What is your favorite chicken breed?

[Rlmp817]

My favorites right now are my originals, a barred rock & speckled. Sussex,. They are both So laid back, so gentle. Very curious and chatty. Like to be with us and will tolerate being held.
Excellent layers

I have 3 D'anvers bantams (2 hens, 1 roo) and I am on the fence about them. They have only laid a few eggs (I think only one is laying, but they are about a year old) I like how petite they are and love the coloring of one, but the lack of eggs is a serious downside. Also the roo is being a butt. (his first spring hormones are terrible!) but I am able & willing to work with him because of his size, so I guess that is a good thing.

I have 3 Buff Orpingtons, and again, on the fence. They are boring to look at, and the most skidish of my pullets. They are 10 weeks old, hopefully as they mature more they will settle down a bit.

I have a stunning EE pullet, (6 weeks)
A cochin bantam, who is gorgeous! & so sweet. But I think a roo. (also 6 weeks)
2 BLR Wyandottes and an olive Egger (4 weeks) I can't wait to see the personalities here!

 

[Azeria]

I have a Black Copper Marans and She is one of my favorite chickens, she is a good layer and is extremely friendly. I also love my Buff Laced Polish, she is very funny to watch but is loud.

 

[Acre4Me]

Would really like some should I ever research a reputable breeder somewhere within fair driving distance.

Check out NPIP breeders/hatcheries by state: http://www.poultryimprovement.org/statesContent.cfm

They use stock codes (on left side of above link). Here are the codes for regular sized Araucana. Looks like there are two MI sources for the R20.

 

[pipnzipdip]

Fave overall - Sussex! Docile and inquisitive. Love them. bonus - a winter layer.

Fave for egg color - EE. I've tried others but keep coming back to EE because of personality and those fun muffs.(cutest chicks ever btw)

Eggs - I am a recent convert to sex links (I have both gold and black). Never was too excited about them but added them 2 years ago to boost the eggs in my aging little flock and they have been awesome. Laid early, then all through winter and the following summer without a molt. Nice personalities. But each hatchery has its own blend and strain so that can vary a lot.

Runners up - Marans, welsumer, olive eggers for color. Delewares for personality and big eggs. I had a Deleware that laid 15 days straight! They say that's impossible but she was the only girl that laid that color egg so I know it was her. Defied science.

 

[ChicKat]

Great topic!!
My choice is 1. The variety I developed from Cream Legbars & Isabel leghorns -- because they have Autosexing, High Egg production and BEAUTY!! )

2. Next the original Cream Legbars for Autosexing, blue egg shells and prolific egg production, funny crests and quirky personalities

3. Blue Isbar -- Beauty- and Blue-black-splash coloring and lots of BIG green eggs.

Autosexing, that picture of the chick in the incubator beside an unhatched blue egg, and that chick's shell, the Brinsea with the blue shelf liner on the base of the incubator....that's one of my long-ago hatchlings and even at that moment it's possible to tell the sex of that chick.

Thanks everyone who put in chicken pictures. Love 'em. Right now I have no pictures handy, so for as long as that chick is on the home page, that's my contribution.

 

[BantyChooks]

I've had about 25--30 breeds and varieties. Out of those, Leghorns and Chanteclers stand out as being repeat buys.

I have LF Partridge Chanteclers and bantam Buff Chanteclers. Both have been great. The Partridge hens are great layers, good mothers, solidly built, gentle, and cold hardy. They aren't duffers like some other large breeds and can handle themselves in a free range situation. The roosters are good with people, absolutely gorgeous, and respectful of hens. The only issue I have had is one of the roosters had a vendetta against ducks. Wouldn't quit chasing them away from the main flock. I unfortunately don't have high quality colour patterns on the hens, but I will put pictures up anyway.

P1360266

• BantyChooks
• Dec 14, 2018

Carey, Partridge Chantecler cock.

P1330165

• BantyChooks
• Dec 14, 2018

Partridge Chantecler chicks

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• BantyChooks
• Dec 13, 2018

Jenny, Partridge Chantecler pullet.

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• BantyChooks
• Dec 13, 2018
• 1

Alex, Partridge Chantecler hen. She's not a good example of her breed in colour, but I like her...

P1280384

• BantyChooks
• Dec 13, 2018

Tank, Partridge Chantecler cockerel. He's not a good example of his breed.

P1360339

• BantyChooks
• Dec 14, 2018

Rory, Buff Chantecler cock

P1360189

• BantyChooks
• Dec 13, 2018

Amy, Rory, and Melody; Buff Chantecler trio.

