What is your favorite breed of chicken and why?

[Polish Hen House]

I was just wanting to know what everyone's favorite breed of chicken is and why they love that breed.
It is really hard for me to choose a favorite breed, but if I had to choose it would be my bantam Polish chickens. They are such sweet hearts and they look so funny with all their head feathers.

 

[tripletfeb]

I really like easter eggers. I know they aren't technically a pure breed but try telling them that! I like them a lot because they all look different and you never know what color eggs you will get, it's always a surprise!

 

[Abriana]

I love my three columbian rock hens and columbian rock rooster. Out of all the breeds I’ve got these are my favorite. They’re brave, confidant, and extremely friendly. Well, not the rooster. He has fought off hawks and is always on the alert for danger. Although he won’t attack me. The hens love sitting on my lap and snuggling and napping

 

[MillersFarm]

Polish chickens, Just because they remind me of myself, A Polish weirdo with a crazy hair style

 

[MROO]

I have a soft spot for anything small - so I'm partial to bantams. But my absolute, hands-down favorites are the Nankin Bantams, mainly because they have so much personality in a tiny little body!

Nankins are a true bantam breed - and they're Critically Endangered, so I'm helping save a heritage breed while enjoying my backyard biddies. They're super friendly, curious to a fault and so docile that children can pick them up at will.

The mamas are great broodies and really good mothers. The roosters will join in chick-raising duties and they all get along. We have a bachelor run with 4-6 fellows in it at any given time - and no real fighting beyond the usual pecking-order picking.

The Nankins' very survival as a distinct breed is due explicitly to the traits I love. Their size, broodiness and docile, friendly natures are why the gamekeepers of Europe kept them pure and small while the rest of the world was using them to downsize the bigger breeds.

For myself, I'll add that Nankins are big enough to turn over a garden but small enough to not do any real damage, they're small and trusting enough to ride on my shoulder ... and they're just plain fun-to-watch. The hens look like they just stepped out of a child's storybook - The Little Red Hen, and I can't resist the roosters' beautiful coloring, especially their flowing golden hackles and gorgeous, iridescent green tails. They look like a picture from a child's Old MacDonald songbook, pint-sized!

Check out Nankin Bantams (and a bunch of other endangered and threatened heritage breed livestock) at www.livestockconservancy.org. Just be prepared to spend some time there ... it's addicting ... kinda like keeping chickens ...

 

[Orpingtons43]

Any color of the Orpingtons....
I love my Orpingtons (especially the blue orps) because they LOVE people, are great layers, and they are soooooo beautiful! I love to go outside and be greeted my very lovely ladies!!!

 

[Abriana]

Any color of the Orpingtons....
I love my Orpingtons (especially the blue orps) because they LOVE people, are great layers, and they are soooooo beautiful! I love to go outside and be greeted My my lovely ladies!!!

I love Orpingtons too!

 

[snow5164]

I have a soft spot for Rhode Island reds, they are so beautiful and classy looking, but big and confident also . Their eggs are just dark enough taupe to look nice and they’re big!! They like to “ talk “ to me while I’m cleaning .... just all around nice girls