Your very last chicken... what would it be?

[ValerieJ]

I am so happy to hear so many good reviews about the Black Australorp, as we are expecting our first ones about the middle of February.

I'm always talking about my Buff Orpingtons, but I have Australorps too and they are lovely birds.

 

[GrayChickens]

Yes, I do! I have three gold laced and two silver. And 3 buff Orpingtons. They are terrific birds!

Buff Orpingtons rock!!! (I should know I have 6)

 

[bukbukbagawk]

Japanese bantams, they were my first loves. Black tailed whites in particular but I love all the different colors. Short legged, medium legged, long legged, arms wide open. They're all really sweet and really fun to be around. I had some as a kid and they gave me some of my fondest memories. I recently got some day old chicks around four months ago, been a happy camper ever since. I do love my blue splash marans and black and mottled cochin a whole bunch too though. I love chickens in general but the japanese bantams are the ones that stole my heart.

 

[BDutch]

Before I got chickens, I had a list of ones that I wanted based on looks the bird and colour of their eggs more than anything. Now, I just care about temperament. I don't care which type of chicken I have as long as they're funny and friendly little monsters who are comfortable in my back yard.

@legojenn
I am reading this thread and you're post is making me curious. What breeds (or mixtures or hybrids) are you're most funny and friendly little monsters ??

 

[BDutch]

I'd go with bantams because, as Forest Gump might say, 'They're like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get." You ALWAYS get a heaping helping of personality. Their small size translates into less feed. They're pretty much self sufficient too, give them food, water and a safe environment and they'll pretty much take care of the rest. The hens are frequently broody and in my experience, are exceptional mothers. The cockerels can typically be raised with one of their 'brothers' if they've hatched out together and formed a solid understanding of who's the boss; clues to this good relationship between brothers starts becoming evident by a few months of age, and by a month prior to sexual maturity is plainly evident. I look for bonding of the cockerels as a culling criteria to ensure both a peaceful home for myself and my chickens, but also to give myself a backup rooster should something disastrous happen to one of them.
Eggs and meat from my chickens is simply a bonus. I raise quail for eggs and meat. That said, bantam hens lay a nice small to medium sized egg but you may need to observe where they're laying as their desire to brood is high, so they are prone to hiding their clutch. If I decide to collect their eggs (not allow them to brood), I always leave one egg in their nest so that they don't misinterpret them being missing as the nesting site being 'dangerous'; I used to take all of the eggs from the nest (as hens love to lay theirs all together), but found that they'd often abandon the nest unless I left them a token egg. I got tired of hunting for new laying spots
Bantams are my perfect chicken.

What bantams? There are many different bantams and not all such friendly and good mothers as you describe.
Btw, I have an egg in the nestbox too. Cause mine tend to be easter eggers too. Not in egg colors but in hiding their eggs for me to find.

P.s. I presume children search for eggs in the garden as a tradition on Easter too in the USA

 

[BDutch]

If you could only have one breed for the rest of your days, what would it be? What is the one chicken that will always have a place in your coop (and heart) and why?

Just curious to see all the responses and reasonings because I may or may not be needing to see what else I can add to my spring chick order list.

This is all just for fun. Pictures, rankings or long lists of recommended breeds will all be appreciated.

I have only experienced a few breeds. At home at my mothers place we had undefined small bantams. They were not easy to approach and the roos where too defensive.
Later my mother had brown industrial hybrids, for many years. Only sexed hens. They just seemed to care about food, laid eggs and got soup chicken after 2-3 years.

When I choose my own chickens I had a small chicken coop which was used before for keeping rabbits. So I searched for small and friendly chickens and thought the Dutch would fit my desires. And they did. I really like their characters. They have one con, in winter they give no eggs.

After a few years, after I made a larger coop and run, I decided to look for another small breed with nice colours that lay eggs in winter too. And these are my Millefleurs de Tournaisis. But they are less easy too handle and often try to sleep outside. I wouldn’t choose them again.

So maybe next time I stick to Dutch again ore maybe I try another small breed. If I can have just one breed. It will be Dutch.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Japanese bantams, they were my first loves. Black tailed whites in particular but I love all the different colors. Short legged, medium legged, long legged, arms wide open. They're all really sweet and really fun to be around. I had some as a kid and they gave me some of my fondest memories. I recently got some day old chicks around four months ago, been a happy camper ever since. I do love my blue splash marans and black and mottled cochin a whole bunch too though. I love chickens in general but the japanese bantams are the ones that stole my heart.

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Oh that black-tailed white rooster is a lovely boy!

 

[Celtics33]

Buff Orpingtons rock!!! (I should know I have 6)

Those are number 4 on my list - love them too!

 

[hysop]

Black Jersey Giants

probably because they were my first, but they are so large so perfect for meat production but also good layers. And I seem to have a bias with preferring brown eggs. Maybe because I associate white eggs with grocery store eggs.

 

[ChemicalchiCkns]

curious, friendly EEs:

I had an easter Egg bird in a flock, that was by far the most flighty and standoffish of them.