Single hen

[Mrs Kettle]

Heresy I know, but just out of interest - are there any breeds that people just don't like the look of? I'll 'fess up here to being put off by anything with what my 6-yr old calls 'fluffy feet'. So no Brahmas or Cochins for me. Or with pom poms on their heads, like the Polands. And the Naked Necks just spook me.

 

I suppose I just have a very fixed traditional view of what a chicken should look like - so we have a Light Sussex and three hybrids (a Miss Pepperpot, a Bluebelle, and a Maran cross). If I got more I think I'd want Marans.

 

Clearly if a Chicken of Fate with fluffy feet crossed my threshold, I would take it in and love it...

[BeckyBoo]

I don't like the look of naked necks although I've never seen one in real life. I LOVE Brahmas and Cochins and I've got a real soft spot for Polands

As for breeds themselves, I've never met a nice Leghorn although that might just be bad luck on our part

 

Mrs B

[abwsco]

I don't like the look of naked necks although I've never seen one in real life. Mrs B

 

Me neither. Apologies to anyone who has them.

[keyhole kate]

The naked necks remind me of vultures scary

sorry to anybody who has them

[Egluntyne]

Naked necks, fluffy feet, Silkies, Polands and Frizzles. I'm afraid

[Bondinho]

I'm afraid the only hens that I would probably ever have are ones with fluffy feet or with ridiculous hair cuts (as my current selection proves!). Might stretch to an orpington or wyandotte maybe.

 

The breeds I would certainly never have are as mentioned above - naked necks and leghorns.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I'm not too keen on the naked necks either . Bit like those hairless cats, not quite right .

 

Although I think the fluffy feet breeds are quite cute, I wouldn't choose them for myself. Ditto the crazy hairstyle ones. Maisie's topknot is as far as I would go!

 

I do love the ones with the striking markings. My girls are very plain in contrast .

[Cinnamon]

I am not keen on grey or black hens (don't tell Daisy!)

I prefer hens to be red,orange,gold or buff coloured

[littleredhen]

I love the fluffy feet crazy hairstyle ones, don't like the naked necks (although I am starting to feel sorry for them now) or Old english game (their legs and necks are too long). Not keen on leghorns either.

[Jillus]

I hate to say this but I have two Marans that I really don't like, it is hard to 'connect' with them. My new Bovans Goldlines are already running up to me when I go into the run but the Marans have always squealed like banshees when handled and been mean to all the new arrivals. They look good enough but there is something in the eys that is not over chummy I think in future I will stick to Little Red hybrid Hens. Even one of the normally placid Auracanas has turned into a velociraptor at feeding times for the new girls.

[Mrs Kettle]

At the risk of sounding even fussier, I'm also not keen on all-white chickens - I'd feel guilty if they got muddy. But I would like a red one.

[MedusA]

I can honestly say, there is no breed (that I've seen) that don't have some lovable qualities. The naked necks are probably my least favourites, but I do adore the fluffy breeds: Silkies (of course my two are the most beautiful), Cochins and Frizzles. When I got my Araucanas, the breeder had a semi-bald Frizzle who she kept as a pet because "Ooops, word censored!"ody wanted to buy her. I thought she was really quite cute in a pug-ugly way. I've always been a sucker for the rejects and weirdos.

[MadMitch]

La Fleche for me. They freak me out, they are like devil chickens.

[RubyReckless]

Naked necks, fluffy feet, Silkies, Polands and Frizzles. I'm afraid

 

I quite like fluffy feet, but otherwise I agree. I like my chooks to look like chooks - black or brown or red, white at a push, plump and glossy, traditional farmhouse chickens.

 

I adore my glossy black rock with her iridescence, I love RIR and all the brown hybrids, my Ancona was very pretty (if startlingly inept) and some of the breeds I've seen are lovely. But it needs to be a good old fashioned fat hen for me to love it.

 

I'm the same with cats - love nothing more than a nice fat tabby.

[Happybunny]

I'm not keen on chickens with odd-looking combs - or , as my daughter puts it, the ones that look like they've got 'ham sellotaped to their heads'. Or skinny chickens. I like them fluffy so of course I have mostly Pekins. I adore their little feathery trousers!

[Mrs Kettle]

Yes, I'm the same with cats too. Tabbies or nothing.

[Scottie]

'ham sellotaped to their heads'.

 

What a fantastic description! Our exchequer leghorn, Penguin, looks French as her comb is so large and floppy like a beret!

 

Sheila

[Seagazer]

Yes, I'm the same with cats too. Tabbies or nothing.

 

I always have to have a tabbie as well (also have a black one).

 

I was quite freaked out by some very large chickens in the Rare Breeds Farm when I went there before getting mine. They were absolutely huge - I had nightmares about being chased by a chicken

 

Don't like the bare neck ones either.

[Janty]

I love the feathery legged girls. My cochins, brahmas and pekins are my favourites. I even managed to randomly choose four hybrids from Merrydale Poultry and three of them had feathered legs. I was quite gobsmacked as I only saw them from the top. M-I-L chose birds from the same pens and hers had bare legs. It was meant to be.

[moomin]

I love feathery legs too (and the chickens attached to them!). When they run they look really cute, like little kids running across the lawn! And sometimes they skid to a halt. It's a wonder they don't hurt their feet!

 

And I love my glossy-feathered Barnevelder. She avoids being picked up but when there's treat's she'll stand on my lap!

[smanners]

I was at an agricutural show recently and a chap bought a whole batch of naked necks! I couldn't believe how ugly they were and why anyone would want them!

I've got a maran but she's great, really friendly and chatty and i'd say she's my favourite!

Rocky

Mrs Doyle

Helen

[moomin]

I think Witchazel on here has a naked neck. (Hope she's not reading this!), I think they have a certain appeal. They look like they need to have a scarf knitted for them In my chicken book it says they are friendly and easy to keep.

[smanners]

Yes would hate to upset anyone it's just a preference really.I f any naked necks needed rescuing I wouldn't hesitate to step in !I would just knit them some little scarves thats all!!

 

Rocky

Mrs Doyle

Helen

[chickenanne]

OOoh, contraversially I really don't like silkies. Sorry! even the funny-coloured skin puts me off, but frankly, I don't really like anything about them! As they've so many votes as being peoples favourites, I hope am not going to be lynched !

I'm sure no-one will be offended that they're favourite breed is someone elses least favourite: "if we all liked liqorice allsorts, then there wouldn't be any left in the shop for me to eat"

[MedusA]

OOoh, contraversially I really don't like silkies. Sorry! even the funny-coloured skin puts me off, but frankly, I don't really like anything about them! As they've so many votes as being peoples favourites, I hope am not going to be lynched !

I'm sure no-one will be offended that they're favourite breed is someone elses least favourite: "if we all liked liqorice allsorts, then there wouldn't be any left in the shop for me to eat"

 

I'm not in the slightest bit offended. All the more Silkies for me!

 

You can have my share of the liquorice allsorts in exchange. Can't stand them.