Author Topic: favourite chicken breeds (Read 3233 times)

ponylady · « **on:** July 27, 2014, 12:21:12 pm »

I have a mixed flock of 22, 12 ex farm birds, 3 Light Sussex, a Skyline (or legbar I'm not sure), a Blue Haze, an Amber Star, a Rhode Rock, and 3 Peking Bantams. The bantams are only 8 weeks old so are I. An ark on their own. The rest, whose ages vary from 2 years old (one of the Light Sussex) to 6 months old (the Blue Haze, Rhode Rock and Amber Star) muddle along together quite nicely. Mostly they all sleep together in The Big House, but 2 brown girls and the 3 young hybrids all sleep separately.
The Light Sussex seem the most spiteful.
The Blue Haze, the Amber Star and most of the ex farm birds are so placid and laid back, they sit on my feet, follow me around and one even flies up onto my shoulder .....

lord flynn · « **Reply #1 on:** July 27, 2014, 01:57:07 pm »

all of the hybrids I had were hysterical (not funny hysterical) and not robust. The most laid back of those was an amber link. I have one sussex star remaining and she's mellowed somewhat. The aruacana were flighty. Really love my Scots Greys and Marsh Daisies-they are both quite laid back, practical breeds (i.e. a small degree of common sense) and the females of each are quite feisty. Recently got some Minorcas (LF) and finding them to be good too.

I don't know if its an SG thing, but my older SG cock is very laid back-to the point where he'll just park his bum anywhere and lay down-his offspring are the same.

bumpkins · « **Reply #2 on:** July 27, 2014, 02:14:05 pm »

I find that Gloria, my Light Sussex is a bit of a madam too. In addition to her I have a mixture of Welsummers, Marans, Plymouth Rocks, Lohmann Browns, and a little White Star. Above all the others, Dory (White Star) is my favourite....she's friendly, a great layer and lives life at breakneck speed!. I have a couple of very young Australorps which I'm looking forward to being able to put in with the 'big girls', I've heard that they are a very gentle breed. - Where would we be without our chickens..

HesterF · « **Reply #3 on:** July 27, 2014, 09:39:18 pm »

Most of mine are Orpingtons which are great - although the cockerels are feistier than I had been led to believe (was told that two could live together and I've had war wounds through fences). They tend to be friendly and easy to tame. I hatched a couple of Marans last year and the cockerel was too much - husband loved his look but he was far too feisty - picked fights well above his weight. The hen is nice though. Also got an Araucana hen for eggs and she's nice - probably because she's quite a bit smaller than the rest, she just keeps her head down. I've got one Light Sussex hen who is slightly mad and willing to chance her hand.

I've just hatched a pot pourri for my last hatch of the year - two Cream Legbars (both girls - yay!), two silver grey Dorkings, one Welsummer and one Lakenvelder - so I'm hoping they'll all be fun!

ballingall · « **Reply #4 on:** July 27, 2014, 11:14:18 pm »

I rather like the barnvelders we have just now. Hens are good layers and calm, and generally cockerels are good natured (one we have just now isn't as good natured, but he seems to be an exception).

My favourite breed though is my Hamburg bantams- gold pencilled. They're attractive, but actually quite clever chickens. They can be a bit of escape artists because of that though! They lay well, from early April until October, most of my hens are older ladies though. And the eggs are nice white Banty eggs.

Beth

Stereo · « **Reply #5 on:** July 28, 2014, 04:44:59 pm »

I would say my Black Copper Marans. Stunning birds and lovely eggs. Also like my Exchequer Leghorns although haven't had them for long.

Q · « **Reply #6 on:** July 28, 2014, 07:29:27 pm »

I think I like buff orpingtons the best. The cockerel I had was big, gentle and easy going. He died in last years heat.
They just go broody too much and are an expensive bird to keep.

I was in the process of switching to light sussex because they lay better but the cockerel (dispatched at the weekend) was a little bit vicious with his girls and us.

I now have a new light sussex cockerel & three LS hens as a replacement & he seems much more easy going - I may get to like him.

I also have a welsummer which I think has been crossed with a rottweiller the way he hunts down and attacks anything. He may not be staying!

Victorian Farmer · « **Reply #7 on:** July 28, 2014, 09:19:32 pm »

I breed a lot for other people estates etc the best cuckoo marran crossed with blue marran German line sex linked Iv also got some road bars that are nice too.

NicandChic · « **Reply #8 on:** July 28, 2014, 09:38:51 pm »

We've only the 5 - Mr & Mrs Wyandotte - the bantam buggers! Mr Wyandotte is a horror, his Mrs keeps herself to herself. We have a light sussex large fowl cockerel Marilyn who I adore & his two girls Bubbles a blue maran & Jessy a light sussex, all three are very friendly love to be hand fed & all get a stroke each night when I put them to bed