P1360195

• BantyChooks
• Dec 14, 2018

Rory, Buff Chantecler cock

P1360203

• BantyChooks
• Dec 14, 2018

Amy, Buff Chantecler hen

P1360209

• BantyChooks
• Dec 14, 2018

Melody, Buff Chantecler pullet

The Buffs are new to me, but they are lovely so far. The personality on the hens is particularly sweet. I've been getting an egg a day from the trio since they started laying. Two eggs some days.

The Leghorns are tough, scrappy, good layers, and cold hardy. Yes, I am talking about White Leghorns, and no, cold hardiness is not measured only by comb size. They will be outside wandering around when even the Chanteclers are indoors due to the weather. Their feathering is downy and tough which helps retain heat, and their active personalities keep them from withering away on the roost like some others will. I do not think they would do well in a coop and run situation, though; they'd go stir crazy. I free range mine. They aren't crazy, by the way, despite their reputation. Raise them yourself and they'll be annoyingly friendly. They aren't good with strangers in my experience.

I took these pictures of my newest group a week or two ago.

I also really like Ameraucanas, for their shape, egg shell colour, and feathering, but unfortunately I haven't been able to get the nicest stock so far. Maybe some other year. These are Silvers, by the way.
View media item 7913134View media item 7913135

 

[Beccazon]

My favorites right now are my originals, a barred rock & speckled. Sussex,. They are both So laid back, so gentle. Very curious and chatty. Like to be with us and will tolerate being held.
Excellent layers

I have 3 D'anvers bantams (2 hens, 1 roo) and I am on the fence about them. They have only laid a few eggs (I think only one is laying, but they are about a year old) I like how petite they are and love the coloring of one, but the lack of eggs is a serious downside. Also the roo is being a butt. (his first spring hormones are terrible!) but I am able & willing to work with him because of his size, so I guess that is a good thing.

I have 3 Buff Orpingtons, and again, on the fence. They are boring to look at, and the most skidish of my pullets. They are 10 weeks old, hopefully as they mature more they will settle down a bit.

I have a stunning EE pullet, (6 weeks)
A cochin bantam, who is gorgeous! & so sweet. But I think a roo. (also 6 weeks)
2 BLR Wyandottes and an olive Egger (4 weeks) I can't wait to see the personalities here! View attachment 1756741View attachment 1756750

That Sussex is gorgeous!

 

[Beccazon]

Check out NPIP breeders/hatcheries by state: http://www.poultryimprovement.org/statesContent.cfm

They use stock codes (on left side of above link). Here are the codes for regular sized Araucana. Looks like there are two MI sources for the R20.
View attachment 1756776

THANK YOU!!

 

[BantyChooks]

So this is where I am...

I would like to try WHs, muscovies and if I can get past the bizarre posture of runners, they seem to have a huge positive feedback. Kevin might actually enjoy calls as well. (I am so lucky to have an animal and bird adoring guy! Noises, cuteness, empathy...Tolerates and loves ANY animal)

Currently we have 4 Pekin ranging between 4 and 6 weeks, a KC 6 weeks, 2 Rouen 2 weeks,

4 RIRs 6 weeks...so far my second and third faves in the flock are 2 of my reds...for curiosity and friendliness,

3 BSLs 6weeks (which are the most boring and skittish with the most non-desript personalities...they are just...there. not a fan)

2 brahma 6weeks...beautiful and fairly pleasant thus far

A leghorn of 6weeks who appears to be a cockerel who is my absolute hands down favorite (we shall see as he ages) he is cuuuuurious! So goofy! So friendly, so calm and is ALWAYS doing something that makes me whip out my camera!

A banty I am told is likely an English Game, less than two weeks and everyone's fave because he is teeeenie weeeenie!

And one banty of less than 2 weeks that most have agreed is a booted bantam and is way too cute and fairly tolerant.

(We got 2 polish last friday. One died the next morning. The other last night. Same strange leaking air sac as the first. Checked with supplier. No notable issues with the rest of their stock so...‍)

WHs are great ducks. I've had five of them. One was a house duck for a while, and I loved every minute of it. They lay like crazy, they're gorgeous, and they're friendly. What more is there to want, eh??

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Everyone has a favorite or two. I am new to raising and trying several. For many reasons. We want eggs. We want meat. We want some just to enjoy watching (pretty, unique, personality) and even befriending. Please tell me what your favorite breeds are and why. I will post the same question in the duck forum as well.

My favorite is my Lavender Orpington. Her name is Zsa Zsa and she is so calm, quiet and tame.I just love her she is my special chicken. She is not the best layer, probably my worst, she only lays about four or five eggs a week, but that’s OK because I have seven other chickens and more eggs than I need. I didn’t really pick chickens for their laying abilities, more for their looks and personalities, but I do get tons of eggs.