Which Hen is the best for: Eggs, Temperament, Looks and that isn't hard to find

[Alpine Bobwhite]

Just wondering which of these is the best.

 

[rural mouse]

Just wondering which of these is the best.

Depends upon your climate, keeping set up, etc.

Do you get temps over 100F routinely? Do you get temps below 0F routinely? Lots of rain? Snow? Wind? Free range all day? Coop and run all day? Size of coop? What sorts of predators are around? Are you in town, edge of town, deep country?

 

[Saveria]

I think everyone has their opinion, and temperament can vary widely even within a breed. I think that most of the austras I have met mostly fit into that "all around" breed that folks want.

 

[Saveria]

Depends upon your climate, keeping set up, etc.

Do you get temps over 100F routinely? Do you get temps below 0F routinely? Lots of rain? Snow? Wind? Free range all day? Coop and run all day? Size of coop? What sorts of predators are around? Are you in town, edge of town, deep country?

That is a good point. Leghorns aren't happy in the winters that we have here.

 

[Alpine Bobwhite]

That is a good point. Leghorns aren't happy in the winters that we have here.

Depends upon your climate, keeping set up, etc.

Do you get temps over 100F routinely? Do you get temps below 0F routinely? Lots of rain? Snow? Wind? Free range all day? Coop and run all day? Size of coop? What sorts of predators are around? Are you in town, edge of town, deep country?

I live in England so it doesn't get too cold. I don't think we hardly ever get under -5 Celsius EDIT: We RARELY get snow. More often we don't. Only predators are really foxes and cats

 

[NatJ]

I voted for Orpingtons, given that you are in England and they were developed there. You might also consider Sussex, another breed that was developed in your country. But the other breeds you list can all be good choices too.

Silkies usually fail on "best for eggs." They look very different than the other breeds you listed, so they either look much better than the others (to some people) or much worse (to some other people.)

What breeds are "easy to find" will depend on where you live. I'm in the US, where true Ameraucanas are hard to find, but everything else on your list is easy to get from hatcheries (including Easter Eggers.) Since you are in England, that might be different.

"Looks" is a personal preference, so every one of those breeds is beautiful to someone. If you want them to all look alike, skip the Easter Eggers. Some people love the appearance of fluffy Silkies, some other people dislike it.

"Temperament" depends partly on what temperament you like. Some people prefer really calm chickens, some prefer chickens that are more alert even if that means they also get scared more easily. Just like with looks, every one of those breeds has a temperament that is liked by someone.

 

[Alpine Bobwhite]

I voted for Orpingtons, given that you are in England and they were developed there. You might also consider Sussex, another breed that was developed in your country. But the other breeds you list can all be good choices too.

Silkies usually fail on "best for eggs." They look very different than the other breeds you listed, so they either look much better than the others (to some people) or much worse (to some other people.)

What breeds are "easy to find" will depend on where you live. I'm in the US, where true Ameraucanas are hard to find, but everything else on your list is easy to get from hatcheries (including Easter Eggers.) Since you are in England, that might be different.

"Looks" is a personal preference, so every one of those breeds is beautiful to someone. If you want them to all look alike, skip the Easter Eggers. Some people love the appearance of fluffy Silkies, some other people dislike it.

"Temperament" depends partly on what temperament you like. Some people prefer really calm chickens, some prefer chickens that are more alert even if that means they also get scared more easily. Just like with looks, every one of those breeds has a temperament that is liked by someone.

Thanks! And from what you said it sounds that Ameraucanas are different from Easter Eggers, have I been missing something?

 

[Saveria]

If you have a minute this article explains everything.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...s-and-ameraucanas-with-review-optional.76220/

 

[rural mouse]

Another British breed: Dorking. Been around since the time of the Romans.

Do you have a place to get birds from? what do they have available?

Can you check out their keeping conditions? (Do the birds have lice/mites? Are they crowded together?) More for backyard breeder source, but if getting from a hatchery, check out reviews of the place. There's also a thread on here reviewing assorted places.

 

[rural mouse]

I live in England so it doesn't get too cold. I don't think we hardly ever get under -5 Celsius EDIT: We RARELY get snow. More often we don't. Only predators are really foxes and cats

What sorts of birds of prey do you have around? Goshawks are pretty agile and big enough to kill adult chickens. Rats can do a number on even half grown birds too. Anything in the weasel family can (and will) take on things bigger than themselves. Otters can kill turkeys. Neighborhood dogs can kill chickens.

Any people near you with chickens? What do and do nots do they suggest based upon local experience?