Why do you have the breeds you do?

[RIRhubarb]

I started out with 2 RIR (Rhubarb and Toe Jam) and 2 Buff Orpingtons (Custard and Wendelle). The 2 RIR are peas in a pod, go everywhere together and have very similar personalities. Rhubarb is queen of the roost, not bossy but everyone knows who's boss. They are gorgeous (dark mahogany with shades of blue and green in the sunlight), very talkative and friendly, they will jump in my lap when I have treats and climb on the highest chair to look through the kitchen window. Toe Jam was attacked by a huge red tailed hawk in December, it ripped all the skin and feathers from her breast, the bottom of her neck to the top of her legs and from wing to wing - it was like looking at a skinless chicken breast in the supermarket, heartbreaking, I didn't think she'd make it. Anyhow, hardy little beggar that she is, she made it! After spending 3 months in the house recovering, she now considers herself a house chicken even though she is back in the coop. She sneaks off when the others are not watching to the back door and when I open it she runs straight through to the kitchen and sits at fridge until I give her some blueberries.

The buffs are just a joy to be around, they love company and are just adorable.

I then added 4 Light Brahmas (Sumo, Snowball, Moon and Blizzard), a Barred Rock (Rocky) and an Ameraucana cockerel (Barney). The Brahmas are friendly and very vocal about everything...especially if I'm late feeding them! They are easily handled and great foragers. My Barred Rock is a RIR in disguise, virtually identical personality....very friendly but don't like to be handled, great forager, very talkative and just great company. Barney the Ameraucana is an absolute cutie, bottom of the pecking order right now but has just started to crow....amongst other things! He's kinda friendly but a bit skittish, loves to try to impress the girls with his tidbitting and the whole wing dip and dance thing, right now the girls are not very interesting in his little show...they are quite happy to eat the food he brings though!

 

[9SpiceyChickens]

I can only have 6 chickens due to my lot size

Same here.
I have 2 breeds- Bubblegum (An EE) and Sephora (a GLW).

I chose these breeds because a.) I love colorful eggs, b.) Eyecandy, c.) They produce fair sized eggs, 5 times a week.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

We always had chickens growing up as kids and I still love them! I love the different personalities and traits. I do pick a mixed flock of Rhode Island Reds, Orpingtons, Plymouth Barred Rock, White Leghorn, Easter Eggers, and Australorps. I love the color of the birds as well as the eggs. I try to pick the better foraging breeds since they free range and breeds that aren't too flighty. My White Leghorns were at first.. but since they have grown they only see me as a walking food bag and I am swarmed by them

 

[Fluffnut]

I chose mine for egg production and pet ability. I ended up with 2 (of each): Wyandotte, Barred Rock, Buckeye, Buff Orpington, Australorp, and Brahma. My most friendly and/or calm ones are my Brahmas, Orpingtons, and Buckeyes. My best layers are my Wyandottes, Brahmas, Barred Rocks and Orpingtons so far.

 

[Fluffnut]

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...

Happy Birthday! I too love all the colors and personalities

 

[meetthebubus]

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?

I first chose buff Orpingtons bc they were said to be sweet, docile, good layers, and it's all true so I thought at one time I'll only ever get orps, well just over a year ago I went to a store that had 20 Easter eggers, after having heard of their egg color on BYC, and that they are friendly I got the 20 of them, now I love both breeds but the ee's are more social and sweet and full of antics which made them really fun pets I have a rescued speckled Sussex who is sweet and assertive nice breed as well.
Basically I look for sweet friendly chickens

 

[ariri30]

It's unbelievably difficult to photograph the entire flock at once, but I managed to find a few pictures showing several! They move far too much.
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Compressed the images a little so the page won't take years to load.

~Alex

I’m in love

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I started taking care of my parents' chickens when I was 11. When I got married and was able to pick my own chickens i picked the Black Astralorps. I have 31 years of experience with birds. Although I may be new to this site I'm not new to chickens. I now also have Blue Andalusian, Brown Leghorns, Delaware, Dominique, Salmon Faverolle, White Leghorn cross, Black Maran chicks, Buff Orpington, White Polish, Speckled Sussex, Whiting True Blue, Silkie chicks, Silver Laced Wyandotte.

 

[IamRainey]

Thanks for the sweet b-day wishes. It was grand!

 

[Cadbury22]

We researched many different breeds of chickens. We decided we would get "chickens of fate" We went to the feed store a certain day, and whatever breeds they had we would choose them. We wound up with a buff orpington, and easter egger, and a brahma. Later we got austrolorp. All of these breeds have been wonderful with their own unique personalities. Our buff orpington is the leader of the flock.