Hello everyone!
Throughout my time here on BYC I have seen a lot of members asking about calm breeds of chickens, so I thought I'd make an article completely dedicated to calm breeds of chickens. I'll always be adding to this article as people give me recommendations of breeds and I discover more calm breeds!
1. Buff Orpington
Buff Orpingtons are a favorite among many backyard chicken keepers. They are often described as "dogs" because they will follow you everywhere. They are great with children, but can be difficult to hold because of their large size.
Egg Production: Around 190 large, light brown eggs a year.
Broody: Yes.
Size: 7 to 8 pounds.
Photo courtesy of: @henny1129
Photos courtesy of: @Mountain Peeps
2. Silkie
Silkie's are adorable with they're, well, silkie feathers! Kids love them and there's no doubt Silkie's are sure to be a favorite among your visitors. And, if their silkie, puffiness, fluffiness isn't enough, Silkie's are friendly, calm birds.
Egg Production: Around 100 small, cream colored eggs a year.
Broody: Yes.
Size: 3 to 4 pounds.
Photo's courtesy of: @silkiecuddles
3. Cochin
Cochin's tend to be quiet, calm, and docile birds. They are rather large birds and their heavily-feathered legs can be quite intriguing, especially to people who don't own chickens!
Egg Production: 160 medium, light brown eggs a year,
Broody: Yes.
Size: 7 to 9 pounds.
Photos courtesy of: http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Day-Old-Baby-Chicks/Partridge-Cochin-p728.aspx
4. Mille Fleur d'Uccle
Mille Fleur's are a bantam breed and are most recognizable by their speckled feathers and feathered feet. They are extremely easy to handle because of they're very small size.
Egg Production: Around 100 small, cream colored eggs a year.
Broody: Yes.
Size: A little over a pound.
Photo courtesy of: @henny1129 (Not my own chickens, I took the picture at the Putnam County Fair in Ohio.)
5. Easter Egger
Easter Egger's, like Buff Orpingtons, are a flock owner's favorite. They can be a vast list of colors (really, they can be any kind of color) and can lay the most intriguing eggs of colors like green, blue, and pink.
Egg Production: Around 200 medium-sized, colored eggs. (Once an EE hen starts laying it lays the SAME color forever on. An EE hen will not lay a green egg one day and a blue egg the next; they will either lay green or blue eggs, but never both.)
Broody: No. (MyPetChicken says "no", but our two EE hens are always broody
.)
Size: 6 to 7 pounds.
Photos courtesy of: @Cluckcluck1215
Photos courtesy of: @dan26552
6. Red Sex Link (Golden Comet, Red Star, ISA Brown, Cinnamon Queen)
Red Sex Links are one of the most popular chicken breeds and they are incredible egg layers! They are a hybrid breed and are often described as friendly, calm birds, but you can occasionally get one that is out of control.
Egg Production: Around 300 extra large, dark brown eggs a year. (Being bred for producing as much eggs as possible, Red Sex Links only live to be about four and their egg production decreases immensely in their second and third laying years.)
Broody: No.
Size: 6 to 7 pounds.
Photo courtesy of: @Chickenchick11
7. Black Australorp
Black Australorps are a very common chicken breed and most backyard keepers are familiar with them. While most Black Australorps tend to be calm, some "backyarders" (like me
) have had bad experiences with them. (I still thought I should include BA's in here since most people claim BA's are calm.
)
Egg Production: Around 250 large, brown eggs a year.
Broody: Yes.
Size: 7 to 8 pounds.
Photo courtesy of: @silkiecuddles
8. Sussex
Sussex's are a fairly common breed of chicken and many backyard chicken owners like them for their pretty colors! They are said to be docile, calm, and friendly towards humans.
Egg Production: Around 150 large, tan colored eggs a year.
Broody: Yes.
Size: 5 to 6 pounds.
Photos courtesy of: @silkiecuddles
9. Dominique
Dominiques are a rarer breed, but are known to be sweet, calm, docile, and friendly birds. They look quite similar to Barred Rock's, and in-fact, one of the only differences between the breeds is that Dominiques have Rose Combs while Barred Rocks have single combs.
Egg Production: Around 230 large, brown eggs a year.
Broody: Yes.
Size: 6 to 7 pounds.
Photos courtesy of: http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Day-Old-Baby-Chicks/Dominique-p237.aspx
10. Welsummers
Welsummers are known for being friendly and intelligent. Many chicken keepers love them for their dark, chocolatey brown colored eggs.
Egg Production: Around 180 large, chocolatey brown colored eggs a year.
Broody: Yes.
Size: 6 to 7 pounds.
.Photos courtesy of: @CuzChickens
11. Brahma
Brahmas are similar to Cochins in size and also having feathered legs and feet. They are known to be gentle giants but are hard for children to hold because of their large size.
Egg Production: Around 150 large, brown eggs a year.
Broody: Yes.
Size: 8+ pounds.
1. Please remember, while all the breeds listed above are known to typically be calm and friendly, you can still get the odd chick(s) that are crazy ones! And also remember, all chickens need a certain amount of socialization to be tame.
2. Please feel free to comment on any of the breeds you see here in this article with your experiences! And feel free to share other calm breeds you like and I will consider adding them to this article. If you have any questions you can ask them in the comments section or PM me and I'll be sure to answer as best I can!
