which breed is right for us?

[kshimpi]

Hi all, I am new here, still in the research phase of raising chickens. We live in Eastern NC, want good egg layers but also good pets for our young kids. We have narrowed it down to Buff Orpington and Australorp. Any thoughts on the best egg layer/kid friendly chicken?

 

[Y N dottes]

If u want to pick between buff orpingtons and black australorps, orpingtons are more friendly, but australorps are better for laying. at least, that has been my experience.
If u are willing to get a different breed, rhode island reds are also great layers, and docile for the most part.
Depending on the space u have, Barred rocks are good layers, but need a little more room...IMO
Wyandottes are extremely friendly, but not as good a layer...though they are still considered 'good' layers

 

[nurse_turtle]

Standard Brahmas are so sweet and the girls lay HUGE brown eggs. My gold Comets are also super sweet and lay large dark brown eggs. One of my very favorite breeds is the Dominique. Every flock needs a couple of Easter Eggers to add blue or green eggs to the basket. I strongly recommend a mixed flock.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

FYI, Australorps are Austrailia's breed of Orpington's. They derive from Orpingtons, hence the orp part in the breed name. I have 2 each Buff Orpington, Barred Rock, and Pruduction Rhode Island Red. They are all very friendly and very social with us. The Reds are a little more skittish than the rest.

 

[15shenyl]

I have Salmon Faverolles. They give me eggs every day, normally each one lays. They are great winter birds. And best of all, they are the friendliest chicken I have ever seen. They love to cuddle, follow me around, and they are cute! There beards and muffs come over there eyes, they tend to run into each other because they can't see.

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

FYI, Australorps are Austrailia's breed of Orpington's. They derive from Orpingtons, hence the orp part in the breed name. I have 2 each Buff Orpington, Barred Rock, and Pruduction Rhode Island Red. They are all very friendly and very social with us. The Reds are a little more skittish than the rest.

Oh, and I have 3 chicks in the brooder, 2 EE's and a Golden Sex-link. In the spring I am planning on getting som Silkies, Cochins, Salmon Favorells, and Delewares. I like mixed flocks.

 

[Y N dottes]

I like a mixed flock also...i have a small flock right now w/ 3 barred rocks and 2 rohde island reds, but i want to get more hens next spring. gonna look for either EEs, wyandottes, orps, sussex, or some of each.... the more colorful the flock, the better IMO

 

[Arielle]

Kshimpi--- you also need to know WHERE the hens came from. while a particular breed will tend to be a certain way, the friendly/ nasty rating can depend on the how they are bred. I have a few RIR that protect their eggs ( from MM) and I don't recommend them for little kids trying to gather eggs. GOod layers and avg on the friendly scale.

We played with the Speckled Sussex a lot and they know to come and help look for worms while we are weeding; my younger SS don't do this and are less friendly, maybe because we didn't play with them or because they came from Meyers.

Buff Orpingtons are by far my friendliest. Not every one, but more so than other breeds I have.

Depending on how many you plan to have, you don't want every chicken vying for attention as you will be tripping over your birds. IMHO

I have chosen a variety of birds to see what will work for me. I learned more about the birds during the first year of having them than any on line research, and I learned a lot on line.

If you ONLY want layers, and not a meat bird , the hatchery birds usually a re smaller than heritage lines and lay more eggs. A great production type not mentioned is the leghorns which are usually a quiet type especally from a very good breeder like Don Schrider. He can also recommend other breedrs if you would like to help save an old breed. THese are not commercial birds that I am talking about.

Many of the hatcheries offer leghorn, look for the dark or light leghorn, not a white leghorn until you know which is which. THen find folks that have those lines to find out the temperaments.

Good luck. Chickens are fun and entertaining and need some care to thrive.

 

[kshimpi]

Thanks for all the replies! Has anyone gotten started pullets (vs day old chicks) from a hatchery? I have been looking into Meyer.

 

[mickey328]

We got started pullets from a woman locally. I'm really happy with that decision. We're only allowed to have 6 hens and had decided on sexlinks because we want eggs. Our girls were about 7 months old when we got them and they laid the very next day. Since then, the eggs have gotten even larger and we average (or did average before the lower light and cooler temps) 5 eggs a day. We didn't have to raise or feed them or worry...they were $10 each and I think it was a bargain. If we ever get to a place where we can have lots of chickens, I might go with breeding some or getting chicks, but till that time, we'll stick with started ones