Which breed has been your most gentle?

[rascal66]

For me, this is a hard question. All my birds seem to have unique personalities. I've had calm and gentle Brahmas, but also flightly ones. Had friendly leghorns, and flighty ones. Same with EEs. Have a couple very friendly quiet EEs, but also some that are loud and want nothing to do with me. Honestly, it beats me!!!

 

[MageofMist]

Silkies and Seramas for me. Though Seramas are spirited little birds who love to strut about and show off, they are also incredibly soft and snuggly beans. I also used to have Silkies, though shier than my current Seramas, they were super sweet and cuddly.

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I also have this Barnyard Mix bantam who is the sweetest little poof, she is shy like my Silkies were, but has been gradually building up confidence.

 

[The chicken nurd]

For me it depends on the bird
One of my BO I used to have was the sweetest thing ever and always at the bottom of the pecking order but the other BO I have is super aggressive to the other birds and at the top of the pecking order
And I have had a similar experience with my Easter eggers (ones an olive egger but there pretty much the same) one of them is super sweet and the other one is scared of everything and freaks out if you try and catch her
Also my silkie was very sweet when I had her
And I had a Delaware hen that was very sweet to me but super aggressive towards the other hens

 

[BleuSaphir]

Easter Eggers are so personal. RIR I find gentle too.

 

[kurby22]

Yeah I find it tough to pick too. The most gentle with people have so far been my Orps and Ameraucanas. They let my kids cart them around and just have very chill and calm personalities. I have silkies too and I would say they are the most gentle to other chickens and sort of freaked out by humans although they are totally fine being held once caught. I have Cochins too and while they’re totally sweet birds that do not seem to pick on any of the other chickens, they are not terribly chill and flip out when picked up. The bantams are definitely more confident and friendly but they are also bossy and pecky! I love them all though! My Wyandotte is the meanest chicken I have and she mostly just chases them around. No violence or relentless pestering. She’s also more gentle with the banty chickens than the standards. I have a lot of well behaved nice birds

 

[fleurchickens]

My Orps, Plymouth Rocks, Cochins and Delaware’s are my most gentle in my flock.

 

[Martaals]

Bantam cochins. If they all get broody at the same time though..... I would not want to have only cochins.
My barnevelder bantams are less of a lap chicken, but very consistent and friendly birds with which I haven't had any trouble. Healthy, not broody, decent layers. They are calm and friendly

 

[MROO]

My bantam flock consists of mostly Nankins, a buff cochin and a hatchery EE. All but the EE are real gems, especially those hatched inside. The Bantam EE is a flighty basket case. All you have to do is open the coop door and she runs!
My standards are all pretty sweet, too - especially the two kindergarten dropouts, a Black Jersey Giant and a New Hampshire Red. They were hatched in - you guessed it - a kindergarten classroom. I really think that, while breed has a lot of influence, their first day or so seems to make the biggest difference. Based on my own experience, I'd recommend going with a generally docile breed and hatch the eggs yourself.

 

[topochico225]

Mille Fleur d'Uccles, hands down. They'll jump onto my shoulders when I'm outside and follow me around.

 

[Regina Larsen]

I started a new flock and decided to get a variety of breeds this summer. The only ones I'd had before were barred rocks, and previously, they'd been my gentlest birds, but this time, they're actually my most aggressive. The rest are all new breeds for me. I've got four Cochins in the group (3 hens and 1 rooster), and they are pretty sweet and rarely challenge or peck anyone else. They've become my favorites.

But what has really surprised me is my Austrolorps. I probably pay the least attention to them because they're the only little group that I can't tell them apart (I call them"the buzzards" ). I sat and watched the whole flock today for a long time, and I realized these ladies are very kind to the other chickens. I've got a little Hamburg rooster who is at the bottom of the whole pecking order right now, and I've got a Polish who was bullied and had to be doctored up (she's doing a lot better and back with the flock but still a little skittish). I've noticed the Austrolorps never bother those two, even when they bother them, and even protect them at times.

I know every chicken is different, but these are breeds I'll probably stick with in the future. Just wondering if anyone else has a breed that they've found to be surprisingly gentle? Or which breed do you think is the most gentle with you and your other chickens?

Jersey giants. My 2 girls are mid rank range. It will be a good balance bc they will end up being the largest. They just dont bother anyone! Mellow gals. One girl is the bravest of the bunch and loves being the first to explore something new.