Very excited!

[Squizz]

I'm so excited! I've finally ordered a hen house and run and should be getting some feathered friends very soon. What breed do you think would be best for a family with 2 young children? I'd love the kids to get involved but my youngest was a little unsure when we went to meet the chickens this morning!

[Hilary B]

If you want something really tame, and eggs are just a bonus, I would recommend Cochins. The tamest chooks I ever owned were Cochins. Most laying hens are reasonably placid, but if you want a tame cockerel, I had a Cochin who thoroughly earned his name "Cuddles", neither he nor the older Cochin cockerel I had was noisy, and they didn't fight (even when next-door's bolshy bantam invaded the garden, the Cochins simply ignored him)

[Squizz]

I'm starting with 4 chickens, someone has said that I should keep the same breed together or at least in pairs, is this true?

[lizzylemon]

I've got a mix of hens and I have 4. I have 2 Goldenlines which are the commercial breed. They're fairly friendly and consitantly lay eggs. I have a Nera (a breed name I've only found on my suppliers website but looks very much like a Black Rock) she's poorly at the mo so judgment withheld and not very good on the egg front, and finally we have an Amber Star - she has the most personality, is pretty fearless and loves being stroked. Took the longest to befriend but glad I took the time - she jumped on me 2 days ago and just hung out on my arm for a while!

[chicken slave]

The tamest chooks I have are warrens and they are extremely cheeky with it. I have one that every time you get low enough she jumps on your shoulder. They follow me like little lap dogs up and down the garden as I'm working and even come and sit in the greenhouse with me when I'm busy.

[Hans Mum]

my warren is very tame and my bluebelle even more so, the ex=batts are becoming more so, it just takes time, although they all know the sound of the shed door opening means treats

[matthew2riches]

Either Warrens or Cochins tbh with you.

I have got some (15) cochin eggs in the incubator which are due to hatch next week and some (12) warren x maran eggs hatching in a few more weeks.

[Eyren]

If you want something really tame, and eggs are just a bonus, I would recommend Cochins.

True - but they are also very large! Not that that's a bad thing, but if the henhouse and run are already ordered, the size of chicken might be important

Pekins are also very tame (they are bantams and look like a miniature Cochin, complete with feathery feet!), though they can be noisy! Their small size makes them much less intimidating for young children, though. On the minus side they are very prone to broodiness, and stop laying in winter.

Omlet UK | Breed Information | Chickens | Cochin

Omlet UK | Breed Information | Chickens | Pekin Bantam

I'm starting with 4 chickens, someone has said that I should keep the same breed together or at least in pairs, is this true?

I've never heard that. It's usually recommended not to mix bantams and standard-sized chickens as the bantams can get bullied (presumably the larger birds think they are runts!), but apart from that... As long as you get your hens at the same time so that you reduce pecking-order problems, you can basically mix and match breeds. My first two were a Speckeldy and a Calder Ranger; I currently have two pekin bantams and a miniature wyandotte. Wyandottes are beautiful, but rather bossy and not particularly tame!

http://club.omlet.co.uk/gallery/main...2_itemId=24543

[Flummery]

My supplier (getting them next weekend) has also said if you want to mix hens, get them in 2s. He reckons the little red hens are the easiest to tame - warrens, ISAs, Lohmanns, Rangers - pretty much the same in terms of breeding.

[Squizz]

Thank you everyone for your advice