Which breed to choose???

[gjgarre]

I am in the process of building a second coop and my plan was to get just one breed of chicken, a few hens and a rooster and let nature take its course. I have a variety in my other coop and cannot get a hen to set for anything. So my question is, which breed, please not bantams or silkies, would lay, set, and mother young best? Meaning which breed would fill the coop best with little human involvement. I was leading towards buff orpingtons but not sure if that is the right choice.

 

[TheCrazyClucker]

Orpingtons of any color (they come in a bunch-- Buff, White, Black, Blue, Splash, Lavender, just to name a few) are great layers, docile (both hens and roosters), pretty, hardy in both heat and cold, will lay straight through cold weather, and hens will set and are good mothers.

 

[brairgirl]

Orpingtons.. You should get multiple colors to make things interesting

They are good mothers. The roosters are friendly..

 

[gjgarre]

I really like the blue and lavender colored birds. I have been scouring the internet, classifieds, and craigslist trying to find some mature, already laying, breeding pairs but haven't found any. They were actually the first chicken I wanted, but never could get one, even went to lucasville swap meet and couldn't find an orpington in the entire place. So if you know of any around Southern Ohio or Northern Kentucky, let me know.

 

[TheCrazyClucker]

Mypetchicken.com sells Blue Orpingtons
http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Day-Old-Baby-Chicks/Blue-Orpington-p1226.aspx

 

[gjgarre]

Ok, thanks. If only they sold full grown hens to save me the wait for eggs.