Why do you have the breeds you do?

[TashaFrancois]

DH and I just wanted a couple of hens as pets who lay breakfast. I underestimated how quickly and deeply I’d get attached. I have this thing where when I love something I get a bit obsessed. So I read all about breeds, eggs, food, healthcare, coops, and more. That’s how I found BYC. I started with a FBCM, 3 silkies, and a lavender Ameraucana. Fast forward and we have 10 hens, 2 Roos, and 6 ducks. Since they were always going to be pets I chose based on appearance, egg color, and history. So, why did you choose who you have?

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

I picked Rhode Island Reds for eggs and meat. I have no attachment to my chickens but I do treat them with respect since they provide for me. I picked guinea fowl for pest control and will be getting more this May. I picked pekin ducks because I love the look of the breed and they are pets.

 

[TashaFrancois]

I picked Rhode Island Reds for eggs and meat. I have no attachment to my chickens but I do treat them with respect since they provide for me. I picked guinea fowl for pest control and will be getting more this May. I picked pekin ducks because I love the look of the breed and they are pets.

I have a pekin she is named Duchess after the mama cat in Aristocats. Lol

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

I have a pekin she is named Duchess after the mama cat in Aristocats. Lol

I haven’t named mine yet since I have no idea on gender. They are still ducklings haha.

 

[5hens&aroo]

I started out the same way. A ton of research and thinking later I got 14 chicks. Picked a few different ones( Barred Rock,Wyandotte’s, Rhode Island Reds, Black Australorp, Easter eggers and White rocks) to get a variety to see what breed I would like the best. All of them of course and now I have close to thirty chickens. All those breeds and more with some barn yard mixes and I love them all. I feel at the beginning I chose the the chicks I did for egg production and what I thought would fit best for me but now whoever wants to join the flock is welcome!

 

[CannedMonster]

When I first started out I chose for appearance and color.
I got Naked Necks, Plymouth Rocks, Australorps, Speckled Sussex and bantams (mostly Cochins).
I wasn’t really concerned with egg colors, etc.
Now I’m very interested in genetics and breeding.
I want to create NN/EEs and possibly sex linked birds too.

 

[Ribh]

I wanted eggs & eye~candy. I have black Australorps & Barred Rocks with my eye on Campines, Wyandotes & Speckled Sussex.

 

[Better Than Rubies]

I could make this very long, but don't want to, as it would probably bore you all. So, lemme' just name the breeds I have, and then tell you why I got one or two of them, as the reasons for having most of the breeds I do is kind of complicated, and a long story.
I currently have a: Silver Laced Wyandotte, Blue Laced Red Wyandotte, Barred Rock, Black Sex Link, Production Red, two Easter Eggers, a white/yellow or whatever chick labeled as supposedly being a California White, Turken, and two Silkie bantams.

I got the BLRW for its color, as I really love the blue color, and the lacing. It was so hard to choose between that one, though, or a Black Copper Marans (which would've been chosen mostly for egg color). And, surprise, I also got a turkey poult that day...he (yes, at 5 days old it was confirmed he's a tom 'cause he was already acting like one with my Turken and baby silkie, sadly...because I really wanted a hen for big ol' turkey eggs ) is a blue slate heritage turkey. My mom amazingly and actually agreed to letting me get one! And if I could get only one, I definitely wanted the Blue Slate (only for the gorgeous color ).

 

[IamRainey]

We've just had chickens for about 2 years now. I'm already 72 (or will be on Saturday ) so it was always clear that there wouldn't be too much time to experience as much of chicken raising as possible. I chose for as much diversity of appearance and eggs as I could when I was getting 3 my first year and adding 5 after that. Got 4 more coming next month. And, of course, I was also limited by what was available.

I'll never get around to all the chickens I want but I suppose life is more or less like that so why shouldn't chickens be? But it's still a pleasure to go out and care for them and collect what they provide for me. And just to see all the colors and personalities.

Mine are:
• a Cream Legbar named Lavinia
• a Partridge Plymouth Rock named Prudence
• a Double-laced Barnvelder named Eggsperanza (who's no longer with us except in spirit)
• a Blue Orpington named Ophelia and a Lavender one named Violet
• a Sicilian Buttercup named Sadie
• a Golden-laced Wyandotte named Wendolyn
• and a Black Cooper Marans roo named Monsieur Maurice

The ones that are coming are:
• a Speckled Sussex
• a female Black Copper Marans (this time! fingers crossed! )
• an Olive Egger
• and a Swedish Flower Hen
no names for this group yet...

 

[Perris]

I chose breeds that are rare or heritage dual purpose breeds to try to keep their gene pools going, and that have reputations as good foragers and for good predator awareness because I don't want to pen them, so they look after themselves all day long (they have predator proof coops for roosting and nesting). I also wanted each breed to lay eggs a different colour from the others so I would know, relatively easily, who laid what.
I started with 3 Swedish Flowers (tinted), added 3 Cream Crested Legbars (blue). In due course I added 2 RIR (mid brown), 2 Lavender Araucanas (blue-green), and 2 Norfolk Greys (light brown). I lost the CCLs to predation before any of them had laid an egg so gave up on that breed. The rest have survived a year+ to date and are thriving.