What Breed to pick?

[T-R-O-U-B-L-E]

Like I said: Backyard flock, Left Side Yard, Right Sideyard.
I think I would try quail in the left sideyard, and ask the neighbors if they can roam their strip of wilderness.....throw in a pair of pheasants? (it's Suburbia in the country)

And throw an emu pair on the other side.

 

[Alagirl]

And throw an emu pair on the other side.

LOL, I think the neighbors would hide from emu eggs. I hear the albumen cooks up clear....

 

[All4Eggz]

My personal top ranks for high egg producing, friendly, dual purpose, and broody breeds.

Egg production:
Leghorns

Friendly:
Cochins

Dual Purpose:
Barred Rocks

Broody:
Silkies

 

[lv9777]

Love my Barred Rock.....smart, people friendly, great layer, healthy.

 

[Byrd gal]

Barred rocks are my favorite so far too. I have new chicks but I made sure 3 were rocks. They are so funny If I grab a shovel they will follow me waiting for their chance to score a worm

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

For heat tolerance and a good egg basket I would say marans and Plymouth barred rocks possibly leghorn but I don't know much about them

 

[EvolveInNature]

I am fairly new to the chicken scene, many decades removed…I just received my first flock at the start of April of 6 different breeds & the breed I thought would win my heart is the least interactive with me, so I say get what your heart desires you will have fun no matter what color or shape. I am in Oklahoma so I tried to stick with heat hardy, and being new I stuck with docile not good fliers, although other breeds that flew and where more independent were what I would’ve gotten if had done zero research. Personally, I ordered from MPC, and received exactly what I ordered 14 chicks sexed correctly with one Roo. I was a little amazed that they got it spot on! I have never had children, but I can see if you have a family this is going to be a great adventure for you all. Happy chicken ranching to you.

 

[Alagirl]

I am fairly new to the chicken scene, many decades removed…I just received my first flock at the start of April of 6 different breeds & the breed I thought would win my heart is the least interactive with me, so I say get what your heart desires you will have fun no matter what color or shape. I am in Oklahoma so I tried to stick with heat hardy, and being new I stuck with docile not good fliers, although other breeds that flew and where more independent were what I would’ve gotten if had done zero research. Personally, I ordered from MPC, and received exactly what I ordered 14 chicks sexed correctly with one Roo. I was a little amazed that they got it spot on! I have never had children, but I can see if you have a family this is going to be a great adventure for you all. Happy chicken ranching to you.

sounds like you are having a blast!
I need to grab my 'child' and show him how to do the chicks, in case I can't take care of them. He is 24, so not so much excitement over chicks, and I think he has not yet registered that there will be fresh eggs down the road.
On the other hand, Hubby bought a camera to watch 'his' chick, the lone Rhode Island Red. That was from a straight run, so I only got one, keeping fingers crossed it's not a roo.
The store had barred rocks and Amaricanas, so I have 2 each of those.
They are feathering out right now, fluttering about their brooder and getting little feathered tails!

Now I need to get busy and build my coop (the prefab was a bust, and the store was out of one I had eyeballed. Maybe check with them again, if more came in. I am currently not up to snuff on DIY)

 

[Mdrook]

So, after my dreadful disaster I have been thinking a lot about what I can improve (and considering getting a roo - erm, better not)

I had 6 little ISA Brown chicks and I liked them a lot for the short week they lived with me. I am considering that the store might not have any going into summer, and their source only ships in increments of 10. I think 6 is pushing it for a family of three.

So I looked at another source and they ship smaller numbers. I should be able to work around my idiosyncracies about having 5 chicks vs 6 but they don't carry ISA chicks. Now, seeing that I have no clue about how the chicks could have turned out, I am kind of stuck on them. I don't care if the eggs are brown or purple, and there is more than one tan/brown kind of chicken. Plus I won't enter any shows (yet, anyhow)

So, instruct this noob chicken owner wannabe: What is a good breed for a first-timer wanting some fresh eggs?
If a hatchery states their chicks are 'not docile' is that a nice way of saying the beasts will be opinionated? Or if a hatchery in Texas states 'not particularly heat tolerant' should I avoid them here in the hot and humid South-east?

This week has been busy, so I have not been able to make the improvements on my confinement, plus another couple dozen ideas popped into my head like a multiball pinball game with fireworks (A scary discovery I am making about myself lately)

or should I get myself a nice surprise basket of chicks, guessing what I have, and explore from there?

Amberlinks they are a hybrid and lay lots plus super friendly

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Disaster?

Go Ahead, Pick the Prettiest Chickens!

More seriously, here in the Steamy Southeast, the birds that do best in the heat are the clean-legged, lighter-weight birds with large, single combs.

In my flock the California White and the Australorps have done best so far.

Brahmas are weirdly heat-tolerant up to a point, but my Wyandotte seems to suffer more than the rest of the flock (I'm worried about my son's pet Cochin in her first summer as an adult).

I second about the Wyandottes and Brahmas . My Wyandottes actually did the worst out of my flock in the Cold and also the worst in the heat. My Brahmas do fine in both hot and cold weather.