What breeds have you kept across your chickening life and why?

[Chicalina]

Good golly, what haven't I kept?

Current:
Bantam EEs
Standard EEs
Mixes
Phoenix
Sebrights
Wyandotte
Leghorns
Bantam WFB Spanish
Silkies
Mosaic
Asian Black
Calico Princess
Mystic Onyx
Bantam Cornish
D'uccle
D'anvers
Bantam polish
Bantam cochin
Russian Orloff
Spitzhauben
Plymouth Rock
Marans
Bantam Brahma
Fibro Sexlink
Naked Neck
Araucana
Ayam Ketwa

Former:
American Bresse
Ayam Cemani
Frizzled Cemani
Sumatra
Ameraucana
Frizzled Bantam Cochin
Standard Brahma
Red Stars
Black Stars
Dominique
Orpington
Standard Polish
Standard Cochin
OEGB

Wow that is some list!!!

What are your favourites?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Wow that is some list!!!

What are your favourites?

The araucana, Phoenix and bantam Cornish.

My Asian black is sentimental, but he's too large for really any hen. He makes big babies too though.

 

[Sussex19]

I have;
Light, Coronation, and Speckled Sussex
Cuckoo and Buff Orpington
RIR
Golden and Black Copper Marans
And lots of home bred mixes of those breeds.

The coronation Susses are my all time favorites, due to our healthy they are, their temperaments, and looks. Also a very good duel-purpose breed for both eggs and meat.
Orpingtons are to impractical for me, and my RIR is boring and a bit inactive. I do like my Marans for the same reasons as the Sussex, and might get more in the future.
I love mix breeds!

 

[Red Mangrove]

I will always be keeping Red Junglefowl and American Gamefowl

 

[IvyBeans]

I have;
Light, Coronation, and Speckled Sussex
Cuckoo and Buff Orpington
RIR
Golden and Black Copper Marans
And lots of home bred mixes of those breeds.

The coronation Susses are my all time favorites, due to our healthy they are, their temperaments, and looks. Also a very good duel-purpose breed for both eggs and meat.
Orpingtons are to impractical for me, and my RIR is boring and a bit inactive. I do like my Marans for the same reasons as the Sussex, and might get more in the future.
I love mix breeds!

Why do you feel Orpingtons are impractical?

 

[Sussex19]

Why do you feel Orpingtons are impractical?

It is probably largely just the ones that one can get here, rather then the breed in general; and my set up.

The first two I got were Cuckoos, and looked very well bred and everything. One hardly ever laid eggs, and they were always wonky and thin shelled. I had to put her down at 8 months old for water belly.
The other cuckoo is better, and still going strong at two and a half years old, but has hardly laid since she was a pullet. Just a few eggs each spring, and that's it. Her eggs are very hard to hatch under broody hens, and almost always end up getting broken and making a mess.
(although, one egg I did hatch of hers is my favorite rooster, so its not all bad. he is a mix breed though, which helps)

Then I got two Buffs, and they hardly ever foraged, got left behind from the flock, and did things like finding a hole in the fence, getting out and then not finding their way back in and getting soaking wet in the rain in the middle of the night. None of my other chickens have ever done that.
Their only upside was they were fabulous mothers, although they were the only broody hens that actually attacked me, which I don't like.
One also had very bad wry tail.
And the last thing with all the Orpingtons I have had, is their feathers get rooster a damaged far more then other breeds.

 

[DottieGirl]

I have
Black & Partridge Cochin Bantams
Barred Rocks
My Barred Rock were my first set of feather friends. I got them from a friend that owns chickens. I have always wanted some chickens because I grew up with them because my grandmother had them.

I bought 15 Bantams 4 months ago because I wanted more chickens. I did some research and decided on the Cochin Bantams. I wanted smaller in size, broody, and docile.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

Since i live in town and can only have 5 chickens at a time, i havent had many breeds.
First year keeping i had
-Light Brahma(was suppose to be a orpington)
- And Easter Eggers

Then currently i have
-A Buff Orpington
-Light Brahma
- Cinnamon Queen
- Silver Laced Wyandotte
And a Black Australorp

I eventually want to have some Silkies, Salmon Faverolles and a few other breeds.

If i had to pick the worst breed oit of thr ones ive owned it would be the Cinnamon Queen, she is a excellent layer but is a bully and super flighty.

My favorite is the Orpingtons and Brahmas. My orpington runs up to me every time i walk in their run and has to be picked up! And the Brahma is a little skittish but she is so sweet

 

[Chicalina]

I have
Black & Partridge Cochin Bantams
Barred Rocks
My Barred Rock were my first set of feather friends. I got them from a friend that owns chickens. I have always wanted some chickens because I grew up with them because my grandmother had them.

I bought 15 Bantams 4 months ago because I wanted more chickens. I did some research and decided on the Cochin Bantams. I wanted smaller in size, broody, and docile.

I had a Pekin bantam, which is what you call Cochin bantams. She was the sweetest chicken ever and lived quite a few years. I've decided not to keep feathered feet any more, or I'd have that breed again in a moment, just for their tameness and lovely nature. Also such pretty fluffballs.

 

[Chicalina]

Since i live in town and can only have 5 chickens at a time, i havent had many breeds.
First year keeping i had
-Light Brahma(was suppose to be a orpington)
- And Easter Eggers

Then currently i have
-A Buff Orpington
-Light Brahma
- Cinnamon Queen
- Silver Laced Wyandotte
And a Black Australorp

I eventually want to have some Silkies, Salmon Faverolles and a few other breeds.

If i had to pick the worst breed oit of thr ones ive owned it would be the Cinnamon Queen, she is a excellent layer but is a bully and super flighty.

My favorite is the Orpingtons and Brahmas. My orpington runs up to me every time i walk in their run and has to be picked up! And the Brahma is a little skittish but she is so sweet

That's me, trying to get as many breeds and colours in a small backyard flock as space will allow!

I was offered a Partridge Brahma bantam recently and was really tempted because they are so BEAUTIFUL!

But my 'no feathered feet' rule prevailed and I declined. Little bit sad though.