I have a bunch of stuff about chickens on this blog. You can see EVERY post that talks about chickens here, or here are some links to specific topics:
Best chickens for kids:
- Buff orpington: these are my all-time favorite chickens. They are dual purpose, meaning they are raised for meat or eggs. They lay a big, pinkish-brown egg EVERY day. And they often go "broody", which means they want to sit on the nest and hatch eggs. I personally love broody hens, because they hatch their own chicks and then my flock is always regenerating.
Some people do NOT want broody hens, either because it interferes with getting eggs every day, or because they don't want to hatch their own chicks (only if your eggs are fertilized, meaning you need a rooster). But I've had lots of buffs that have never gone broody--they are a sweet, friendly, pretty chicken.
This is Lady Marmalade with her seven chicks,
hatched from one days' worth of eggs, which I
placed under her when she went broody. - Yellow star (also called "golden comet" or "yellow sex link"). Big brown egg every day, super duper friendly. They are not as "yellow" as a buff orpington--more orange colored. This is the most productive egg-layer you can get!
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| Yellow Star hen |
- Plymouth barred rock: pretty and friendly, lays a big brown egg daily. This might be the chicken you see in your mind when you think of getting chickens.
Plymouth barred rock hen--their color pattern is
like "bars" of black and white. So, "barred"
Other breeds I love:
- Cuckoo marans (they lay dark brown eggs that look like chocolate)
Cuckoo marans look a lot like Plymouth barred
rocks--black and white is just not as pronounced - Ameraucanas (green-to-blue tinted eggs). Ameraucanas can be golden brown, black, white, or greyish. Common traits are a little ruff under their chin, a head that has darker coloring than the body--and, of course, they all lay green eggs.
This is a typical-looking Ameraucana - Wyandottes (brown eggs). These hens are just so pretty--they also come in different colors (white, red, silver) but the similarity is that the ends of their feather look "laced," "frosted," or "tipped."
This is called a silver-laced wyandotte - Speckled Sussex: this is the breed that most people ask "What kind is THAT?" I have won dozens of blue ribbons for chickens at our county fair over the years, but my only grand prize winner (in 2011) was for Mistress Flora, a speckled sussex
Speckled sussex, light brown eggs - Brahmas: these are a BIG ol breed of chicken, and they lay a lot of eggs, but not quiiiiiite as many as your Yellow Stars and Plymouth barred rocks. They are so beautiful, and they have those funny feather "pants." They are white, black, or golden. Some people don't like their foot feathers because they can get dirty easily, but I think they are a great addition to any flock.
White Brahma hens
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