Which is more quiet? The Austerlop or the Bared Rock?

[Kataloo]

To cference. Thanks about clipping their wings. I will probably do that...clip a few and see how they do. I agree with you with you, one chick, two chick. Probably different personalities. I think I will try observing the chicks before purchasing and see how they act when I hold them. To My Pet Nugget, I haven't heard about the whining. Guess you never know until you get them. I have been advised to not get my chicks until the end of March. So I am trying to practice being patient, but I am excited.

 

[MyPetNugget]

Hope all goes well!

 

[One Chick Two]

Good luck Kataloo!

All chickens whine from time to time. Ours are pretty spoiled. lol They all make lots of different sounds. Just some do it louder or more often than others.

Strangely enough, every one of our friendly baby chicks (that would hop in your hand) ended up as cockerels. Out of those very friendly baby cockerels, the most friendly cockerel changed into the most independent roo around 8 weeks of age. But the other friendly chicks are now friendly adults, and tug on your pantlegs occasionally to be picked up or fly up on your shoulder or back, even the roos. Even many of the shyer chicks turned out friendly, so you just never know who is going to end up like what.

Perhaps try looking at combs, and try to find the smallest, less developed combs to attempt to get your best chance at pullets vs. roos?

 

[MyPetNugget]

Good luck Kataloo!

All chickens whine from time to time. Ours are pretty spoiled. lol They all make lots of different sounds. Just some do it louder or more often than others.

Strangely enough, every one of our friendly baby chicks (that would hop in your hand) ended up as cockerels. Out of those very friendly baby cockerels, the most friendly cockerel changed into the most independent roo around 8 weeks of age. But the other friendly chicks are now friendly adults, and tug on your pantlegs occasionally to be picked up or fly up on your shoulder or back, even the roos. Even many of the shyer chicks turned out friendly, so you just never know who is going to end up like what.

Perhaps try looking at combs, and try to find the smallest, less developed combs to attempt to get your best chance at pullets vs. roos?

I agree. Are you planning on buying them from a breeder or from a hatchery? We got ours from Meyer hatchery. You can choose whether you want chicks or pullets, and if you want pullets or cockerels. They offer to vaccinate them from Mereks disease too.

 

[AmericanMom]

I do not have Barred Rocks so I cannot speak for that breed, I do have 3 BA's , 2 EE's a Java and 2 Acona's... The Acona's are NOISY!!! lol... The Java is very quiet, out of the 3 BA's only one is ever noisy and she happens to also be the one to ever go broody, same with the EE's, although neither have went broody only one announces her intent to lay an egg.. But here is what I have observed, if you have one noisy one that will announce that she has or is about to lay an egg, you usually have more that will join her song...Once quiet birds can and do at times get loud.

Now our roosters... They are always noisy, crow at different times throughout the day and early morning..

 

[Kataloo]

Thanks everyone for the tips. I have a notebook I am recording everything I learn down. Good stuff here.

 

[aggielady]

I don't have barred rocks, but my Australorpe is our quietest bird. Even when she's grabbed, she just makes a quiet chuckling noise

 

[Kataloo]

Which would you recommend for a beginner between a Laced Wyandotte and the Australorp?

 

[aggielady]

I AM a beginner! I've only had chickens about 5 months now. They are equally well suited breeds for beginners, I think. Their differences are very slight in my flock- mostly superficial things like coloring, size & comb.
The Wyandottes are a bit larger (but they are older) and slightly more dominant, but that may because I have 3 to the 1 Australorpe; and she and the GLW were the last to come into the flock.
I think its just a personal preference. I originally wanted all Australorpes but couldn't find them. If its especially cold where you live, you may want to go with the Wyandottes because their rose comb is less prone to freezing. If you want a slightly more laid back bird, go with Australorpes. I honestly like both equally and if I were able to trade my loud Red Star for another quiet Australorpe or two I would.

 

[Spangled]

Australorp or Barred Rock quieter? For us, Australorps. Our Barred Rocks were some of our noisiest birds, a few summers running. We only had 3 Australorps and they were all quiet as church mice. Very calm, too. I guess it just depends. The Barred Rocks were from "friends" and McMurray. The Australorps were from McMurray, a few years ago. The Brahmas were pretty quiet, too.

My quietest over the years, through a number of hens, are green egg layers, White Chanteclers, and Black Copper Marans (Jeane line, or however you spell it). Of those, the best layers were the green egg layers, though I haven't done any egg counts on the White Chanteclers that I can remember.

We found the Barred Rocks a little more pecky than our other breeds. (I sound like I am picking on the Barred Rocks ... sorry to Barred Rock lovers ... maybe we just got some weird throwbacks or something.) The green egg layers should be fine if they are picked up a lot as the progress from chicks to adults, though a few will fly a bit better than the average dual purpose hen. I am a fan of green egg layers, though, don't get me wrong--a great, sturdy, productive chicken. Most dual purpose hens will be just fine with children. The lighter breeds (Hamburgs, Campines, Leghorns), on average, are a little more flighty and less wanting to be handled.

YMMV. Actually, your mileage probably will vary a lot.