Will be expanding my standard hen flock next spring, need breed recommendations

[Going Quackers]

I assume you dont have a rooster and there is no need to want a broody hen. Might I suggest the buff orpington. I have several amongst a number of other breeds as well. Not all but most of these lay an egg a day or 1 every other day. I have a few of this breed that love to be held and fondled and a few that just hang around when there are treats to be passed out. All in all my favorites of the 5 breeds I own. Black sex links are my best egg producers with great coloring but not quite as docile. very good flock birds also. Good luck on this one as you are in the candy store and need to shop!

We do but not with my standards, only silkies roos and they are not allowed near my hens lol This is why i asked seems like so many choices.

 

[Going Quackers]

Hi GQ!

My 2nd flock was Rhode Island Reds from a breeder in Lindsay, On. She was selling her culls, but they were good layers of medium to large size eggs. Cold hardy, excellent foragers & alert. Colour won't stand out as much to a ground predator, like a white bird does. I've been thinking about getting a few again myself.

Barred rocks are also a great option. The barring is good camouflage too.

Yep, lots of choices.....speckled Sussex, Partridge Chantecler,.....Its dizzying! Good luck with your search.

Well hey there Shellz! how you been? You make a good point on colours/patterns for free ranging, of coarse as you know with those big old scovie boys about most would likely ignore my smaller birds. Thanks for the suggestions. How are your calls doing??

 

[Going Quackers]

I like my Brahmas. They are dependable 1 egg every two days type of girls. They start out not too friendly, argue a lot when you pick them up, but once grow up I have notices they become very friendly. but like someone already said, hand feeding and picking the girls up does the trick.

Alright, i have seen some Brahmas but didn't know much past, oh look chicken lol It's pretty easy to tame birds around here, i have 3 kids more than happy to hold, chirp/coo at wee ones and their all teens so old enough to know proper handling.

 

[Going Quackers]

You mentioned you have Ameraucana. What other breeds do you have?

A limit of 99 hens? Wow, that is a lot. It seems most people who have hens have in the 6 to 20 range.

Silkies, so just two breeds here, "technically" the silkies aren't mine they belong to my oldest, yes, here you can keep 99 laying hens before buying Quota, i am rural though so frankly, who knows what people actually keep but by that point your creeping into pretty heavy production.

I keep mostly ducks here, but i am not going to buy chicken eggs, that would be silly, so in came the hens.

 

[Going Quackers]

Bullitt, you are exactly right. Orpington hens can be a broody bunch. 2 messages of intent were in my comment. One is that her egg numbers would decrease with a broody breed in the nesting box. The other would fill her necessity of replenishing her stock with a rooster around and a good broody such as an orpington if she chose to do so. I should have clarified it. Some breeds are good egg layers and are not known to become broody.
The Orpington breed is a good egg layer, a good mother broody, and very docile.

Yeah, mixed on broody breeds... i keep Muscovy ducks and they drive me bonkers with it, i know silkies are which i am waiting to see how bad that goes, we do have roo's with that breed. I am extremely mixed on keeping a large rooster here, i know how to hold my own, we had a stallion, i have a ram and i currently have 8 drakes between two breeds, plus we have the "mini roos" (bantam silkies) but i still run on hesitant, i'd like some Chantecler but would prefer to stick to just sexed chicks, much less hassle, i am not worried about them free ranging since they go off with the big duck flock which consists again of big Muscovy drakes and always return at dusk to their coop. (housed separate)

 

[Our Roost]

Going Quackers, Glad your ducks are seperated and privately quartered from you chickens. I know first hand how dangerous it is to house the 2 together. It seems you plan on purchasing chicks rather than raise offspring with a broody and rooster in the mix. It can be so much easier that way. Well then, get to pickin and good luck!

 

[Going Quackers]

Going Quackers, Glad your ducks are seperated and privately quartered from you chickens. I know first hand how dangerous it is to house the 2 together. It seems you plan on purchasing chicks rather than raise offspring with a broody and rooster in the mix. It can be so much easier that way. Well then, get to pickin and good luck!

Yeah, no i don't mix my poultry, free ranging goes fine but close quarters is a whole different story IMO, I break down my drakes in housing too.

I think i'd prefer just buying chicks, i know the pleasure and heartache of growing your own(so to speak lol) with the ducks, i think i'd prefer just ready made varieties and skip the drama.

 

[ocap]

I tried seven different breeds and ended up with Brahma as my favorite

 

[Chicks Galore3]

I LOVE my opringtons, great layers, friendly and docile, and cold hardy. I had one who went broody a couple times, but she was easily broken.I also like me EEs for the same reasons. Gold Stars, (AKA Golden Comet, Red-Sex-Link...) Are AWESOME layers, and can be friendly with handling. They aren't THE best winter hardy breed, but they are doing OK in my northern Iowa temps. (felt like -9 the other night, no heat lamp, and they came out fine.) I'm not actually sure if it is legal for me to have chickens...I just got them. I do live in the country, so I am assuming it's fine.

 

[lazy gardener]

In my zone 4, my preference is for rose and pea comb birds, darker colors to be less predator prone. I vote Dominique: A nice auto-sexing, rose combed, bar patterned, good temperament bird, good forager. and EE: Pea combed, lots of color variation, overall, I love their quirky personalities. Then you might want to throw in a couple of sex-links to up your percentage of lay.