4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[docsquid]

Our Cube and chooks are arriving on Friday. My OH wasn't keen on the idea, then he wanted to eat them, but now he is coming round to the idea that chickens might be nice. We are planning to add to the three Omlet hens, but we'd like to get chickens that are friendly and will usually allow you to pick them up and cuddle them. But they'll also have to be good layers (by which I guess I mean 250+ a year).

 

Ordinary brown laying hens seem pretty friendly to me, but are there any other types that are particularly friendly or particularly not friendly? I like the look of the bluebelle hybrids.

 

Many thanks

[Janty]

My bluebelle isn't that friendly really. My RIR based hybrids are much more sociable.

[JanTheDiver]

My Bluebelle is not that friendly either, neither is my Maran. But my Dark Sussex and Black Rock are really friendly.

 

I think my Rhode Island Reds will be too, but they are still quite young.

 

I would have 10 of my Dark Sussex (Tikka) if I could

[sandyhas3chucks]

ex batts

[veggiemad]

I agree.

My 3 ex batts are really friendly and have only been here for 6 weeks. 1 loves a fuss and the other two are always ready to nip my toes for treats and dont mind being picked up either.

[cluckingmad]

chickens are just like people I'm afraid, each with their own little personalities

My speckled sussex Freckles is probably the most cuddly of all the girls, but even she'll make a fuss if I try to pick her up - once she's being cudled she's happy enough to sleep in your arms mind

 

Flo my blue cochin is also quite a cuddly girl, whereas Pumpkin the partridge cochin runs a mile at the first sign of a snuggle

[quickcluck]

My amber is by far the friendliest and lays large golf ball shaped eggs, she is also I very reliable layer.... I think that speckledys are also very friendly!

[poohbear]

Hi,

 

I'd like to suggest that you visit Merrydale Poultry at Leicester as they have a fantastic range of lovely friendly hybrid hens. I had three from there in August and have been really pleased with them. I had a Merrydale Blue, a Merrydale crested hybrid that lays blue eggs and a Merrydale Sweetie who allowed us to pick her up immediately for a cuddle and showed no signs of nervousness at all. She really is a sweetie who loves company. If you check out their website you will see what a good selection they have.

 

Whatever you choose, enjoy them.

 

Brenda

[docsquid]

Wow, those Sweeties look like real Sweeties! I'm really grateful for the feedback on this as I'm keen to add to the flock soon once we have a bit of experience with our first three.

 

So many options and so many decisions to make!

[Patricia W]

Be prepared for introductions. If you get more later, you'll need some separate accommodation for a while so you can introduce them slowly.

 

Enjoy!

 

Tricia

[bettyhen]

Merrydale Sweetie Ours is called Pearl, she makes a noise like a duck, loves to be picked up, follows us into the house (and the car) if we`re not careful. And lays most days

We`ve got the Merrydale equivalent of a speckledy (Dotty) she`s friendly too

She`s not as eccentric as Pearl though!

 

Sue x

[cluckingmad]

*hurredly adds Merrydale sweetie to chooky wish list!*

[chickiepiggies]

all of mine are very friendly i have 2 ex-bats, domino ranger sooty and amber, snowy the amber is lovely she comes up to my to sit on my lap then she goes to sleep

[Griffin]

If you wanted pure breeds then I can recommend Polands, Pekins and Anconas, mine are very friendly and beg for cuddles. One of my Polands thinks she's a parrot and she loves to sit on my shoulder My Salmon Faverolle is very sweet too, she's very quiet and no trouble at all.

[craftyhunnypie]

Black rocks! Or Ambers - they are all the friendliest of our bunch!

 

Emma.x

[Egluntyne]

My Light Sussex is very friendly, as are all the ex batts.

[Groovychook]

Hilda, the Lavender Araucana is my friendliest girl, along with Elsie the Cuvee Maran!

[batcatz]

My friendliest is the Lavender Araucana too.

Silkies are meant to be friendly, but mine isn't. She's shy.

 

 

It might depend on how they are brought up? Lots of handling when chicks... or battery hens that are so happy to be free?

[Janty]

My Merrydale Sweetie was a friendly little character too. The Merrydale Copper Blacks are also very very friendly.

[Redwing]

I wouldnt get ex battery hens unless you have separate housing, you can't put them straight in with fit healthy hens its asking for trouble

 

get any additional hens as close as possible to the Omlet ones arriving so that they dont have time to get used to their territory

[sparkysmum]

Another vote for ex batts.