What is the best breed of chicken for a family to have?

[milleryardchx]

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I have one and the lady down the street from me has 10 mine is ALWAYS BROODY and she has 5 broody right now. great color yes but mine when broody at 5 months old it wasn't till she was over a year old that she raised 17 chicks and after raising them for 4 months i got 5 eggs from her before she went broody again. I love barred rock and Partridge rock. PR are just a different coloring of the barred rock and lay great amounts of eggs even in most winter months for me in WA state winters.

 

[vfem]

I bet some barred rocks would work nice for you, or some barnevelders for something with some color.

 

[Arielle]

I am newly into chickens, too. So I ordered 5 different kinds of egg layers from MM.

Rhode Island Red (aka RIR)
Black Australorp (aka BA)
Silver laced Wyandottes (aka SLW)
Speckled Sussex (aka SS)
Black Star

I also have a rehomed EE who is to blame for all my chickens now!

SS is very friendly, consistently, the first to run up for attention. THen some of the RIR, BA and Blk Star; some hang back. The SLW don't come to visit very much, but they do surprise me sometimes and come over.

The EE is super friendly. And I have ordered more. Due to arrive Wed.; don't tell my DH!

We have 4 Buff orpingtons that are almost 3 weeks; at a few days old they were sitting on my boys hands--the boys say they didn't put them there (they're not to pick up babies), the birds hopped on to visit. Which is the reputation of the BO any why I got them, and for the gold color!

HOpe this helps. I don't have time to sit and visit a lot with the birds but my boys do. Most birds can be trained to tolerate handling; some just love it like our EE.

Oh, we also have a silver spangled Hamburg--he's like a road runner: can't catch him!

KNow that birds reflect handling and their genetics (some are bred to be nicer- IMO)

GL

 

[newhatcher2]

Thanks! Sounds like you got your hands full!!

 

[backyardmenagerie]

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Try your local craigslist, you can usually find chicks available from local breeders that way.

As for which breed, I believe any breed is as friendly as you make it to be. A lot of handling early on makes a big difference. That said, I'm personally partial to Dominiques

But whatever you decide, you'll develop your own preference soon enough. Good luck with the search!

 

[newhatcher2]

I posted an ad already, not many people have replied. However, I do check craigslist everyday looking for them. It'll be about a month or so until we get them though.

 

[Cowgirl71]

Buff Orpingtons sound like the breed for you, as long as you're okay with hens going broody, LOL!

Have you looked at My Pet Chicken? They specialize in doing small orders of baby chicks. If you hurry and order very soon, they still have some available for May 2nd: http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Day-Old-Baby-Chicks/Buff-Orpington-p229.aspx

 

[Pathfinders]

A perfect breed for you would be Buckeyes. And you're lucky, a great breeder of Buckeyes lives in Columbus, IN. His name is Matt John, and his email is [email protected] (he also runs a poultry supply biz.)

Send him a note, or call him at (812) 603-7722. Buckeyes, with their pea combs, are perfect for colder winters. They forage well, are good broodies, raise their own babies if you want them to, and extra males dress out well for eating. Can't go wrong!

 

[DelcoChix]

That's exactly what I was going to say....Buckeyes! I love the one we have left, and very cold hardy. I also really enjoy our Buff Orpington, Speckled Sussexes, Welsummers, Black Copper Marans,and Easter Eggers--lots off egg-color variety and very personable birds, plus they have handled our central Ohio winter just fine. I like the others we have, but the ones I listed are ones I'd get more of. For 'fun,' our Sultan, bantam Silkie and Cochins are great...but takes 2 of their eggs to equal one of the others...good thing they're soo cute!
Good luck with your decision, and as others have said...plan big 'cause you'll be hit by the infamous disease known as "poultry-addictive personality."
Sorry to say...no known cure, must just follow the urge...

 

[dkvart1]

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Cut right to the chase, I like that!