What is your favorite chicken breed?

[534EBC]

Love my Plymouth Rock hens (aka barred rocks)! I started with one...plus 3 RIR. Got all 4 from a friend who was moving. The RIR's have all passed on... but my "old lady" Plymouth Rock is at least 6-8 years old now (& still laying eggs!). The breed is hardy, cold tolerant, friendly, they're awesome layers & get along w/ each other nicely. I now have 3.

 

[Jack Speese]

Cochins. They are beautiful, gentle, and great if you want a broody breed. Right up there would be Polish. But for a purely practical flock, I'd say Rhode Island Reds and Plymouth Rocks (I like the barred variety), which are also attractive as well as practical. I had good luck with Black Stars, but tend to stay away from the red sex link hybrids; they are just too commercial. Do great for a year or two then burn out. As for ducks, Indian Runners for beauty and enjoyment, Rouens for a practical breed. But they too are very attractive.

 

[mesalina87]

I have had several breeds over the years but have some favorites: barred rock, beautiful bird and well nature, buff oprhs gentle and quiet, lays big eggs. They get alone well in a flock and in confinement.

 

[lauralou]

I don't know how many breeds of chickens I've had over the years. Lots. I've liked them all, more or less, and can't recall any that I simply would never have again. There are some that really stand out from the crowd, and will always have a place in my flock.

Red / Gold Sex Links - I know they are not actually a breed, and that they are different from each other to boot. But they are similar enough that I use them interchangeably. The first ones I got, forever ago, I ordered 2 red sex links from a hatchery, and received one, with a gold sex link substitution for the other. That worked out well, and continues to work out well for me. I like both and I like to have both for the visual variety. They are great layers of big, brown eggs. And they are just nice birds in general. The smartest hen I ever had was a gold sex link, the one that acted like my dog was a red sex link, and so on and so on. Really, favorite birds. Big, healthy birds. I haven't had any problem with them "burning out" early, or being unhealthy in any way. I have 2 big, older red sex links now. I'm not sure how old they are. Maybe 4 years old? One of them is the head hen. And I got 2 gold sex link chicks a month ago. Guaranteed brown eggs in the basket, check. Sex links. Gotta love them! (I've never had brown or black sex links, maybe I would love them too.)

Easter Eggers - Again not really a breed, I know. They are such awesome birds! They make up the majority of my (adult) flock right now. It's funny, folks around here are suspicious of the blue and green eggs. They don't like them. I like them just fine, but the eggs aren't the reason I like the birds. The birds are just cool. I like the wild-type plumage, the way they look like they just wandered out of the woods and decided to hang out in my yard. Each one is different, and has a subtle beauty. (I have both bearded and clean faced girls, and I like both, with the clean faced maybe a little prettier to my eye.) They are sweet birds. They don't necessarily like to be held, but they are easy to handle when handling is necessary. They lay lots of eggs also. And they are always interesting to breed. You come up with lots of lovely, unique chickens when you hatch easter eggs.

I don't have any Buff Orpingtons at present, but they are super nice birds. The ones I had in the past were big and fluffy and totally friendly. They were excellent broody hens, and I would like to have one just for that purpose. The downside was that they seemed to suffer more in the summer heat and humidity than some other breeds.

 

[Saaniya]

I have two leghorn roosters and I'm in love with them they are really sweet and friendly very intelligent and heat hardy we have almost 43-45C nowadays they don't act hot I'm truly a fan of leghorn except their comb growth I removed my rooster comb surgically in September
But both of them are really cool dudes
Love leghorns

 

[Beccazon]

I have two leghorn roosters and I'm in love with them they are really sweet and friendly very intelligent and heat hardy we have almost 43-45C nowadays they don't act hot I'm truly a fan of leghorn except their comb growth I removed my rooster comb surgically in September
But both of them are really cool dudes
Love leghorns

That's funny. I know roos can be buttheads so I was bummed...and surprised...that one of my brahmas turned out to be a cockerel and a leghorn to boot! But since he was tiny, before his sex was clear, he has been one of my 2 absolute faves. Pretty friendly and very entertaining. Precocious lil turd he is too! First to perch. First to escape the brooder. First to fall into the open top feeder. Love my silly baby leghorn roo!

 

[Saaniya]

That's funny. I know roos can be buttheads so I was bummed...and surprised...that one of my brahmas turned out to be a cockerel and a leghorn to boot! But since he was tiny, before his sex was clear, he has been one of my 2 absolute faves. Pretty friendly and very entertaining. Precocious lil turd he is too! First to perch. First to escape the brooder. First to fall into the open top feeder. Love my silly baby leghorn roo!

Hehehe yes roos are such a intelligent birds
You can read my article about comb
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/extra-large-rooster-comb-surgery.74418/