I'm thinking of keeping a couple of chickens?

Question

Just as pets in the garden. What breeds would you recommend?

Answer 1

I've found that Ameraucanas / Ameracans are an excellent "pet" breed. They are gentle and even tempered. Because they are a half breed mutt chicken, each bird is individually colored which lends itself well to naming the birds. You'll be able to tell the difference between Clucky, Penny, Lovey, and Juniper.

Also, they lay really cool eggs... not boring brown or white, but pink, green, and blue. I call em easter egg chickens.

We have some Rhode Islands as well, but they have a tendency to be kinda stand-offish and moody.

Answer 2

Well I own 4 chickens. They are Rhode Island Reds. Very kind and very tame, they will happilt follow you and sit by your feet. Hand feed them too.

This is what a Rhode Island Red looks like:

http://andrew.treloar.net/garden/images/...

Give them a good hutch feed them layers mash (Special chickens food) and ALWAYSahve water avaliable for them. Let them roam as long as you like but make sure they went to bed, they usually put themselves to bed.

Keep an eye on them too, for Foxes, I have lost a few.

Good luck and if you need any more info, just e-mail me.

Answer 3

My favorites are the Silkie bantam and the americana.The silkies are wonderful sitters and mothers.They are very freindly.I like the Americana because they are also freindly and lay wonderful blue/green eggs.

Answer 4

Rhode Island Reds, blackrocks, warrens and bluebelles are 3 particular breeds which are hardy, good layers and not easily prone to broodiness.

Marans are also a good breed and personally I think they lay the tastiest eggs.

If you're looking at keeping hens as pets, particularly if you have children, many breeds are known for their docility or for their beauty or unusual appearance. Possibly the most ideal chickens for this criteria would be of the bantam variety. Bantams are the miniture version of the larger breeds. They're also suited in areas where there is not a lot of room.

    * Araucana (lay beautiful blue eggs too)

    * Cochin

    * Dutch Bantam

    * Pekin

    * Sebrights

    * Silkies

If you have the space I'd opt for at least 4 hens or 6 bantams. If you're considering adding a couple of hens every now and then, you need to consider the pecking order which will take place every time a new hen is introduced to the flock.

Check out this site for everything you need to know and consider when keeping hens, it's a great resource!

http://www.henkeeping.co.uk/which.html

Answer 5

Hybrids should be fine for you. I have chickens of varying breeds. Hybrids will lay a few eggs for your breakfast each day too! Feel free to email me :-)

Answer 6

We have three kinds - some Rhode Island Reds, they are decent layers and table birds, with really dark eggs.  Cuckoo Marans, they are great mothers and good layers, and quite sweet looking too, they're all fat and round!  And some Speckledy, which is a mixture of the two.  The cockerals look beautiful, and they're just good all-round birds.

I'd recommend any of these, but since you are looking for pets maybe the Maran.  Try this site, it tells you about breeds as well as any other info you may like - http://www.omlet.co.uk/breeds/breeds.php...

Answer 7

ex-battery hens!  i'm getting 4 at the end of the month.  when the battery hens become 'uneconomical' (not laying enough eggs) they are sent to be slaughtered - unless people take some on.  i've got a coop with room for 4.  the chickens will be a bit unsightly at first, missing feathers, that sort of thing.  but they recover amazingly well, and within a few weeks start laying again.  it would be a wonderful thing to do - give a few chickens a chance at a better life.  try to get at least three - two is a bit of a lonely number for chickens.  www.bhwt.org.uk  is a useful site.

Answer 8

I only know of one kind of chicken. A plain chicken. yeah.

Answer 9

Any cute chicken that you could find!

Answer 10

the chicken kind

or the normal chicken kind your choice

Answer 11

does the farmer know uve nicked them