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

[CSolis]

I truly think those who have stated it really depends on the individual chicken and not a breed over all are right on the money. I've had chickens from many breeds, and there are friendly ones in every bunch. I have a rooster that is a cross between Cockoo Marans and BSL that has always been a hoot!

 

[african chickens]

Because chickens are amazing .

well my parent dont want anymore pets so

 

[african chickens]

I’m not! Maybe they feel bad cause chickens are so awesome? But no reason to be mad…

im on this website to help my other poultry birds in emergency

 

[Bananer86]

I can say our 2 most cuddly chickens have been a Brahma & 1 Asian Black roo. My Ameraucanas are friendly but not cuddly.

My evidence backing Brahmas being cuddly

 

[K0k0shka]

I'm a big fan of Orpingtons! Can't speak as to the popular Buff variety, but my English Orpingtons (of different colors) are absolute sweethearts! They want to be near me or on me regardless of whether I have treats or not. They are very calm and tolerant of a lot - noises, handling, even children! My young children can pick them up, cuddle them and carry them around, even the grown hens not just the younger chicks or pullets. They always want to know what you're doing and will be in your face "helping" or supervising My current flock's purpose is mainly to be pet chickens, and these are the best choice I could've made. I love them so much that I don't see myself getting any other breeds in the future (for a pet flock anyway).

Taking a nap in my lap

 

[K0k0shka]

P.S. They tend to get dirty butts often, because they have too much fluff back there, but they are SO good about getting a bath and blow dry that it's not really a problem. I love their fluffy butts just the way they are! And I love how calm and completely cooperative those chickens are whenever anything needs to be done to them!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

My flock consists of Black Copper Marans, Black Copper Marans crosses, Cochins, Silkies, Buff Orps, and 1 lone Game hen.

The friendliest are the Marans, then the silkies followed by the Buff orps.
I got my marans because I was looking for big friendly lap chickens. They were recommended to me as being super friendly. Every good thing that was said about them they are and more so. Even the boys have been gentle sweet hearts. I have 1 hen who has become so spoiled thanks to my grandma that she comes in every day now and lays her egg on the couch. We exchange the egg for a handful of her own special box of raisins daily. The Marans crosses also inherit the Marans personality. I had a EE x Wyandotte mix hen who was definitely a look but don't you dare touch hen. Her daughter and granddaughter are always underfoot hoping for either a lap to sit in or to be the first to get a treat.
My next friendliest breed are my silkies. I did not want them even though my daughter begged for years. Last spring a neighbor up the road asked me to hatch some silkie eggs from her flock to test fertility. I agree reluctantly, but swore none were staying. When they were 2 weeks old I already had a favorite who ended up being a boy. He is my favorite chicken I have. I can bring him inside and put him on a towel and he'll watch tv with me for up to 2 hours without pooping once. He is also the best boy I have when it comes to watching for predators, he's the first to spot a hawk, and he killed a baby snake 4 days ago. I refer to my silkies as my furry chicken dogs.
Next are my Buff orps. My first 1 Butter is almost 2 and she is my mom's favorite hen, she always wants to be in her lap. Butter also gets jealous if another chicken dares to sit in her lap and will evict them if she catches it. She is all the time talking to you and is a nosy shadow. I got 3 more Buff chicks 8 weeks ago when I had a lone silkie egg hatch. Their favorite place to fly up to when I'm out with them is my shoulders and head.
My least friendliest bird is my game hen. When she is not broody, which is rare, she does NOT like to be touched. When she is broody or has babies, do not look in her direction, she will whip you. I put up with a lot of crap from that hen, more then I should. But she has by far been the best mother so I just call her names and threaten her. I don't want any of her own chicks, so each time she goes broody I risk life and limb and swap out her eggs with my Marans. I can not safely handle her chicks until she is done with them. Normally 8 weeks or older, and so far each time I've been able to tame them in under 2 days after she is done. She is getting up in age, and is once again setting. She hates me, I tolerate her, but when the old bat is gone I will miss her.
Here is the spoiled house chicken wannabe Bunny with her freshly laid egg.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

I will give three positive compliments for three breeds starting in this post.

#1 - Rhode Island Red
Years ago we were given RIRs in need of a home - we couldn't keep all of them, but we kept the biggest and chunkiest one that was the outcast of them all and named her "Big Red". Mind you, we had not hand raised this bird so she was not used to us, but she adjusted so smoothly and very quickly became friendly. She loved to see you - she'd cluck for you and be so excited to see you! You could let her out and she'd follow you like a little puppy. Years and years prior to THIS, I was working at an animal shelter when someone brought in a RIR hen who had been severely attacked by a dog(s). I'll spare the details of just how LITTLE any one wanted to help her, but we brought her home and began the long journey of rehabilitation. So forgiving she was, through all the medicating and crate time needed for her healing. She was tolerable of me carrying her out for some supervised grass time in her little special pen. She was a good girl, and very well tempered. I'll never forget when she was well enough to lay her first egg.

I have heard the flip side of this breed, but thus far have had nothing but good experiences from them.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

#2 - Chocolate Orpington
Okay okay, true - Wally is the ONLY Orpington I've ever had. But I have to brag on her breed because she's something special. We rescued Wally in September of 2020, and I love the level of attatchment she finally showed us after her quarantine and adjustment period. She is quirky and spoiled - you have to shine your phone light inside the coop or she won't go on the perch herself. She gets along fabulous with our duck. And even though she's bigger than all the birds, even in neutral ground when we tried to introduce her to our other flock, she has a very submissive personality. I cannot speak to others of her breed, but I'll brag on them because she's been such a good bird to us. Beautiful light brown eggs, medium-ish in size.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

#3 - Polish
I have had Golden and Tolbunt Polish over the years and really love them. Always roos, never hens actually. My Tolbunt fella, Valentino, was an absolute hoot. He guarded his hen with great protective instinct, but was so gentle with us and loved to be picked up and handled and hugged on. Fast forward years later, we had two brothers someone needed to be rid of due to having too many roosters. We ended up with Darles Chickens and Edgar Allan Crow! Edgar was a bit of a grump - he wouldn't let you pick him up really and was not as sociable. But Darles was a good fella, not as friendly as Valentino was but nonetheless a good boy. None of them ever offered to spur us, and were just all around beautiful and nice. I loved seeing their head feathers when it rained, out of their eyes and sort of slicked back. If I ever got another roo, it would definitely be a Polish.