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

[vwman]

Hi, we are very pleased with our R.I.R, our G daughter carrys them like they are pets. As you get close to them they squat down, and don't run from you. I think if you get biddies and handle them daily they are great chickens.
Jim in N.C.

 

[newhatcher2]

Alrighty then

 

[wenlo]

I live in snowy, central Ohio and do not heat the coop. My girls, Australorps and New Hampshires, do just fine, not a sign of frostbite and laid all through the winter. We simply insulated the inside of the coop with cardboard. Heating the coop can present fire hazards so be careful if that's your plan - not sure it's necessary in Indiana though.

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[Pathfinders]

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Be aware that heating a chicken coop can raise the humidity inside to unhealthy levels. Adult chickens, for the most part, do not need heat. They do need protection from drafts, so make sure it is secure that way. But generally a heater in a chicken coop is a good way to make birds unhealthy (strange as that may sound.)

 

[newhatcher2]

Oh really? Well then I suppose insulation is a better idea, I believe we have some laying around in our barn...
It will still be a month or two until we build the coop, so haven't done much research on what to do, plus my Dad will be taking care of that.

 

[Attack Chicken]

Hello from Central!

Personally I like my bantam wyandottes. Never had frostbite problems with them. Wonderfull birds and cold hardy plus they laid throughout the winter. Never had a mean rooster bantam wyandotte. If your not to far I could pop some of my eggs in the bator and get you some chicks just let me know

Not sure about shipping chicks.

 

[newhatcher2]

I might be considering those too

 

[QualityPolish]

Personally, I'm a Polish fanatic so obviously I'm going to suggest them xD They're oddly friendly, have very wild personalities. Though they do scare easy since their crest sometimes block their vision but I usually end up trimming the feathers around their eyes.

 

[newhatcher2]

LOL what odd looking birds! They look kind of hard to maintain, feather wise.

 

[jackiejck]

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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.

Agreed! My BO has gone broody twice and she's not even a year old yet! Least friendly chicken out of the 5 that I have. Easter egger is friendly, but my Black Langshan is the best!