What is a good breed for me? Can you help?

[shelleyd2008]

Normally 'egg layers' are not broody, the EE being an exception. Every EE I've had has gone broody. If one does happen to go broody, there are many posts that detail how to break them. Things like seperating them from the flock, putting them in a cage with no nest, and many other suggestions on how to break them.

A friend of mine can only have hens (per her husband), and she has decided to go with a 'colorful' egg basket. She has one EE (blue/green eggs), one ameraucana (blue eggs), one BR (brown eggs), one BA (brown eggs), one phoenix/OEG (white eggs), and a cochin bantam for fun.

She has also reserved a lakenvelder pullet (white egg) and a black copper marans (super dark brown eggs) from me, once I have enough extras

You should look around and get one of a few different breeds, so you can have a variety. There are almost 39,000 BYC members, all over the world. If you can't find someone in your area that has what you want, maybe you can make a deal with someone to raise chicks for you, either from eggs you purchase and split with them (them doing the hatching of course) or from a chick order that you split with them.

That's what I would do, if I were in your situation

Unfortunately, I can have as many as I want, and my feed bill shows it!

 

[Germaine_11.20]

That's what I would do too. A variety to look at and enjoy. Just make sure that you get chickens that are not aggressive.

 

[Hippie Chickie]

My Australorps are noisy too. The rhode Island reds are quieter. For me at least. No worries on chicks, after all the Springs doesn't allow roosters. Truthfully most hens are alot quieter than the neighborhood dogs.

 

[Cherokeerainbow]

I have Aussies, Brahmas, Wyandottes and 2 odd hens (Buff O, and Andalusian)
The hens that are the quietest are my Wyandottes. THE quietest bird I have is my Rooster.. (yes even his crow is quiet, kinda pitiful its so low pitch) He's a Langshan.
Good luck.
As some folks have already mentioned, its not necessarily the 'breed' as the bird itself. Most of the birds listed in this thread are all great to have and generally well behaved and sweet...but, just like us, there's always the noisy kid in the group. LOL

 

[Guinea Goonie]

I love my partridge rocks and my white rocks.

They are large hens that lay large brown eggs and they are pretty quiet.

The black austrolorps are not bad, but they are a smaller breed.

I only have one orpinton left. She stopped laying a year back and is retired. She has a nice slow life and the roos have left her alone now for months.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Ms. Cluckingly :

Thanks ladies! So, I'm considering Easter Eggers, if I can get one, and a Black Australorp. There is a lady here in town selling one. SO, when a hen goes broody, if I don't want more chicks, what do I do? I don't want to raise baby chicks...

Unless you have a rooster to fertilize the eggs, you won't be able to hatch chicks, no matter how long a hen sets on the eggs.​

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Everyone has breeds they like and dislike. I don't like orpingtons or rhode island reds. There are lots of folks who love them. The henderson breed chart gives a fair assessment of many of the available breeds--look for the characteristics that appeal to you to narrow down your choices, then research those breeds on eggbid or here.

I do think that noisiness (or its lack) is related an individual bird, not a breed.

Some of the breeds I like are silkies, brahmas, plymouth rocks & polish.