What breeds would you recommend to add color and variety to my flock?

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

I'm sure they could make great mothers! Do you not want to do broody jail?

Also, it is no guarantee that a chicken that isn't known to broody won't go broody. I have seen many things that say BCM hens rarely go broody. Ha, I had 3/4 of them go broody AT THE SAME TIME!! I just locked them in broody jail and let them back out after, and they haven't gone broody since.

I guess I'm just trying to get whatever gives me the best odds of no broodiness! I live in the city so we can't have a rooster and hatch our own chicks, and we have a limit on how many chickens we can have. I guess I'm more cautious of this than I used to be because I picked some chicks from the assorted bin at Meyer a while ago and ended up with an Australorp that WILL. NOT. BREAK. Broody jail has worked for my Salmon Favorelles who tried to go broody a few times, but not the Australorp. And I've tried all the other tricks like soaking her in water, ice packs, etc. Now I'm stuck giving her eggs or chicks 2-3 times per year, and having to find homes for these chicks. It's an absolute pain in the butt lol. Can't wait to have a farm one day! But until then, I'm trying for non-broody breeds.

 

[GlicksChicks]

I guess I'm just trying to get whatever gives me the best odds of no broodiness! I live in the city so we can't have a rooster and hatch our own chicks, and we have a limit on how many chickens we can have. I guess I'm more cautious of this than I used to be because I picked some chicks from the assorted bin at Meyer a while ago and ended up with an Australorp that WILL. NOT. BREAK. Broody jail has worked for my Salmon Favorelles who tried to go broody a few times, but not the Australorp. And I've tried all the other tricks like soaking her in water, ice packs, etc. Now I'm stuck giving her eggs or chicks 2-3 times per year, and having to find homes for these chicks. It's an absolute pain in the butt lol. Can't wait to have a farm one day! But until then, I'm trying for non-broody breeds.

Here are some breeds that are known to not be broody:

1. Ancona
2. Andalusian
3. Barred Rock
4. Langshan
5. Croad Langshan
6. Barnevelder
7. Campine
8. Sebright
9. Faverolles
10. Hamburgh
11. Legbar
12. Leghorn
13. Lavenvelder
14. Minorca
15. New Hampshire
16. ISA Brown (aka New Hampshire x)
17. Polish
18. Rhode Island Red
19. Rosecomb
20. Sicillian Buttercup
21. Spanish
22. Sultan
23. Derbyshire Red Cap
24. Appenzeller Spitzenhauben

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Here are some breeds that are known to not be broody:

1. Ancona
2. Andalusian
3. Barred Rock
4. Langshan
5. Croad Langshan
6. Barnevelder
7. Campine
8. Sebright
9. Faverolles
10. Hamburgh
11. Legbar
12. Leghorn
13. Lavenvelder
14. Minorca
15. New Hampshire
16. ISA Brown (aka New Hampshire x)
17. Polish
18. Rhode Island Red
19. Rosecomb
20. Sicillian Buttercup
21. Spanish
22. Sultan
23. Derbyshire Red Cap
24. Appenzeller Spitzenhauben

So helpful! Thank you!!!

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

I think I'm going to order from Meyer so I can do pickup. Definitely ordering a White Plymouth Rock, and then one of the following (list is in no particular order):


Silver Penciled Plymouth Rock
Green Queen
Barnevelder
Welsummer
Cream Legbar
Silver Laced Wyandotte

My husband wants to steer clear of bantams, so those are out of the question now.

Which of these breeds do you guys like best? I'm thinking the Barnevelder (black and copper lacing) and Cream Legbar (has a lot of gray/blue in it and a funny crest) offer the most color variety compared to the rest of my flock, so I may be leaning toward these. The Welsummer and Wyandotte are labeled as "occasional" brooders, so I may even eliminate those from my list. Any experience with Green Queens?

 

[Shadow_Walker732]

I suggest Bielefelders or Speckled-Sussexes or Lavender Orpingtons
All very friendly if given many cuddles as babies. All very pretty and colorful. Imaged below ⬇

 

[Shadow_Walker732]

I think I'm going to order from Meyer so I can do pickup. Definitely ordering a White Plymouth Rock, and then one of the following (list is in no particular order):


Silver Penciled Plymouth Rock
Green Queen
Barnevelder
Welsummer
Cream Legbar
Silver Laced Wyandotte

My husband wants to steer clear of bantams, so those are out of the question now.

Which of these breeds do you guys like best? I'm thinking the Barnevelder (black and copper lacing) and Cream Legbar (has a lot of gray/blue in it and a funny crest) offer the most color variety compared to the rest of my flock, so I may be leaning toward these. The Welsummer and Wyandotte are labeled as "occasional" brooders, so I may even eliminate those from my list. Any experience with Green Queens?

Don't get wyandottes they won't be very friendly (at all)
I know from experience I (had) a rooster and he was a butthead and I have two hens and they run away immediately when approched.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

I suggest Bielefelders or Speckled-Sussexes or Lavender Orpingtons
All very friendly if given many cuddles as babies. All very pretty and colorful. Imaged below ⬇

Beautiful!!! I love all 3. I don't think I can consider Speckled Sussex or Orpington though because of broodiness. The Bielefelders are beautiful but I initially ruled them out because the coloring and pattern is similar to my EE, but when I look at yours, it looks different! I'd consider this breed.

Don't get wyandottes they won't be very friendly (at all)
I know from experience I (had) a rooster and he was a butthead and I have two hens and they run away immediately when approched.

Bummer! Friendliness isn't necessarily a qualification for me, but it's always a plus.

 

[Labsandchickens8]

I just got a blue plymouth rock pullet and she is just the most wonderful hen. She follows me around and talks to me (in low tones) whenever I am in the yard. Lays good sized eggs. Just as sweet as they come and her coloring is lovely with a dark grey/black head and a lavender/grey body. Her shape is similar to an Orpington.

What a beautiful chicken! Where did you get her?

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

We ended up getting a White Plymouth Rock, a Barnevelder, and a free chick that turned out to be a Sapphire Jewel (white with black flecks). They were absolutely gorgeous, but unfortunately we had a hawk attack which took/killed the PR and SJ, and badly injured the Barnevelder. Luckily the Barnevelder made it, but she had bad puncture wounds on her body and all of the toes on one of her feet broken. I thought she would die. Somehow I was able to fix all of that and she is now doing well. She walks normally.

I've always wanted white chickens, so this was pretty unfortunate. But I am very happy one of the hens I got was able to survive. Hopefully the hawk didn't damage any of her reproductive tract and she can still lay eggs. We'll probably find out within the next month or two.

Thanks everyone who gave suggestions! This is a thread I can look back on next time I'm ready to add more birds to my flock.

 

[Laurie11111]

What a beautiful chicken! Where did you get her?

A local lady raises them for me as chicks and I don't know where she gets them from