen. I lost one of my girls 2 days after Christmas to the neighbors dog. She had only a single wing of primaries cut and still managed to fly over their gate. She was a larger bodied EE.
Good luck on your search for the perfect breed for you.

 

[asher]

I was going to say Rhode Island Red, but I don’t know how friendly they are. Buff Orpingtons are my first choice for friendly standard breeds.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Welcome to BYC!
Something of a tough bill to fill all your requirements. Usually, the lighter bodied birds fare well in the heat but are also great fliers and tend to be a bit flightly in temperament.
However, I have a pair of white leghorns that are quite friendly. Not cuddlers but they don't run from me as if I'm coming at them with an axe. They would do well in the heat and are little egg machines. I usually get an egg a day from each of them.
In order to prevent their escape from my electronetted pen, I've been forced to cut primaries and secondaries of both wings on both of them. I didn't want to cut wings but I had to keep them in their pen. I lost one of my girls 2 days after Christmas to the neighbors dog. She had only a single wing of primaries cut and still managed to fly over their gate. She was a larger bodied EE.
Good luck on your search for the perfect breed for you.

I usually cut all secondaries and primaries on one wing. It unbalances them when they try to fly. My mom told me once that she had a parakeet that tried flying out of doors to get outside. She clipped both wings (primaries and secondaries) and the stinker could still fly, just had to work harder. I have a blue EE that would jump the fence ALL THE TIME. My dad (who lives next door) named her the Gray Wanderer. Well, once I caught her outside the fence, clipped one wing and she hasn't left the 80' x 80' winter paddock since.

 

[Redhead Rae]

I am new to backyard chickens and would be grateful for advice on which breed is best for me. Thanks in advance! I need a chicken that:
- is a great egg producer
- very heat tolerant (I live in the desert with 100F summers or hotter)
- not inclined to fly over a ~6 foot block fence
- very friendly
Tips are appreciated. I have a well-shaded fenced in area (~500 square feet surrounded by block fence) with a few trees tall they should love, plus I'll make a nice big coop. Let them out a few times a week to roam the quarter acre backyard.

Thoughts on my plan? Happy for any help!

Any good egg layer that is fairly heat tolerant will be prone to jumping fences as they are light bodied. Wing clipping is a good way to stop this. I think light colored EEs or Leghorns will be good for you.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Leghorns. I live in the desert they tolerate heat. Provide shade always, misters are awesome. They’re smaller hens that lay XLG eggs who lay daily (sometimes taking a day off) so their size is good for containment which they tolerate well. I love their funny smart personalities. They can be extremely tame if you work with them and invest time.

 

[chillychelsea]

Leghorns. I live in the desert they tolerate heat. Provide shade always, misters are awesome. They’re smaller hens that lay XLG eggs who lay daily (sometimes taking a day off) so their size is good for containment which they tolerate well. I love their funny smart personalities. They can be extremely tame if you work with them and invest time.

Thank you so much! I really appreciate this.

 

[chillychelsea]

Any good egg layer that is fairly heat tolerant will be prone to jumping fences as they are light bodied. Wing clipping is a good way to stop this. I think light colored EEs or Leghorns will be good for you.

Thanks so much! Leghorns sound great for me. I have heard good things about them too

 

[chillychelsea]

Welcome to BYC!
Something of a tough bill to fill all your requirements. Usually, the lighter bodied birds fare well in the heat but are also great fliers and tend to be a bit flightly in temperament.
However, I have a pair of white leghorns that are quite friendly. Not cuddlers but they don't run from me as if I'm coming at them with an axe. They would do well in the heat and are little egg machines. I usually get an egg a day from each of them.
In order to prevent their escape from my electronetted pen, I've been forced to cut primaries and secondaries of both wings on both of them. I didn't want to cut wings but I had to keep them in their pen. I lost one of my girls 2 days after Christmas to the neighbors dog. She had only a single wing of primaries cut and still managed to fly over their gate. She was a larger bodied EE.
Good luck on your search for the perfect breed for you.

Thank you so much. It seems everyone is suggesting leghorns! I think that's a great idea and they fit all my requirements. Just would need to clip their wings carefully and perhaps I could also install netting above the area I will keep them in. Thanks again

 

[chillychelsea]

I was going to say Rhode Island Red, but I don’t know how friendly they are. Buff Orpingtons are my first choice for friendly standard breeds.

I will have to look up and do some research on Orpingtons! Thank you