What is the most people-friendly chicken breed?

[wawasmama]

Just curious what your opinion is for the most friendly chicken breed. I had a Buff Orpington that was soooo friendly and actually wanted to be in my lap and held while I wandered around the chicken run. We were so upset when she was gone. I have just hatched out some Marans and Aracanas and they seem terrified of me! Are they normally that way? Your input is much appreciated!

 

[Illia]

Oriental Gamefowl. Hands down. I've had experience with over 20 different breeds and NEVER met gamefowl who were aggressive, shy, flighty, etc. I raise and breed Shamos, and even when young chicks, if not handled much, they will still come runnin' for you like you're their long-lost mommy.

They're very dependent as a chick, especially if they don't have a broody hen or many other buddies of the same breed, and even as they mature - They're very tame, friendly, calm, and practically like a pet dog or something. Always following me around.

 

[Alexis]

I've experienced several "people-friendly" chickens over the years, but sometimes I'm disappointed when the personality of the individual chicken doesn't live up to the reputation of the breed. On the flip side, I've been happily surprised with a very friendly chicken that usually has a bad reputation for the breed being unfriendly.

Our favorites so far were:
Polish Pullet (she preferred to ride on shoulders during chore time, but her roo was an attacker so it was bad news for him)
Buff Orpington
Bantam Sultan (hands down the best kid-friendly chicken to ever live on our farm)
Bantam Cochin (sat through three days of being inspected, pet and touched by every kid who came by our booth at the 4H barn for fair last summer)
and right now, we have a Silver Sebright who is an absolute gem, and an Exchequer leghorn who is growing up to be THE most social thing. She prefers the humans to the other chickens. Go figure!

 

[GotGame]

we have bantam shamos, adn modern game bantams, they are both very friendly and hardy little birds with great attitude...

 

[wawasmama]

Thanks for your help. Now I know what my new breed-of-choice might be! : )

 

[Theapplechicks]

many of ours have been sweet but out of all the ones we've had so far.... Our little bantam game hens have been the absolute sweetest! They would sit right in your hand and coo. Our favorite one who fell prey to a possum

went everywhere w/ my daughter cradled in her arm and begged to be held. She would coo and coo at ya like she was having a conversation.

 

[Theapplechicks]

oh our bantam cochin is pretty sweet too.

 

[bburn]

LF Cochins. Quiet, sweet, gentle giants. Harms none.

 

[You'reASuperRedStar]

Our red star and one of our two buff orpingtons are the sweetest. Our polish is awesome too. I think it comes down to handling them from day 2 that they are alive. And interacting with them with treats.

 

[Hoosierchickens]

Speckled Sussex and Astralorps are friendly standard chickens.