BYC Debate Thread- What's The Friendliest Chicken Breed?

[SnapdragonQ]

I saw bielefelders on the list and our boys have been absolutely amazing roosters. ...

If I remember right, we might have brothers.
My two Biele boys are amazing too. One acts like a total pet when you pick him up and hold him.

 

[Shannanb74]

Bantam cochins, she snuggles with me everyday and has her head on my arm resting, very sweet.

Somebody brought me a Golden Buff that ended up in their carport and wouldn't leave... she is the coolest thing I ever had. She comes when I call her. I named her Snubbles or Snubby because her beak is short and she loves cuddles! Sweetest thing ever! Great producer as well!

 

[Chapmangc1]

I think that Sapphire Gem chickens (also known as Blue Plymouth Rock) are the friendliest because they are always excited to see you and enjoy your company very much. This breed is a hybrid, so I’m not sure if this is considered a mixed breed or a barred rock breed. In order to get this hybrid, you must cross a Blue Plymouth Rock with a Barred Plymouth Rock.

 

[NewChickenmama06]

I'm going to say Australorp and a mix Australorp/ black star because because they are very docile. We have one Australorp who lets up just pick her up and will sit with you. She rarely runs away from us when we go to pick her up. The other is a mix black star/Australorp and she has quite the personality. She follows us if we go out to see her, sometime up on our deck. She comes when we call her too. She has jumped in my lap before. Very sweet birds.

 

[nuthatched]

There is no such thing as the friendliest breed, as you cannot blanket statement over a breed.
Friendliness is up to the individual chicken. ;]

 

[Rachnicko]

I can’t choose!!

I have a bantam Polish frizzle hen called Flossy who is the sweetest friendliest little thing (phots attached). She is always waiting by the back door to come inside. She loves to be petted, and is generally so inquisitive, and so happy to follow you around the garden… it makes her very friendly.

I also have booted bantams (sablepoots) who are just as friendly. There’s 3 of them, and they all love to fly into your lap for strokes.

Then there’s Jet, the black bantam Silkie. She’s independent, obviously an excellent mother, but also friendly. She’s not so keen to be picked up. I don’t know if that’s because she knows she can’t fly… but she does love to snuggle up to me when I sit on the ground, and she purrrrs like a cat!

From reading other posts, I think my next batch of hatching eggs might have to be bantam Cochins (I think this is the same as Pekins right?)

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I can't answer this, but thank you for inviting me into the discussion. I can't answer for two reasons. First, I haven't had experience with many breeds, so I really can't compare. For the record, my Brown Leghorns lived and died as completely feral and considered me as dangerous as any predator. My other breeds, EE, Black Australorps, Buff Orps and Dominiques, are all pretty relaxed around me but none would be pleased if I tried to pick them up. Second, I don't snuggle with my birds. They don't jump up on me or sit on my lap. They do come running when they hear the back door open and close, but that's because they anticipate goodies, not because they can't wait to hear my latest comedy routine.

 

[AgnesGray]

If I remember right, we might have brothers.
My two Biele boys are amazing too. One acts like a total pet when you pick him up and hold him.

Awe, I can totally picture that. They do make the absolute best roosters ever.

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

I agree with everyone who said individual birds will display more or less friendliness than their breed's norm. For birds intended as pets, I recommend hand feeding and petting pullets - and leaving cockerels the heck alone - as soon as sexual differences start presenting.

Just from reputation, aren't Silkies renowned as being human-centric?

In my experience, bantam Brahmas were the most likely to jump on my lap, back when I encouraged that behavior with a cup of scratch grains. Now, I have one young Rhode Island Red hen out of her 17 sisters and half-sisters, raised in identical conditions, who likes to play snuggle-bunny and nap on me.

 

[Cloverr39]

Bantam brahmas! The reason I think that is becouse out of all my chicks last year which were all raised the same my 4 bantam brahmas were the friendliest. I don't have any evidence. It's hard to find anything online on bantam brahmas. Especially isabella ones, which are the ones I have. Mine have always been super friendly ever since a couple days old to now when they're about a year old.

I think laying breeds can be sort of unfriendly. What I mean by laying breeds is something like dominant, ISA brown, leghorn, lohman brown, something like that. Now with these you'll either get a really friendly chicken that will follow you around all the time and expect lots of treats or you'll get a chicken that wants absolutely nothing to do with people. That could also depend on weather you get them as chicks, as pullets around laying age or as adults. From my experience it's way harder to befriend an older hen raised with no human interaction than it is with younger chickens.