Which Chicks Should I Get for my Broody Hen

[bacibeau]

Right now, I have 3 Speckled Sussex and 1 Buff Orpington and one of the Sussex is broody so we are getting her two chicks to raise. We have the choice between Road Island Reds or Easter Eggers but are unsure which to get? Do we get 2 RIRs, 2 Easter Eggers, or 1 of each? We are looking for friendly chickens that will get along with the rest of our flock. Thank you for your help!

 

[Rose the Legbar]

If you want some of the sweetest chicks I’d 100% go for Easter Eggers. My little Easter Egger chick is the friendliest out of all my chicks I’ve had. Although to make your chicks like you, you’d have to spend a ton of time with the chicks while they grow and handle them a lot.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

As far as Rhode Island Reds or Easter Eggers, I've had many of both breeds and love them both. If your broody speckled Sussex is friendly and trusting towards you, she will teach her chicks to be the same. A chick's innate temperament is important too, but momma's attitude always influences her chicks in the beginning. As far as how many chicks to get her, 2, 3 or 4, that depends on how much you want to expand your flock numbers, and whether you get sexed pullets or not.

 

[Auma]

In my experience RIRs are a much more assertive bird, mine has been friendly in terms of taking food from me but I'm not allowed to touch her without her say so. And she is at the top of the pecking order and isn't the most welcoming to other birds she wasn't raised with. I still love her though, she just happens to be Queen B in my flock of 20

 

[bacibeau]

Thank you so much everyone!

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

you should totally go with the easter egg. rhode island reds are the pit bulls of birds. in my experience, if a rhode island red is raised right, it is a sweet bird and a good egg layer too. however if you raise your rhode islands even THE SLIGHTEST BIT wrong, they will try to eat your eyes.