Buff Orpington Hen
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Howdy! Today I want to introduce you to some of the friendlier breeds of chickens...Because who wants to deal with a difficult one their first time around?! Plus, I assume a lot of you reading this post have children or grandchildren and are taking how docile a chicken is into consideration. :)
As you can read, pictured above is a Buff Orpington chicken. When my husband first started doing research into different breeds, their personalities, etc., this is the first one we considered getting for our first backyard chicken venture. Buff Orpintons are said to be one of the most docile breeds of chickens. (Note: "Buff" is a color descriptor. "Orpington" is the actual breed.) The only reason we didn't personally choose these is that they can weigh up to 11 pounds full grown. So, if you're wanting to raise chickens to get a hefty amount of meat from them eventually as well, this is the bird for you. However, compared to the Barred Rock chickens we ended up getting (which are smaller), for us bigger bird=more feed=more money. For more first-hand info on Orpingtons, check out Backyard Chickens' page on them HERE.
Barred Rock Hens
As I mentioned, we ended up going with Barred Rock (or Plymouth Rock) chickens. They are also regarded as one of the friendlier chicken breeds. These little ladies can weigh up to 7.5 pounds, according to their Wiki page HERE. As I've mentioned in previous posts, our 1 1/2 year old daughter can walk right up to them without them causing much fuss. I'm told that they will become even more docile as they get older. They are also good "cold hardy" chickens, but will do well in warmer climates as well.
I have also read that "Easter Eggers", Silkies, and more are good, docile breeds to start off with. It really just depends on you and the environment the chickens will be living in as well as to what breed will be "perfect" for your family. Easter Eggers lay varying colors of eggs, depending on the coloration of the chicken itself. Silkies, in my opinion, are kind of like the poodles of the chicken world. They look very "fanciful", but are said to be very lovable chickens and enjoy being held. Here are some sites that can give you more information on individual chicken breeds (in no particular order of importance):
Silky Bantam
I have also read that "Easter Eggers", Silkies, and more are good, docile breeds to start off with. It really just depends on you and the environment the chickens will be living in as well as to what breed will be "perfect" for your family. Easter Eggers lay varying colors of eggs, depending on the coloration of the chicken itself. Silkies, in my opinion, are kind of like the poodles of the chicken world. They look very "fanciful", but are said to be very lovable chickens and enjoy being held. Here are some sites that can give you more information on individual chicken breeds (in no particular order of importance):
Some of these sites have giveaways occasionally for chicken-related items (If I remember right, it was The Chicken Whisperer who had huge coop and more giveaway packages recently on his Facebook page), so be sure to check back every now and then if you're looking to score some freebies to help you in your chicken venture!
This post is linked up at the Homestead Barn Hop. Check out the other great homesteading posts HERE.
This post is linked up at the Homestead Barn Hop. Check out the other great homesteading posts HERE.
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