What do you think are the top ten best pet chickens?

[BantamFan4Life]

What do you think are the top ten best pet chickens? Put the top ten best pet chickens and rank then from #1 to #10 (1 meaning the best pet to ten meaning the least best pet on your list). Please put your opinion!

Here's what I think:
#1 Silkie
#2 Cochin
#3 D'uccle
#4 Naked Neck
#5 Orpington
#6 Brahma
#7 Australorp
#8 Sussex
#9 Rhode Island Red/White
#10 Plymouth Rock

Thanks for taking your time!!!

 

[larsalan]

I think a lot of them have their own special qualities. And some are kinda extra dumb, ugly and useless.
I like hens that lay well. I like roos that are tough but not mean. I like beautiful chickens. I don't like instigators, poor layers, ugly birds, or uber stupid birds.
Of the breeds I've had here, Barreds, and Australorps have laid well.
The Cochins make people smile. I have a Copper Maran that makes me smile, cause she's so pretty
Had put down one barred roo just cause he was sooooo big and loud. Which would be fine if we were out away from neighbors further. Now we have 2 banty roos. And one of them is pretty useless. But he stays out of the pot by not making any noise or bothering anyone. He never makes a crow and often can be caught over in a corner spinning in circles

 

[BantamFan4Life]

I'm asking for the top ten best breeds for a pet, not layers ( like my list below at the bottom of my post).

 

[flockman]

I have only had some of your breeds listed.
1 silkie
2 cochin
3 brahma
4 buff orpington
5 austrolorp
6 plymouth rocks

Oddly enough our best pet chicken is a mutt. She is white, has a beard and muff and has some feathers on her legs with a single comb. Who knows what she is. She is a good broody and seems to almost enjoy getting held. She is the favorite of my children.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Cool! Friendliest chicken are the best aren't they! There fun and usually calm and sweet.

 

[roostersandhens]

in my opinion this is what i think

1.Black Australorp

2. Americana

3. Cochin

4.Houdan (rare breed)


5. Buff Orpington


6. Silkies

7. Barred Rock

8. Polish Chicken

9. Serama (I think rare)

10. Bantam Cochin

 

[roostersandhens]

What do you think are the top ten best pet chickens? Put the top ten best pet chickens and rank then from #1 to #10 (1 meaning the best pet to ten meaning the least best pet on your list). Please put your opinion!

Here's what I think:
#1 Silkie
#2 Cochin
#3 D'uccle
#4 Naked Neck
#5 Orpington
#6 Brahma
#7 Australorp
#8 Sussex
#9 Rhode Island Red/White
#10 Plymouth Rock

Thanks for taking your time!!!

I would go with Black Australorp they are sooo sweet

 

[deserthotwings]

I think anyone familiar with seabrights would probably put them somewhere in the top ten. Our little buff seabrights are excellent layers and pure spoiled pets.

 

[Chukar man]

Modern games are gentle with trainers but not with other chickens so you should probably add them.

 

[Bobby Basham]

What about Delawares? I've read that they're pretty docile and inquisitive, being one of the first to approach a hand reaching into a brooder. Our local ACE hardware (and many other ACE's) in town have started carrying day-olds about a year ago, and I'm considering them as my first flock of about six. The local store only gets a small batch of 25 sexed chicks every week, I think from Privett Hatchery, and the ones that don't sell right away are discounted because that brooder is barely 48" wide and chicks grow fast. That's better than seeing hundreds dumped in big cardboard boxes, many being trampled or suffocated.

I don't know the difference in tempermant as far as hatchery vs breeder stocks, but at least I can drive down the road and pick up a few without stressing about shipping and loss issues. They are kept in a very clean wooden brooder with some plexiglass a few inches up the sides to keep abnoxious kids and the like poking at them. It seems like they don't mind human interaction and come right up to the edge of the brooder to check you out, and aren't skittish at all. I think the employees give them lots of attention and are spoiled.

Anyhoo, they'll be my first choice for now after I get my run and coop designs finalized later this year. I grew up on a farm in western PA back in the 50's and 60's with many animals and poultry, processing our meat yearly. I believe it would be great therapy for me to keep a few backyard chickens after juggling two jobs for the last 45+ years, and looking for retirement within the next two years or less.

Sorry for being so verbose, just wanted to give a plug for the Delawares. I know there is a separate Delaware thread on this board, but wanted to give them some recognition and consideration here. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona