What breed of chicken should I get?

[bantymum]

Hi, im really thinking that silkies would be a nice option for you as they are lovely pets.
We dont get that hot here but if someone else there knows how they handle the heat with their abundance of feathers it would be helpful.
My silkies keep really clean though they are on grass most of the time.
A simple dust bath can clean them up. If they are dirty around the feet, just watch the scaley leg mite.
also, if you have flying predators there, you will need to watch out for them. They need a haircut so they can see.

 

[MissPrissy]

Quote:
Tell people they are an exotic bird and no one will guess they are really chickens.

 

[lurky]

I ordered bantams from a site that said they sex bantams. I paid extra for girls and got boys. So beware of that. In my area, you can order through the feed stores and choose all girls and its very accurate too. I think all areas are different based on where they get the chicks from. I think you should call your local feed store and ask. Then, decide. Silkies are great. Buff orpingtons are great. Very friendly breeds. Another option is too look for your area on craigslist. You might find some reasonable priced girls on there. I see them alot for sale there. Good Luck!

 

[nccatnip]

I could be wrong but I thought someone posted that Mypetchicken.com sexed bantams. They do small shippings also. My first chickens came from a breeder at 8 weeks so the sexing was easy.
Bantam eggs are kinda small, I would vote for Buff Orphingtons, a nice bird with good laying results. They also get along with bantams if raised together so get a few of both!!!
BTW- it is amazing the health of most shipped birds. I had two batches shipped- 24 in one and 14 in the other. Those chicks were robust and full of life when they got out of the box. They came from Ideal hatchery.

 

[Dinos_rock]

Ok, I will probably get silkies. I have heard so much good things about them....

 

[mthrclckr]

Here's my experience with silkies: they get stinky really easily, they seem less-intelligent than other breeds I've had, and if they've got the massive crest, they'll have trouble seeing so you'll have to figure a way to remedy this (some trim around the eyes if they're not showing, some put clips or bands to hold the crest feathers away from the eyes). But this is just my opinion based on the three silkies that I hatched and raised (and eventually sold). I shouldn't make generalizations based on that. However, I'll tell you one thing - I wouldn't mind keeping a pullet or two to hatch and raise chicks. Some people do keep them just for this purpose.

I find my bantam salmon Faverolles have MUCH more personality and their feathers don't seem to trap as much "stink"

. Bantam Favs are harder to come by, though, unless you want to get into hatching eggs.

Have you considered something like bantam Rhode Island reds or bantam Plymouth Rocks? They'll lay much better, too, I'd think.

-Naomi

 

[Dinos_rock]

Hmmm.....I didn't know there were such a thing as bantam Rhode Island Reds. The only thing is that I am probably getting my chicks from my local feed store, and I already know they sell silkies, but I'll have to look for other bantam breeds, too. Thanks, I didn't know that.

Are Cochins a bantam breed? I know they sell those at my local feed store too.

 

[Dawn419]

Cochins come in both Standard and Bantam sizes. We have 5 Banty Mottled Cochins. We raised them from day-olds back in mid May. They are very laid back and were the first ones to begin laying, at 19 and a half weeks old. They are also good broody hens, like Silkies.

Dawn

 

[mthrclckr]

OH! OH! Get bantam cochins!!! I have two friends who say that if they had to pick only one breed to keep, they would choose bantam cochins. They're decent layers (though they do slow down in winter) and they're supposed to be the sweetest, friendliest birds. However, they are very fluffy and I'd worry about leaving them out in 110-degree weather during the summer. Then again, one of my two cochin-loving friends lives in a place that does get into the 100's during the summer and she's managed okay by setting up misters and keeping them hydrated with tomatoes and tasty, juicy fruits and veggies. Bantam cochins also go broody quite frequently.

See if your feed store orders from a particular hatchery during parts of the year (a lot of places just order like one or two shipments near Easter-time), find out which hatchery, check their site (if they have one) and the feed store should be able to include a few of whatever breed you're interested in getting. There used to be a pet store near me that did this (they ordered from Ideal or Privett) and that's how I got a bantam RIR and a bantam Easter-egger ("Ameraucana"). Unfortunately, the pet shop closed down the very day I picked up my two little chickies

and I haven't been able to find any other place that will order from Ideal or Cackle (the only two hatcheries I know of that sells bantam Buff Orpingtons) so I may have to order straight from one of them come spring. The bummer is having to raise 25 chicks when all I really want is two or three .

I wouldn't say that Easter-eggers are particularly "friendly" (mine certainly isn't) but it's nice to keep one for the beautiful bluish-greenish eggs.

-Naomi

 

[3peeps]

Also keep in mind that chicks who are handled frequently and gently often grow up to be nice adults. Not always true, but it really pays to "invest" in them when they are young.

Silkies are fun, but I would agree that they lack intelligence. Either that or they just can't see well, and just aren't as careful as other birds, especially when it comes to avoiding predators.

I have an orpington, a silver laced wyandotte, and an australorp. I like them all very much.

And one last word...you'll probably love whatever you choose to get, and there will be things you just can't know ahead of time. Each bird is an individual and only time will tell.