jenuk99 Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Hi I am thinking about getting an eglu and was going to go for ducks but have now been tempted by chickens. So can you recommend a breed that is small(ish) friendly/tame, not too noisy and would be ok with children? Will only have a small paved back yard so thought about two smallish ones. Thanks Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkleeeeee Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 oh i have some cream legbars, they are really lovely and we have two toddlers running around who feed them by hand without a problem (yet). they are quite small in size but i am not sure if they have fully grown yet. they dont really make any noise (except when a cat was walking around the outside of the run) they also lay blue/green eggs which is a bonus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robskyd Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 Hi, we're due to collect our chickens next week (the Eglu is due for delivery tomorrow!) and have been told that red and AMber Rockets are docile birds that are easier to tame, if tame is the right word!! They're also good egg layers which is a bonus. Hopefully someone could confirm this before we collect them next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhapsody Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 Bluebelles are really easy, tame and lay whopping eggs, I have a fondness for any kind of Sussex cross- we have a Sussex Star who is so friendly you step on her a hundred times a day in the garden and she lays beautiful glossy apricot coloured eggs 5x a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 My chickens are hybrids (see my signature for the breeds) and very tame. If your garden is small you could just get 2 medium hybrid chickens. Mine are all great with my children. I haven't got any, but have you considered bantams.?? Lots of folk on this forum have them. Slightly less eggs I think but then they have lots of other advantages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 we have a Sussex Star who is so friendly you step on her a hundred times a day in the garden Is that how she ended up shaped like a star? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenuk99 Posted July 19, 2007 Author Share Posted July 19, 2007 Is a bantam just a smaller version of a larger chicken? Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xChicken04x Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 the bantams are the mini ones and the fowl are the bigger ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 The pekin is a true bantam, it doesn't have a large equivalent. Most other 'bantams' are actually 'miniatures' of larger fowl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Bantams - did someone mention bantams Click on my www below and if you want a good read of what they are like - with pictures - click on 'chickens' in the category section and you can see some. Claret has some too - and she has her own gallery on here - but I am not clever enough to do that so they are on my website. I have had hybrids and bantams - out of the two I prefer bantams. They do not seem to cause noticeable damage to the garden, they eat a lot less, poo a lot less (so you could have 3 instead of 2 which is better in case you 'lose' one at any time - as I did, then at least you have two to keep each other company as they are sociable little things and need a friend). They come in all sorts of colours, shapes and sizes, and so friendly and docile. (But can get a bit grumpy when they go broody). I have photos of different breeds in the chicken section too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...