Too many to choose from, too little to have.

[JudesFlock]

I need help deciding which chickens to get in the near future for a small flock I want to have (later a large flock). Here’s some chicken breeds I was thinking about most, which is optimal for the best flock

 

[ChickenCanoe]

First thing to consider is your climate. Where are you located. Choosing breeds inappropriate for climate make chicken keeping more difficult than it needs to be.
If RIRs are high on your list, make them your only breed. They are a great productive breed but tend to be the bullies of a mixed flock.
Colorful eggs, go for the Araucana or Ameraucana.
If predation is a problem, Orps may be too laid back but otherwise are a great bird.
I haven't had Faverolle but friends that have loved them and they are fairly prolific.
There are many other great breeds. What characteristic do you want most. What is your personality. Can you deal with birds that avoid human contact or do you want lap pets. The latter tend to be more vulnerable to predators.

 

[AinaWGSD]

Optimal for a "best" flock depends on a lot of factors other than breed. What are your goals for keeping chickens? What kind of setup are you planning? What traits are important to you (eggs, pets, eye candy, meat production, self sufficiency, tolerant of confinement, breeding are just a few) What kind of climate do you live in?

For example, when we chose our chicken breeds we needed breeds that were good with confinement because they aren't going to get much time out of the coop and enclosed run. We did want less flighty breeds because we did want them to be sort of pets. They had to be able to tolerate moderately cold winters and hot humid summers. Alertness/watchfulness wasn't really a factor because our chicken ordinance requires the run be enclosed on all sides including the top. We wanted fair to good layers because we are primarily in it for eggs but we didn't really want a high production breed because they are more prone to reproductive issues and with a hard limit of 6 we are going to get attached. We didn't want breeds that are known for broodiness because we aren't going to be hatching eggs.

 

[Mrs. K]

A lot depends on you. Do you expect these to be your flock forever? Will you be able to adjust your flock if something does not work out? Or will that cause you a lot of angst? If so, go with a single breed. One that is sexed link so that you only get pullets.

A lot of times it depends on what is available and what you can get when you are ready.

Personally, I like a mixed flock, but sometimes that leads to a bird less liked. Being raised together has little influence on long term behavior.

But most importantly what is the size of your coop and run? Space, and how that space is set up, and the number and attitude of your birds determines how they get on.

The breed is really the least part of it. All of those breeds have been good birds.

 

[JudesFlock]

First thing to consider is your climate. Where are you located. Choosing breeds inappropriate for climate make chicken keeping more difficult than it needs to be.
If RIRs are high on your list, make them your only breed. They are a great productive breed but tend to be the bullies of a mixed flock.
Colorful eggs, go for the Araucana or Ameraucana.
If predation is a problem, Orps may be too laid back but otherwise are a great bird.
I haven't had Faverolle but friends that have loved them and they are fairly prolific.
There are many other great breeds. What characteristic do you want most. What is your personality. Can you deal with birds that avoid human contact or do you want lap pets. The latter tend to be more vulnerable to predators.

Thanks!I was thinking more on the lines of docile breed that is useful for the eggs but also sometimes able to be used for meat. Like a mix of golden comet egg laying and bresse meat; and like an americauna.

 

[Penpal]

Orpingtons and Brahmas are large breeds and good for meat. But, they lay medium sized eggs and you might want larger eggs than medium. Neither of these breeds lay everyday (but I had a Brahma that did), but they lay for a longer period of time, laying when other birds have stopped for the winter. Both are gentle and won't fly over the fence.

I had a flock of Australorp roosters who were amiable, but they could fly pretty well and a fence would not keep them in.

If you go to any hatchery website they should have a blurb about each breed.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

Thanks!I was thinking more on the lines of docile breed that is useful for the eggs but also sometimes able to be used for meat. Like a mix of golden comet egg laying and bresse meat; and like an americauna.

oh no, if you want docile then Rhode Island Red shouldn't even be on the list! lovely birds to look at, and there's always an exception to the rule, but in my experience, RIR are much more bitey than other breeds, the roosters are rougher with the hens(only roo I ever seen to rip out feathers as a show of dominance, but proceed to not actually mount the hen), and only breed I've seen purposefully, knowingly cannibalize( ate the corpse of a hen who died under unknown circumstance, developed taste for blood, ripped big holes in a live meat bird, drank said broiler's blood.)

 

[LaFleche]

First thing to consider is your climate. Where are you located. Choosing breeds inappropriate for climate make chicken keeping more difficult than it needs to be.
If RIRs are high on your list, make them your only breed. They are a great productive breed but tend to be the bullies of a mixed flock.
Colorful eggs, go for the Araucana or Ameraucana.
If predation is a problem, Orps may be too laid back but otherwise are a great bird.
I haven't had Faverolle but friends that have loved them and they are fairly prolific.
There are many other great breeds. What characteristic do you want most. What is your personality. Can you deal with birds that avoid human contact or do you want lap pets. The latter tend to be more vulnerable to predators.

 

[FrostRanger]

If you want meat in addition to eggs, I'd go with orpingtons. I have no experience with faverolles although they are on my list of breeds I'd try if it wasn't so hot here and americanas (which if they're spelled like that and or they're from a feed store are actually easter eggers) are good layers but they tend to be scrawny so while I adore EEs I would not raise them for meat. I also agree with considering australorps as they are also good dual purposed birds although given you're getting birds from a feed store, both the orpingtons and australorps might still be scrawnier than usual

 

[HollowOfWisps]

If you want meat/egg duel purpose I also vote Orpington. Papa’s poultry is a little more expensive than your standard hatchery, but they are absolutely massive compared to hatchery sized orpingtons and lay large eggs since they are older English lines. I have had people confuse my rooster from them for a turkey because he is so big.