What's the best breed of chicken for eggs and pets?

[TheCrazyClucker]

Yeah, I'm looking for standard sized breeds to go in with Marshmallow after Popcorn and Cocoa die.
And I'm looking for something that doesn't look like your typical barnyard chicken but still lays good eggs.

Polish! And if you wanna go really out there, find some frizzled Polish. My standard-size Polish lay BIG eggs, and lay them almost every day. My bantam Polish, not so much. They are really friendly, and kooky too.

 

[Angiebubs]

snugbug: I am curious about the Polish: How many have you had? I have had several people tell me theirs was nippy....However, I have one polish and she has always been one of my favorite-sweet, great layer, and enjoyes being handled. However, she is a mix of polish and something else. So I have been hesitant in getting more polish after hearing other peoples expereinces. Also, do you have any issues with them getting picked on or pecked at by others in a mixed flock?

 

[TheCrazyClucker]

snugbug: I am curious about the Polish: How many have you had? I have had several people tell me theirs was nippy....However, I have one polish and she has always been one of my favorite-sweet, great layer, and enjoyes being handled. However, she is a mix of polish and something else. So I have been hesitant in getting more polish after hearing other peoples expereinces. Also, do you have any issues with them getting picked on or pecked at by others in a mixed flock?

I have 4 standard-size (golden laced rooster, barred rock/polish hen, Tollbunt rooster, and white crested black hen), 2 bantams (silver laced hen, and white crested lavender- polish crossed with lav Orp), and 1 frizzled (white crested blue hen).
Ours are one of the nicest breeds in our flock, never mean. Even if she is a Polish cross, she still has Polish instincts in her.
You should get more!
I don't really have a lot of issues, I trim the crest of the birds I don't show. I have a really mixed flock of 100 hen and 10 roosters, including a lot of crested breeds like Sultans, Silkies, and Appenzeller Spitzhaubens.
I'm not an expert, I'm just a kid who reads a lot of chicken books and observes her flock closely

 

[Angiebubs]

Snugbug-thanks for the info-I LOVE the way the polish look and would like to add more. I would prefer a mixed breed with these in hopes os somewhat smaller mohawks lol. I also have a mixed flock of 24 (2 roos and 22 hens) of bantys, LF; and a dozen different breeds. I am hoping to determine which breeds I prefer, and add a few per year. This spring I am adding some LF cochins and trying to decide between Salmon Faverolle (I Have one currently) EErs (have 2 currently, possibly a BLRW (Love the looks not sure about personality on wyandottes). If I knew someone locally that had polish I would definately add another. Did I mention that my polish mix lays a green egg? Opal is black with a couple white feathers in her crest, and is a large banty or small LF....not sure what she was mixed with.

 

[DragonRider]

My Bantams are not very tame yet, still don't get why? They have a nice home and we talk to them and feed them and they just go crazy and squawk all over the place! I guess I will have to possibly handle them more to get them used to it? I ended up with a Rooster named "Benji" when we bought them as chicks, we could not tell what sex they were at the time, so we have one Rooster and four hens. To tame these birds are you supposed to handle them more? I thought if we talked to them and spent time with them every day feeding them and being near them they would be more friendly, but ours are pretty skittish around people?

 

[TheCrazyClucker]

Snugbug-thanks for the info-I LOVE the way the polish look and would like to add more. I would prefer a mixed breed with these in hopes os somewhat smaller mohawks lol. I also have a mixed flock of 24 (2 roos and 22 hens) of bantys, LF; and a dozen different breeds. I am hoping to determine which breeds I prefer, and add a few per year. This spring I am adding some LF cochins and trying to decide between Salmon Faverolle (I Have one currently) EErs (have 2 currently, possibly a BLRW (Love the looks not sure about personality on wyandottes). If I knew someone locally that had polish I would definately add another. Did I mention that my polish mix lays a green egg? Opal is black with a couple white feathers in her crest, and is a large banty or small LF....not sure what she was mixed with.

I have 1 Salmon Faverolle, they are really nice and sweet, but my girl is FAT! My BLRW is nice, but a little skittish. She's not aggressive like other people might think. My 2 SLW and 1 GLW are a little nippy though...
Have no idea about the egg gene, my pure-breed Silver Laced Polish lays sort of a greenish egg to, I have no idea where that comes from.
I don't really know what Opal is, she sounds really pretty though. I have a chicken named Opal

 

[TheCrazyClucker]

My Bantams are not very tame yet, still don't get why? They have a nice home and we talk to them and feed them and they just go crazy and squawk all over the place! I guess I will have to possibly handle them more to get them used to it? I ended up with a Rooster named "Benji" when we bought them as chicks, we could not tell what sex they were at the time, so we have one Rooster and four hens. To tame these birds are you supposed to handle them more? I thought if we talked to them and spent time with them every day feeding them and being near them they would be more friendly, but ours are pretty skittish around people?

Dragon, it takes more time for bantams to get used to you than it takes for Large Fowl chickens to get used to you. What I find most helpful is keeping a chicken on the ground so it doesn't feel trapped, but petting it gently with your hand in front of its chest. Yes, handle them more! And also, the older they get, the more friendly they get. Keep doing what you said in bolded print. I can guarantee eventually they will warm up to you.

 

[Angiebubs]

I handle all of mine as much as I have time for-can't keep my hands off of them! It gets to the point that the chicks fight over who gets to hop on my hand when I reach in. In the coop, one of my banty cochins squaks and gets impatient when i dont immediately pick her up-and she will fly up and land on whatever is easiest-hand, shoulder, head LOL

Snugbug: I know someone else who has a polish who also lays green eggs-almost seems like someone should try to breed for these!!! There is an ad on here for someone with both gorgous great quality Salmon Faverolle and BS LF cochins-tempted tog et them-just hate trying to find good homes for the roos :-(

 

[lahowardjr]

I have to say Orphingtons and Marans are docile breeds and friendly. My birds follow me around the yard and scratch under my feet. They also will allow me to pick them up when I want to. I feed them grass hoppers by hand in the summer months. Love 'em.

 

[Ducclelover10]

I have to say Orphingtons and Marans are docile breeds and friendly. My birds follow me around the yard and scratch under my feet. They also will allow me to pick them up when I want to. I feed them grass hoppers by hand in the summer months. Love 'em.

There used to be so many grasshoppers in our yard, until we got chickens.