Minty_76 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Hello everyone I am still certain I want chickens but have so many breed options I don't know which to choose! If anyone can advise me on my list of wants then this would be appreciated! I have decided on a Go with the standard run and the breed of chickens I choose should have the following criteria: 1. I have a 2 year old so would need to be friendly 2. I have a smallish garden with grass/flowerbeds/vegetable patch so would want to minimise damage to these 3. Would like normal sized eggs 4. Am thinking of perhaps starting with 3 birds in the Go 5. They need to be quiet-ish as surrounded by neighbours 6. Nothing too fancy as I am new to this! Does this perfect chicken exist? Cheers guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheekymonkey200 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Hi! I am very new to this too- I went to a breeder to have a chat about the right breed for me and came away with two ginger hybrid girls, ISA browns. They may not be the most beautiful showy birds, no fancy feet or headwear but I think they are absolutely lovely. One has a blonde ruff around her neck and the other flaming red, so they're dead easy to tell apart. Within a week they were laying and jumping up on to my lap to get their snacks. I never thought that birds I kept being told were "run of the mill" could have such lovely and distinct personalities- I'm besotted. They're very friendly,if you go within their eye line they make little noises and run up and down wanting some attention- I'm convinced they flirt with the dog! I can pick them up and they follow me round the garden when I let them out for a bit in the evening...theyre quite content in the eglu the rest of the time (as long as they're left with food and a couple of perches) They do make a bit of a mess but we just move the eglu every other day, rake up the poop and chuck it on the compost- They dont make much noise at all- as long as we let them out on time! They're pretty robust, they let me know when they want something thats for sure! For a newbie I'd say they're really easy to look after, no fussing, no decorative feathers to get messy, no brooding, no loud noise (touch wood) just lovely company and lots of lovely eggs! Hope you find your perfect chooks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Yep, ISA Browns / Warrens / Gingernut Rangers are very friendly, easy-to-live-with hens. They always want to know what you're up to.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
percy049 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Pekins are really friendly, small so they can fit in a smallish garden, and have feathered feet so they wont ruin your veggies. The only downside is that they may be too small, and lay small and less eggs than hybrids Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chick wiggle Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 I agree with the little brown hen, ISAs, warrens, they have a few different names, they are also the breed of most ex-bat rescue hens if you wanted to go down that route. Mine are the friendliest, nosiest hens and lay every day. Im sure these wouldnt dissapoint and your two year old will be cuddling them in no time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 It's a lovely dilemma! My ex batts, Gingernuts and Miss Pepperpots are definitely the friendliest of my girls so, like the others, I would recommend them. If you want to get 3 girls though, and you are wise to choose 3 rather than 2, you will have to go for bantams if you will be keeping them in the standard run for any length of time - it is not really big enough for 3 Gingernut types unless they are free ranging most of the time. Good luck with choosing your hens - you will love them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Pekins are really friendly, small so they can fit in a smallish garden, and have feathered feet so they wont ruin your veggies. The only downside is that they may be too small, and lay small and less eggs than hybrids Pekin fan here too. Mine let my 2 yr old stroke and poke them and always come back for more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minty_76 Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 Thanks everyone. I was thinking about bantams cochin/peking/silkies as they seem to be quiet, not as destructive and very tame. Only concern would be not many eggs/small eggs. Anyone got any experience with these breeds? Don't suppose you can have it all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 My pekin is cute and friendly and chatters non stop just like my kids did as toddlers The eggs are about 40 -45g with nice big yolks which isn't a bad size and as the pekins are so small you could have more in the same space She probably lays 4 times a week but I haven't counted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I got 3 with my go and didnt regret it - they watch my every move - paranoid me - yes. Sadly one died at Easter so am on a quest for another. I wanted 3 as if one died I didnt have a lonely hen. They are very friendly and very humourous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minty_76 Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 I have this nagging feeling that I may develop morehens disease when I get started! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Yup its pretty inevitable though a lucky few have escaped it and still have their original number of chooks Take a look at the choosing bantams thread that has been running just down the board, lots of suggestions there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 The eggs are about 40 -45g with nice big yolks which isn't a bad size and as the pekins are so small you could have more in the same space She probably lays 4 times a week but I haven't counted. Yeah. Mine lay every other day pretty much. The eggs are pretty small but the yolks seem big compared to the egg as Plum said. I just stick another egg in to what ever I'm doing. I would like some big eggs again though for dippy eggs with soldiers! Pekins are so cute you forgive the little eggs though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Little eggs make nice dippy eggs and Tom 123 sells lovely bantam egg cups Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyhole kate Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I have a mix of both big and little girls the big girls are definately more destructive in the garden the little ones do lay a smaller egg however it's not that much smaller when you crack it alongside a big one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minty_76 Posted May 12, 2011 Author Share Posted May 12, 2011 The bantams sound ideal. I suppose maybe 3/4 in a Go? So between them they would supply enough eggs for us. Are the smaller breeds more noisy to make up for being small? Would they also get on with normal sized hens too ( just in case I get morehens)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 Little eggs make nice dippy eggs and Tom 123 sells lovely bantam egg cups Ooooo thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 Minty, I have 6 bantams in my classic to give you a guide! But they are in a large run with electric fencing, it's the size of the run that limits really. I personally wouldn't mix big girls in with little ones but some people have managed it. They aren't really noisy as a rule, some people compare pekins to guinea pigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I really love ex batts/little brown hens, they just have the most super personalities and lay the most gorgeous big brown eggs... and lots of them! But....... they will rip up your garden given half a chance. Last week mine escaped from their pen and ate every single vegetable in my raised beds, flinging the soil out as they went. Boy was I cross! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