3. Thanks for reading!
Hope you've learned something,
~@henny1129
1. Buff Orpington
Buff Orpingtons are a favorite among many backyard chicken keepers. They are often described as "dogs" because they will follow you everywhere. They are great with children, but can be difficult to hold because of their large size.
Egg Production: Around 190 large, light brown eggs a year.
Broody: Yes.
Size: 7 to 8 pounds.
Photo courtesy of: @henny1129
Photos courtesy of: @Mountain Peeps
2. Silkie
Silkie's are adorable with they're, well, silkie feathers! Kids love them and there's no doubt Silkie's are sure to be a favorite among your visitors. And, if their silkie, puffiness, fluffiness isn't enough, Silkie's are friendly, calm birds.
Egg Production: Around 100 small, cream colored eggs a year.
Broody: Yes.
Size: 3 to 4 pounds.
Photo's courtesy of: @silkiecuddles
3. Cochin
Cochin's tend to be quiet, calm, and docile birds. They are rather large birds and their heavily-feathered legs can be quite intriguing, especially to people who don't own chickens!
Egg Production: 160 medium, light brown eggs a year,
Broody: Yes.
Size: 7 to 9 pounds.
Photos courtesy of: http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Day-Old-Baby-Chicks/Partridge-Cochin-p728.aspx
4. Mille Fleur d'Uccle
Mille Fleur's are a bantam breed and are most recognizable by their speckled feathers and feathered feet. They are extremely easy to handle because of they're very small size.
Egg Production: Around 100 small, cream colored eggs a year.
Broody: Yes.
Size: A little over a pound.
Photo courtesy of: @henny1129 (Not my own chickens, I took the picture at the Putnam County Fair in Ohio.)
5. Easter Egger
Easter Egger's, like Buff Orpingtons, are a flock owner's favorite. They can be a vast list of colors (really, they can be any kind of color) and can lay the most intriguing eggs of colors like green, blue, and pink.
Egg Production: Around 200 medium-sized, colored eggs. (Once an EE hen starts laying it lays the SAME color forever on. An EE hen will not lay a green egg one day and a blue egg the next; they will either lay green or blue eggs, but never both.)
Broody: No. (MyPetChicken says "no", but our two EE hens are always broody
Size: 6 to 7 pounds.
Photos courtesy of: @Cluckcluck1215
Photos courtesy of: @dan26552
6. Red Sex Link (Golden Comet, Red Star, ISA Brown, Cinnamon Queen)
Red Sex Links are one of the most popular chicken breeds and they are incredible egg layers! They are a hybrid breed and are often described as friendly, calm birds, but you can occasionally get one that is out of control.
Egg Production: Around 300 extra large, dark brown eggs a year. (Being bred for producing as much eggs as possible, Red Sex Links only live to be about four and their egg production decreases immensely in their second and third laying years.)
Broody: No.
Size: 6 to 7 pounds.
Photo courtesy of: @Chickenchick11
7. Black Australorp
Black Australorps are a very common chicken breed and most backyard keepers are familiar with them. While most Black Australorps tend to be calm, some "backyarders" (like me
Egg Production: Around 250 large, brown eggs a year.
Broody: Yes.
Size: 7 to 8 pounds.
Photo courtesy of: @silkiecuddles
8. Sussex
Sussex's are a fairly common breed of chicken and many backyard chicken owners like them for their pretty colors! They are said to be docile, calm, and friendly towards humans.
Egg Production: Around 150 large, tan colored eggs a year.
Broody: Yes.
Size: 5 to 6 pounds.
Photos courtesy of: @silkiecuddles
9. Dominique
Dominiques are a rarer breed, but are known to be sweet, calm, docile, and friendly birds. They look quite similar to Barred Rock's, and in-fact, one of the only differences between the breeds is that Dominiques have Rose Combs while Barred Rocks have single combs.
Egg Production: Around 230 large, brown eggs a year.
Broody: Yes.
Size: 6 to 7 pounds.
Photos courtesy of: http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Day-Old-Baby-Chicks/Dominique-p237.aspx
10. Welsummers
Welsummers are known for being friendly and intelligent. Many chicken keepers love them for their dark, chocolatey brown colored eggs.
Egg Production: Around 180 large, chocolatey brown colored eggs a year.
Broody: Yes.
Size: 6 to 7 pounds.
.Photos courtesy of: @CuzChickens
11. Brahma
Brahmas are similar to Cochins in size and also having feathered legs and feet. They are known to be gentle giants but are hard for children to hold because of their large size.
Egg Production: Around 150 large, brown eggs a year.
Broody: Yes.
Size: 8+ pounds.
1. Please remember, while all the breeds listed above are known to typically be calm and friendly, you can still get the odd chick(s) that are crazy ones! And also remember, all chickens need a certain amount of socialization to be tame.
2. Please feel free to comment on any of the breeds you see here in this article with your experiences! And feel free to share other calm breeds you like and I will consider adding them to this article. If you have any questions you can ask them in the comments section or PM me and I'll be sure to answer as best I can!
3. Thanks for reading!
Hope you've learned something,
~@henny1129
