Which breeds for kids?

[kimmypie]

While we do want eggs, we don't need a TON of eggs so egg production isn't a huge issue. I thought Australorps were good layers? With 4 hens I figured we'd get enough eggs even if they aren't laying very much. But I've never had chickens so I really don't know. I want hens that are calm and good egg layers (not GREAT, but good).

 

[NottinghamChicks]

Quote:
Yes I believe they are, unless they go broody and they production stops due to nature. I have mostly Bantams, but I do have a small coop with my egg layers (5 hens) and I have one now that is broody and one that is starting to become broody. I bought those two at a swap because they were kind of dumb and cute looking. I'm paying for it in the lack of egg production but I now have 5 new babies from one of them.

Now getting four eggs/day but soon to be 3 once the other is fully broody

 

[CariLynn]

Quote:
I hope after throwing a chicken up like that they got spanked! How horrible!!

I really enjoy my hens, but my little Gold Star hen Lil Bit is very friendly and when I pick her up she lets me touch her and is very sweet. My RIR hen Bonnie is vocal, and so is my Wyandotte hen Cordelia .

 

[Katydid2011]

Our first flock was comprised of two Rhode Island Reds, three Buff Orpingtons, one Silver-Laced Wyandotte, and two Cream Brabanters. The Brabanters were lovely to look at but we were never able to turn them into pets. In fact, I think they could fairly be called wild. We ended up selling them to a couple who wanted an ornamental flock of laying hens. The remainder of the hens were friendly to varying degrees, with the Silver-Laced Wyandotte being the least friendly, but our favorite hens were the Buff Orpingtons. We found them to be friendly, beautiful and good layers.

After we put together our first flock we became addicted. We started out wanting only four hens, came away with six, and a day later we had eight! We now have four Buff Orpingtons, two Rhode Island Reds, two Delawares, two Australorps, four Black Sex Link (Black Stars), one Americauna, one Golden Laced Wyandotte, one Silver Laced Wyandotte, and two Blue Laced Red Wyandottes. The Wyandottes continue to be the least friendly, by far, but they're so pretty I can't help but forgive them for their aloofness.

Our youngest daughter is particularly smitten by the brave and spunky Black Stars and the Delawares who practically purr when we pet them and beg to be petted and carried.

Best of luck to you as you put together your flock!

 

[stellacat]

Australorps, Orpingtons, Wyandottes, Plymouth Rocks, Silkies(not good egg-layers, but most calm\\friendly),and brahmas.

 

[Katydid2011]

Quote:
I hope after throwing a chicken up like that they got spanked! How horrible!!

I really enjoy my hens, but my little Gold Star hen Lil Bit is very friendly and when I pick her up she lets me touch her and is very sweet. My RIR hen Bonnie is vocal, and so is my Wyandotte hen Cordelia .

Your post made me smile. Our Wyandottes are all very vocal as well. What they lack in friendliness, they make up for in beauty and personality. We love the way they softly cluck and churrup. They're by far our most talkative girls. Our RIRs are quite vocal too but they're sounds are harsher. One of them honks like a goose and it cracks me up.

)

As for throwing chickens, I'm thinking the temperament (and training) of the child is every bit as important as the temperament of the hen!

 

[TriciaHowe]

Delawares are great with kids and the roosters are very mellow - as are the hens. They lay big brown eggs and are just a pretty chicken in general. My kids favorites though are our cochin bantams.

 

[ellie97]

I would go with Easter Eggers (Arucauna, Americana), Silkies, frizzles, or Orpingtons. We have all these and they are very friendly and docile. Plus, the kids will love the colorful eggs!

 

[kimmypie]

I will not be having a rooster for sure. They aren't allowed in the city and I live in suburbs with close neighbors so for sure I won't have a roo.

 

[motoclown]

Our Barred Rocks are the sweetest little things out of the 4 new breeds we've acquired.
They are going on 9 weeks old, and we went from having 3 ladies to 40 in one year, added 37 chicks.

Out of the 37 new babies, I think I see 4 roos, only time will tell.

We got breeds that do well in cold weather and lay brown eggs.

Wyandottes are so-so beautiful...