[garrybaldi]

I'm sure everyone has there favourites but can anyone recommend a good breed of large chicken which would be good to have around children. By that I mean, docile and easily handled so that they can interact with them rather than running a mile whenever the kids come near. I had read that Buff Orpingtons could be good but that they are maybe not the best layers in the world. I also need a large breed as the area I am going to put them in has a 4 foot fence which I can't make any higher and I don't want ot keep them total enclosed in a covered run. Also, for a small number of birds, is it best to get all the same breed?  Garry

[MrsJ]

We have Black Rock / Rhode Island Red Cross hens (just two).  They're very tame, will feed from your hand, sit beside you on the garden bench, follow you down the garden.  And we're getting an egg each per day.  Dont think there will be much meat on them but that's not what we bought them for.

[garrybaldi]

I had been thinking about Black Rocks, having read that they are well suited to our occasionally wet Scottish weather I'm only looking for 3 to start for my 3 girls but they all want something different and I'm not sure if that will work.

[Kier]

My favourite chickens by far are the light sussex,friendly,not so skittish and will fed from hand without any trouble.Egg production is good aswell.A very hardy,good bird.

[Townie]

I have a light sussex and she is good with my kids, she lets them pick her up and comes running down the garden for treats etc...

I also have pekin bantams, which are really friendly and will quite happily perch on your arm or sit on your lap, but probaby not any use as your after large birds..

[cluckyclaire]

I too love my light sussex hens, most of them are friendly and eat out of hands if given the chance. The only breed i'm having any problems with are my leghorns - the hen flies the 7 foot fence and the cockerel is refusing to learn whose boss!!! I have many different breeds which all live together without any problems.

[jameslindsay]

I am a complete novice to keeping hens, I got my first less than a week ago and she is a Rhode Island Red Bantam. Already she has adapted to her new home and shares her paddock with 7 Pygmy Goats and 2 Rabbits and as she is small her eggs are small too and in 4 days has produced 2 eggs. In such a short time she is already eating out of my hand and at night I just have to "rattle" her food tin and in to bed she goes.

I feel bad that she is in an old (large) rabbit hutch at the moment. However, she is outside for almost 15 hours a day. I do go out regularly and give her some food, bread etc. If I left her hutch door open to allow her access whenever she wanted the goats would be in straight away and finish off any food. Tomorrow I have a chicken house arriving so she will soon be moved and settled in her new home before the other 3 arrive. I thought she needed some company so have bought 3 Isa Warrens who are 19 weeks old and ready to lay. I am told that they make good pets and lay very well.

I am surprised as I never thought I would keep hens as I was happy with my ducks and geese, however, like everything else they become addictive.

[MiriMaran]

I would also suggest either Light Sussex and/or Black Rocks.  Different breeds mix together fine, but I find that they tend to stay nearest to their same breed friend.  I have quite a few different breeds - 2 of this 2 of that - and they do wander round looking like they are looking for Noaoh's Ark.

Why not get one Light Sussex and one Black Rock.  At the end of the day, chicken keeping is totally addictive and there's no way that you'll only have 2 by this time next year.  I started with a trio 3 years ago and now have 22!!!  Good Luck!

[garrybaldi]

Thanks for everyone's replies. Light Sussex and Black Rocks seem to be a popular choice. The reason I originally thought Buff Orpingtons was that my eldest daughter has already made plans to call her's 'Mabel' and after looking through 'Country Smallholder' announced that one of the Buff Orpingtons she saw in there 'looks like a Mabel' - so you see what I'm up against! I think I am going to have to go down the line of 'product placement'.

[MiriMaran]

I have a feeling your going to be starting off with three hens!

[doganjo]

My light Sussex run a mile when they see anyone or anything coming and I've had them from a few weeks old.  My ex batts let anyone pick them up and I got them just before the farmer was going to pull their necks!

[MiriMaran]

Our ex-batts are the friendliest as well, but the Light Sussex is a confident bird.  Our Polish Bantam is terrified of everything, such a nervous nelly!

[jeffrey_barnfarm]

Previously I had warrens, great little layers, supposedly good meat birds too - never got that far with them, fox beat me to it - one of those things.
Had my 6 ladies for 11 month or so, egg a day from April thru til October then it dropped down to at best 4, at worst 2 in autumn/winter. For where we are (west lancs) the warren was greatly suited to the climate, very hardy. End of the month will be buying 12 more POL - happy days.
As ever - everyone has their favourites but practically the warren does everything you need I think. Don't have to worry about scabby legs from mud and damp coming through feathers on the legs.

[lindy]

If you want friendly hens go for Buff Orpingtons or Meadowsweet Rangers.
I breed Buff Orps they are docile  & very attractive though not great layers. Meadowsweet Rangers (and probably some of the other commercial battery type hens) can be very tame. We got some from a hen rescue a couple of years ago and they are very easy to handle i.e. quite easy to catch so good for beginners ,will readily take food from the hand and generally get in your way when you clean them out.
If you want a good layer and meat bird check out the website for Castle Farm eggs he highly reccomends his Australorps and I  am considering getting a few myself.
Personally I am not keen on Light Sussex as a friend of mine had some and her cockerel was an absolute devil. I care for her hens while she is way and I would not have dared go in with him without being armed. Fortunately he is now pushing up the daisies.
I have kept Black Rocks - good layers but not especially friendly.

[doganjo]

Personally I am not keen on Light Sussex as a friend of mine had some and her cockerel was an absolute devil. I care for her hens while she is way and I would not have dared go in with him without being armed. Fortunately he is now pushing up the daisies.

My LS cockerel doesn't get off with that. Perhaps because I am used to handling male dogs.  He tried a couple of weeks ago to peck me very hard, I grabbed him by a wing, stuck him under my arm and carried on what I was doing, with him held tight, then I turned him round to face me - quiet close up - and lectured him within an inch of his life, calling his parentage into question  - then threw him onto the ground.  He now is first one to take food from my hand.  But the girls do tend to run from me.  I have one hen which continually jumps the gate and wanders all over the garden.  My young dog was outside when she did it today, he went to retrieve her as he would a runner on a shooting day, I yelled for him to leave it and she squawked her way back to the run, jumped up onto the gate then swore at him for 5 minutes while I did some heel work with him.