# Desirable Chicken Breeds



## bnew17 (Aug 4, 2013)

Just looking for some info on what breed of chicken most people recommend. Looking for a brown egg layer that has a good disposition. Just looking for hens. I talked to a guy this weekend who has Rhode Island Reds and Golden Comets. The Golden Comets were approachable and more friendly than the RIR's


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## Crickett (Aug 4, 2013)

bnew17 said:


> Just looking for some info on what breed of chicken most people recommend. Looking for a brown egg layer that has a good disposition. Just looking for hens. I talked to a guy this weekend who has Rhode Island Reds and Golden Comets. The Golden Comets were approachable and more friendly than the RIR's



Check out this website. http://www.backyardchickens.com/ 
Lots of geat info on there. 

We have Australorps, Olive Egger & Black Copper Maran. The Marans lay dark brown eggs.


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## dtala (Aug 4, 2013)

Barred Rocks are the best....


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## carter (Aug 4, 2013)

2nd barred rocks !


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## Miguel Cervantes (Aug 4, 2013)

I'm partial to my Buff Orpingtons.


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## carter (Aug 4, 2013)

I have blue copper Marians I think !


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## Hankus (Aug 4, 2013)

My buffs were better than my RIRs, rocks, BSLs, they were top notch.


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## Crickett (Aug 4, 2013)

Miguel Cervantes said:


> I'm partial to my Buff Orpingtons.



I want a buff orpington hen too!


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## NE GA Pappy (Aug 4, 2013)

Miguel Cervantes said:


> I'm partial to my Buff Orpingtons.



buffs are the ones.  x2


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## Jeff Raines (Aug 5, 2013)

I have 5 hens laying right now.Out of those 5 the 2 barred rocks are the most dependable layers.
But chickens have their own personality and the more time you spend with them,the friendlier they will be.With that said,I spend the same amount of time with all of my 5 layers and my 2 easter eggers are very flighty.They just want to be left alone.
Here is one of my barred rocks,which are also called plymouth rocks.


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## javery (Aug 5, 2013)

I've had those Gold Comets before and they always laid big brown eggs.


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## ox rider (Aug 6, 2013)

All around I like Australorps.  Good natured, will eat out of your hand, reliable layers.  Even the roosters are gentle and wont jump on little kids etc. And they are big enough to eat so when you hatch out a batch you just eat the extra roosters.


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## billy62green (Aug 6, 2013)

Check out a hybrid known as "Black Stars" or "Black Sex Links" (seriously, don't laugh, that is the name). They are a hybrid cross between Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds. My daughter got a batch of them as part of the 4H program and they have a great disposition and are great layers of brown eggs.


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## Nicodemus (Aug 7, 2013)

Barred rocks, white rocks, and golden comets are prolific layers, in my experience. Buffs and Rhode Island reds are good too. Our Aracuanas have surprised us because they are good layers, but they are literal roadrunners. I`m curious as to how long they will be able to keep up that pace.


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## R G (Aug 8, 2013)

I have the barred Plymoth Rocks they are good layers and quiet.  I seldom hear them at all.


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## bnew17 (Aug 10, 2013)

Found a guy who has 6 mo old Silver Laced Wyandottes fir 8 a piece. I may go with them because they are younger than the Brahmas


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## Hankus (Aug 11, 2013)

bnew17 said:


> Found a guy who has 6 mo old Silver Laced Wyandottes fir 8 a piece. I may go with them because they are younger than the Brahmas



He in Laurens Co.


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## NCHillbilly (Aug 12, 2013)

Domineckers (AKA barred rocks.) Can't beat 'em.


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## dawg2 (Aug 12, 2013)

My RIR are good layers and the hens are approachable.  My black australorps are good layers, but flighty.  Their eggs are about 1/3 smaller thna my RIR's.  If you spend more time with the chickens, they get less flighty.  I spent almost no time with teh australorps and more with the RIR.  Only downside to RIR are if you have a rooster.  They are either nice, eat of your hand or mean as the devil.


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## Throwback (Aug 12, 2013)

NCHillbilly said:


> Domineckers (AKA barred rocks.) Can't beat 'em.



not to be a nit picking heel BUT...

a Dominique and a barred rock are two different breeds. 

dominiques have a rose comb and barred rocks have single combs. 

http://olddominiondominiques.weebly.com/name-the-speckled-breed.html


I prefer Dominiques because they are a heritage breed and that's the way I roll. 

When I don't have dominiques, I want game fowl  (mistakenly called fighting chickens by the unwashed masses) since they are more wild and can fend for themselves. 


T


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## Crickett (Aug 13, 2013)

Throwback said:


> not to be a nit picking heel BUT...
> 
> a Dominique and a barred rock are two different breeds.
> 
> ...



Yep! My Pop schooled me on that a few months ago! I didn't know the difference either.


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## littlewolf (Aug 13, 2013)

Rhode Island Reds are hard to beat.


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## Nicodemus (Aug 13, 2013)

Crickett said:


> Yep! My Pop schooled me on that a few months ago! I didn't know the difference either.





Here`s a couple of ours. Barred Rock in the forefront, Dominecker right behind her. Another Barred Rock in the upper right corner between the White Rock and the Aracuana. You can see the difference in the combs, and body shape. Domineckers seem more "squatty" built.


