What would you say are the BEST tempered, GOOD laying, NICE looking hens?

[Red Horse]

I use the Flockstar app to track my hens' laying. According to the app, the top 3 layers under my golden comets (which I will never get again because of their grumpy demeanor and projected short lifespan) are the cuckoo marans, barnevelder, and hatchery buff orpington in that order. The marans is very friendly to me but can be witchy to the other hens, the barnevelder is terrified of people but very sweet to the other hens, and the orpington is very kind and friendly to both people and the other hens. They all have to live confined to a run or mobile tractor and they all bear it well, but I think the barnevelder would be happier free ranging. It's only my first flock but I'm glad I went with a mix rather than just one breed, if you end up disliking one or two breeds you aren't stuck with a whole flock of them.

 

[Iluveggers]

I use the Flockstar app to track my hens' laying. According to the app, the top 3 layers under my golden comets (which I will never get again because of their grumpy demeanor and projected short lifespan) are the cuckoo marans, barnevelder, and hatchery buff orpington in that order. The marans is very friendly to me but can be witchy to the other hens, the barnevelder is terrified of people but very sweet to the other hens, and the orpington is very kind and friendly to both people and the other hens. They all have to live confined to a run or mobile tractor and they all bear it well, but I think the barnevelder would be happier free ranging. It's only my first flock but I'm glad I went with a mix rather than just one breed, if you end up disliking one or two breeds you aren't stuck with a whole flock of them.

Love the Flockstar app!

My girls are young, but so far the best layer is my Welsummer (super friendly, but super loud), my Ameraucana, and my sweet and quiet Orpington.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

When I see a thread with a title like this one I always wonder if the poster is knowingly starting a forest fire.

Imagine just how loud the room would be if we were having a face to face conversation with all of us in the same room?

Oh! That would be some loud!

I personally have flocks with 5 of the same breed and no two are the same personality, so I have no clue how to say "those" are like "this".

Today, current flock, I have a very skittish Leghorn, but I have an equally skittish RIR. Both Lavender and Blueberry would rather hide than run to the snack bowl.

I have a bossy little Leghorn who will fight anyone who LOOKS at the snacks before she has her fill. Then she comes to the kitchen door and hangs out with me. (And she is all sweetness)

 

[Alpine Bobwhite]

Well, as far as looks, temperament, and laying, it is hard to beat the Easter Eggers. My two "sisters" who lay green and blue eggs, have wonderful black laced plumage, are very quiet and sweet, and consistently lay over the winter months when everyone else takes a break.

Oh wow yes, they look wonderful! I never knew that they laid a lot of eggs!

 

[amee6730]

My chicks are 2 weeks old (barred rocks, speckled sussex, and golden laced wyandottes) My GLW are the hardest to socialize. They just don't like being picked up. One speckled sussex runs to me, expects to be picked up first, and runs the others away from my hand to be picked up again. Three barred rocks, including one cockerel, loves to be picked up. They will hop up in my hand just to get lifted out of the brooder, kissed on the head and put back down lol. The others don't run away, they just tolerate it.

 

[Alpine Bobwhite]

My chicks are 2 weeks old (barred rocks, speckled sussex, and golden laced wyandottes) My GLW are the hardest to socialize. They just don't like being picked up. One speckled sussex runs to me, expects to be picked up first, and runs the others away from my hand to be picked up again. Three barred rocks, including one cockerel, loves to be picked up. They will hop up in my hand just to get lifted out of the brooder, kissed on the head and put back down lol. The others don't run away, they just tolerate it.

Aww! Barred Rocks look pretty good.

 

[Bigandlittles]

I haven’t seen many people say silkies but they are very gentle and loving. They are very beautiful, and mine usually give me a egg a day. Even during the cold winter months they were laying. I do live in south louisiana so no snow but it gets pretty cold.

 

[Alpine Bobwhite]

I haven’t seen many people say silkies but they are very gentle and loving. They are very beautiful, and mine usually give me a egg a day. Even during the cold winter months they were laying. I do live in south louisiana so no snow but it gets pretty cold.

Yes I think Silkies are lovely, the only thing is that when is gets wet, their foot feathers get muddy and wet.

 

[BuddingGardener]

I have a small flock of 4 hens, two easter eggers, one Speckled Sussex, and one Black Australorp. My Black Australorp is my sweetest hen and best layer by far. She started at around 25 weeks and hasn't quit since then. Her eggs range from the high end of large to mid-extra large, she only skips one day a week to reset. If I go outside and let them out of their run, she is the hen who chooses to run right up to me. She'll cluck and burble and request gentle scritches and my company. You can check out her temperament here:

My Speckled Sussex is a sweet, curious, inquisitive girl, too. She took a long time to start laying eggs and lagged behind everyone else. Her first egg came at 9 and a half months... but since she started she rocketed right up to producing nice large eggs 5 or 6 days every week. I heard they are sometimes not the best layers but so far she's nearly as good as my Black Australorp.

The Easter Eggers are our goofballs but really fun to have around. Since we have a flock of very docile birds, they're actually the top of the pecking order. One of them was mildly broody for a day but I locked her out of the nest box and she didn't try again the next day (I have no rooster and not enough space to add a lot more to our flock in our current situation). They are our less consistent layers, but a delight to have around nonetheless.

Hope this helps! I think Black Australorps would be a wonderful consideration for your flock. Black Copper Marans, Barnevelders, Welsummers, Salmon Faverolles, Dominiques, and Buff Orpingtons are on my list to try someday, too. Whenever I get my acreage and hobby farm going.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Which sorts of chicken would you say have a nice temperament, are good layers and look nice.
I saw that leghorns look nice and lay about 300 eggs per year, but can be unfriendly, what would you say? If they are raised from chicks, will they be friendly?

If you are looking for pets then you might be disappointed with a breed that lays 300 eggs a year. Laying that many eggs can cut their lives short.