What breed will you never have again? Me? It's...

[Rock N' Faverolles]

To me, this proves my point that it does not matter what breed it is, it matters on individual strains or lines of birds if they are mean/flighty or not. Ask all the R.I. Red breeders, or any breeders of any breed. You'll find both. Some will say their birds are the friendliest and others the meanest. Depends on the line. The reason for this is that it is in the genes. Calmness and meaness can be passed down from generation to generation. That is why I try my best to never breed from a mean bird. As far as leghorns, I have a bunch. Most are flightly, but some get annoying they're so underfoot all the time. One even flies up to my arm everytime I enter her pen. Walt- I love lakenvelders. Beautiful birds and I've had several judges tell me to stay away they are so flighty. Mine used to (I don't have them anymore, but am looking for more) eat right out of my hand.

This doens't matter if they are hatchery or non hatchery birds either. Some exhibiton breeders have the meanest birds and they don't care because they win with them. It is just personal preference.

David

 

[Orchid]

Quote:

 

[bburn]

Rock N' Faverolles :

To me, this proves my point that it does not matter what breed it is, it matters on individual strains or lines of birds if they are mean/flighty or not. Ask all the R.I. Red breeders, or any breeders of any breed. You'll find both. Some will say their birds are the friendliest and others the meanest. Depends on the line. The reason for this is that it is in the genes. Calmness and meaness can be passed down from generation to generation. That is why I try my best to never breed from a mean bird. As far as leghorns, I have a bunch. Most are flightly, but some get annoying they're so underfoot all the time. One even flies up to my arm everytime I enter her pen. Walt- I love lakenvelders. Beautiful birds and I've had several judges tell me to stay away they are so flighty. Mine used to (I don't have them anymore, but am looking for more) eat right out of my hand.

This doens't matter if they are hatchery or non hatchery birds either. Some exhibiton breeders have the meanest birds and they don't care because they win with them. It is just personal preference.

David

I agree with everything you said David. Tried to write it yesterday but it did not sound quite so good!
We just all have to find what works best for us. My experience with RIR roosters was an exception I am sure...there were simply too many of them at once.​

 

[ChicksOnTheDL]

So true! It seems to depend on the lineage. My RIR's were the worst. Nasty, always looking me in the eye with their head cocked to the side. I could actually hear the thought process. I've had hens that would peck at the freckle on my hand innocently, but those RIR's wanted to put my eyes out. And they were sickly. The Leghorns were noisy and flighty. Sure we got a lot of nice big eggs, but my Barred Rocks and EE's did just as well, but were like lapdogs. They sat in my lap, rode on my shoulder, played with my dog and bunnies. And they were all hatchery hens. I think it's just in the genes, like anything else.

Those Leghorns got me reported, so everyone had to go to my friend's parents' farm. Now I have three Bantams:
one Cochin, one Silkie, and one Silkie/Cochin cross (unrelated) and they are a dream. Very quiet (there was a bantam Polish, but she was noisy and mean to the cross, so she went and I got the other two.) The cross is an absolute BEAUTY! She does go broody, but when she's not I get 3 or 4 small eggs a week. And she's super friendly. These three were all from here on LI.

Once I get my own farm, I'm definitely going for Rocks and EE's, then a separate pen for my new favorite "breed," the Silkie/Cochin Cross.

 

[Pidgey104]

I don't like Old English Games. I'm sure glad I got rid of all of them . They were Crazy. Everytime I open the door to feed them They would Exploded. and get loss and I had fun chasing them down.

 

[FlashPointFarm]

I couldn't have said this better myself!! In the past, I had vowed never to own a RIR. Then I went to Gary Underwood's place to buy his old incubator from him. His RIR's were exquisite. I got some from him. They are the FRiendliest birds on my farm, out of 17 breeds. They are like pets, not a mean bone in their body. Huge, sweet, couldn't ask for a better bird. If anything picks on them, they bravely run away! Temperament is bred into them.

I've had 2 different lines of White Rocks, couldn't stand them. Complete Door Knobs. My Barred and Blue/Blacks are great though.

My Polish are quirky, but IMO, it's endearing. They don't free range well, but for a breeding pen, they are great. Don't have health issues with my line like I've heard others complain about.

Also, don't like Turkens, just because I'd have to look at them.

My Buff Minorca's are very flighty, but nice to other birds.

Welsummers are frustrating, they don't lay as well as I'd like. One line I had, from a prominant breeder's line, has slightly feathered shanks and really throws this on his babies. He's next in line for the stock pot!

Rock N' Faverolles :

To me, this proves my point that it does not matter what breed it is, it matters on individual strains or lines of birds if they are mean/flighty or not. Ask all the R.I. Red breeders, or any breeders of any breed. You'll find both. Some will say their birds are the friendliest and others the meanest. Depends on the line. The reason for this is that it is in the genes. Calmness and meaness can be passed down from generation to generation. That is why I try my best to never breed from a mean bird. As far as leghorns, I have a bunch. Most are flightly, but some get annoying they're so underfoot all the time. One even flies up to my arm everytime I enter her pen. Walt- I love lakenvelders. Beautiful birds and I've had several judges tell me to stay away they are so flighty. Mine used to (I don't have them anymore, but am looking for more) eat right out of my hand.

This doens't matter if they are hatchery or non hatchery birds either. Some exhibiton breeders have the meanest birds and they don't care because they win with them. It is just personal preference.

David​

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Mine would be Sebrights. Too skiddish and flighty for me. I hate having to chase birds around to catch them. 2nd would be OEGB. I loved them but to show they have to be dubbed, also if they aren't dubbed they would get nasty frostbite here in NY. Never again. Dubbing was so disgusting. The birds didn't seem to care but it made me sick. 3rd-Rhode Island Reds. We have some of them years ago and the roosters were the nastiest things ever.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

humm, all of by birds are pretty friendly. But my Silver Spangled Hamburgs are sooo wild, aswell as my Silver Pheonix hens. They arent mean, just sooo scared of people. And I raised the SSH from baby chicks

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Oh that just had me LOL this morning.

I have two 19 week old silkies - Jethro (pullet) and Ellie Mae (almost certainly a cockerel). Not the brightest crayons in the box, Ellie Mae especially, but no dumber than my cornish Xs. For me, silkies are a means to an end. DH says the only other chickens I can have are ones that my own hens hatch out. I have a whole wish list of breeds I plan to get fertile eggs from just as soon as Jethro grows up and goes broody. Heck I'm even thinking about giving her her very own brooding coop. That girl is gonna be busy!

I can't believe the negative feedback on the brahmas. I adore my (first) adult flock of brahmas. Haven't noticed that they eat more than other birds (have you fed a CX lately?), but then again my brahmas free range all day and they are very good foragers. My brahma roo is a sweetheart.

I should have mentioned that my SFs are all pullets, 3 of them. In a 15 minute span of time yesterday I watched them pick 5 fights. One picked a fight with Ivy, my favorite turken. Hate it.

Cute as buttons, mean as snakes.

In my baby flock, the turkens are my favorites - such sweet birds.

 

[Illia]

Hatchery type Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds (Production Reds) Sex Links, Black Australorps, Buff Orpingtons, and Silver/Gold Laced Wyandottes.

They're so ugly compared to the true, SOP-bred breed and their temperament doesn't even compare. Also, they're so common and to me, ruined. Course I dislike just about all hatchery stock, but these breeds in particular have really been ruined.

Oh, and Sex Links are on the list because they're the kind of chicken that proves so many owners just want eggs. They couldn't care for anything more, except maybe stew.

Why not just buy someone else's eggs? . . .