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## Bkeepr (Aug 13, 2013)

I've got mutt chickens!  They are salmon favorelle/Welsummer/Cornish.  They are great foragers but really good at hiding their eggs.  I can tell when they are laying by the massive uptick in dog poots.  I have some happy dogs, LOL!
I have a big goofball rooster who is watchful of his girls without being aggressive to us or the dogs.  All the chickens have ear muffs and beards, and some have light feathering on their legs.


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## Crickett (Aug 13, 2013)

Nicodemus said:


> Here`s a couple of ours. Barred Rock in the forefront, Dominecker right behind her. Another Barred Rock in the upper right corner between the White Rock and the Aracuana. You can see the difference in the combs, and body shape. Domineckers seem more "squatty" built.







Bkeepr said:


> I've got mutt chickens!  They are salmon favorelle/Welsummer/Cornish.  They are great foragers but really good at hiding their eggs.  I can tell when they are laying by the massive uptick in dog poots.  I have some happy dogs, LOL!
> I have a big goofball rooster who is watchful of his girls without being aggressive to us or the dogs.  All the chickens have ear muffs and beards, and some have light feathering on their legs.


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## fireman32 (Aug 13, 2013)

We have production reds,(looks like a Rhode Island Red to me) and Americanas. The pro. Reds started out well with eggs, but have tapered off after two years I think this is normal and their shells have always been brittle. 
The Americanas have a bluish green egg and it is not brittle and their laying has remained pretty constant.
Both are approachable with the Prod. Reds being a bit tamer. I think the Americanas are a little more gamey, their coloring and trust is anyway; however my two boys can put their hands on any of them.
The Ma in law just bought 20 or so mutt chickens, some are white, some yellow and other colors, they are skittish, and to young for laying.  With around 60 chickens, we don't walk barefooted any more.
Good luck.


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## NCHillbilly (Aug 14, 2013)

Throwback said:


> not to be a nit picking heel BUT...
> 
> a Dominique and a barred rock are two different breeds.
> 
> ...



You're not being a nit-picking heel. "dominecker" is just a catch-all generic tern for any barred chicken around here, Dominique is a specific breed, one-a them fancy French domineckers.  Kinda like we call every carbonated soft drink a "co-cola," or "coke," even if it's a grape Nehi. 

I agree about the games, too. the last batch of chickens I had were crossed up between generic domineckers and red games. They laid big brown eggs like the domineckers, but would pretty much live off the land themselves with very little feeding or care like the games-perfect "yard chickens." They did have a tendency to hide their nests out in the woods like game chickens, though. You'd have to listen for 'em to cackle to find their nests.


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## dawg2 (Aug 14, 2013)

Throwback said:


> not to be a nit picking heel BUT...
> 
> a Dominique and a barred rock are two different breeds.
> 
> ...



A buddy of mine just got some game fowl (not fighting chickens  ) at the auction.  Only one egg hatched and he said it was small.  I was hoping he was going to get a better hatch because were going to do some trading.  Very cool, hardy birds.


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## Hankus (Aug 14, 2013)

games are fine birds, jus bout out of em myself cause of time constraints


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## brownhounds (Aug 16, 2013)

What is the best chicken to raise for meat and eggs.  I like RIR and Buff Orp.  but wondered what yall thought.


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## Jeff Raines (Aug 16, 2013)

Opened a box this morning.Easter egger was in there.Whenever I open the boxes,one of my barred rocks comes running to be petted,doesn't matter if it is occupied.

My 2 polish roosters make very good yard birds.Totally free range.When they do crow,it's not loud.They are a bantam size.


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## Dan DeBord (Aug 19, 2013)

Sid Taylors


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## PappyHoel (Aug 19, 2013)

I have a grey silkie rooster.  He a very mild mannered rooster and fun to listen to.  I also have a white silkie hen and she's sort of flighty but fun to watch.  Like Jeff said earlier, the more you are with them the friendlier they are and some breeds are flighty.  I have 2 bantam hens that won't let you get close to them.  My RiR, buff orp, Australope, and barred rock are the friendliest.  I even think I have a Dominic after reading the above posts.  

When I come outside and they see me they all come running to me, it's kinda cool.  When they are off in the woods and I don't see them I can yell chickens! And they come running.


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## PappyHoel (Aug 19, 2013)

fireman32 said:


> We have production reds,(looks like a Rhode Island Red to me) and Americanas. The pro. Reds started out well with eggs, but have tapered off after two years I think this is normal and their shells have always been brittle.
> The Americanas have a bluish green egg and it is not brittle and their laying has remained pretty constant.
> Both are approachable with the Prod. Reds being a bit tamer. I think the Americanas are a little more gamey, their coloring and trust is anyway; however my two boys can put their hands on any of them.
> The Ma in law just bought 20 or so mutt chickens, some are white, some yellow and other colors, they are skittish, and to young for laying.  With around 60 chickens, we don't walk barefooted any more.
> Good luck.



I can attest to the barefoot walking thing.


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## MFOSTER (Sep 24, 2013)

Sex-links are the way too go if you starting with biddies that way you don't wind up with a bunch of roosters


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## antiqfreq (Oct 26, 2013)

I have one buff orpington, one silver laced wyandotte and one Jersey giant.

The Jersey lays extra large light brown eggs. The wyandotte lays large light brown eggs and the orpington lays a large medium brown egg.

I only have three hens cause that is all we need. Only the orpington will let me touch her but the wyandotte talks her head off when I head towards and into the pen!

Jo


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