What attracts you to certain breeds?

[bluemoon]

I know we're already in the middle of a breeds thread, but reading it set me wondering; what do we look for in a breed or a hybrid? Not necessarily just the breeds we already have, but also the ones on the wish list. I've always loved little red hens, but I also like anything gold-laced or gold pencilled. Anything with 'partridge' colouring is a favourite with me too. I saw some partridge silkies at a children's farm the other week and although I'm not a silkie fan they were really lovely. I don't particularly like white chickens of any breed. Don't know why, but it probably stems from childhood and seeing what I assume were light Sussex or white leghorns apparently permanently covered in mud. (I know the sussex would have had the black bits, but I can't remember now if they did or not) Having said all that, I'd want a reasonable number of eggs no matter what they looked like.
When I decided to keep Rhode Island Reds and Marans though it was their hardiness that finally swung it, they live on the lottie on top of an exposed hill, anything too tender would probably not do well and both breeds are thriving. Top of my wish list at the moment are gold-laced wyandottes and/or perhaps buff Sussex, I think they'd look lovely in a flock with the Rhodies.

[Suechooks]

I love Gold laced wyandottes too! I had one for a very brief time till she was stolen but ONE DAY I'll have another! I love Araucanas too cos they've got such sparky little personalities!
My real love however is the Warren - specially my ex-batt girls. So easy, friendly, and lots of different feather patterns. With that in mind I'd go for RIR too plus maybe a Cream Legbar for the blue eggs and cool beanie hats!

[Bramble-Poultry]

i like the cochin as they are a docile bird that can be "snuggled" by the kids. having said that, my daughter is a chicken whisperer and gets nearly all our bantams - Barbu D'Uclle included - laying on their backs in her arms and falling to sleep.

so for personality i think the barbu as they are lovely colours are real characters.

Here are a couple of pictures of the "chicken whisperer" in action

The first is her getting our little lemon cuckoo pekin off to sleep. and the second is her with an 8 week old Lavender Pekin cockerel

[bluemoon]

So cute (and so are the chickens!)

[Bramble-Poultry]

Grubby street urchin - she spends all day in with her chooks - all of those she calls hers are very very tame

[RichmondHens]

We go for what lays nice coloured eggs, so Welsummer for dark brown eggs, and recently Cream Legbar for blue eggs. There's always a few crossbreeds knocking around to provide pale eggs.

I will always have bantams as have been around those all my life - they are such characterful little creatures, and steer clear of anything feathery legged/footed as too messy and prone to scaley leg mite. Some of our first large fowl were Rhodies, but found these to be quite aggressive towards the other hens and the eggs just boring.

Quite like the look of the black and white breeds such as Appenzeller, and also Seabright bantams. Very smart little birds.

[di]

Lovely pics BP!...grubby street urchin is the best look for school holidays!(although they were your words,not mine...compared to some days at the lottie,she looks decidedly clean compared to mine!)
We got Isa's first.We just wanted some chickens that laid eggs...at that point hadn't really considered the many breeds available.They lay well,even through the winter and are really friendly & easy for the kiddies to handle.
We then got Dandelion & Marigold,we bought them as Suffolk Pied,but the more I read & see other chooks on here \I think they are actually Magpies?Love both of them to bits, they are very beautiful birds but not sure I would get more?Although not unfriendly,they've never been cuddly birds & prefer not to be picked up.In between broodiness,they lay as well as the Isa's.(that could just be our two and they might not actually be Magpies?)Also,that said,I've always had a soft spot for Marigold.
Of the ones we hatched,we chose Legbars for their looks...love their punk hair style...also because they lay blue eggs.
Then the Orpingtons because I think they are absolutely stunning looking birds and also apparently very docile & friendly.I don't think they lay as many eggs and I know we're going to have our work cut out with broodiness from them,but they will be more like the kiddies chooks as opposed to layers.

[Pumpkin Becki]

We want Orpingtons to Di, they will be more like pets, and the eggs will be a bonus really. I was stuck on the idea of buffs, but the breeder I've been speaking to says I'll probably be quite 'taken' with some of her other colours.

On a disappointing note, we'll probably have to wait until next year now, as funds have run too tight to replace the fencing, which needs to happen before they come.

[di]

We've got some Jubilee Orpington eggs sat under Dandelion,they are beautiful...just got to hope that A/they hatch & B/at least one is a little girlie!

Shame you've got to wait,but then it gives you lots of study time to decide on what to get!How is the house coming along?Sorry,I've still not dug up our front border!...only a few months late!

[Pumpkin Becki]

We've got some Jubilee Orpington eggs sat under Dandelion,they are beautiful...just got to hope that A/they hatch & B/at least one is a little girlie!

Shame you've got to wait,but then it gives you lots of study time to decide on what to get!How is the house coming along?Sorry,I've still not dug up our front border!...only a few months late!

Oh, I've just Googled a Jubilee Orpington - very pretty markings, not dissimilar to my hair after painting the ceilings!!

New house is tantilisingly close, we're ticking more and more jobs off the list daily which is a great feeling.

But I want my chooks!!!! **stamps feet and flounces down in chair with folded arms**

Don't worry about the Muscari I'll have them whenever your ready Di, thank you .

[Hilary B]

I first liked the idea of the Cuckoo Marans, for the dark eggs and the sex linkage in the chicks. They also have a good reputation for starting out good layers, and becoming good broodies as they get older and lay less, and they are 'dual purpose' so if I hatched cockerels, they would be good eating. Rhodie cockerels have a nasty reputation, but Marans were reputed more likely to be 'skittish' than aggressive.
The cuddly temperament of the Cochin appealed too, and they are even better broodies (in fact buff Mrs Cochin twice went broody 'to order' when I put her on a clutch of eggs).
When I wanted a 'hybrid' type it was the Black Rock (although that was before the Bluebells...)

[bluemoon]

No, no, no, no, no, no, noooooooooooooo. Do NOT say that Rhodie Cockerels are nasty, I'm getting one on Saturday to keep my Rhodie girls in line! He's only young, is there a chance that by being well handled he'll be OK? It's one of Waldanzig's, it turns out we live within walking distance of each other. In fact if I listen closely I could probably hear him crowing (the cockerel that is, not Waldanzig). I did hear that Rhodie hens could be a bit neurotic, but we've had ours since they were 8 weeks and they are beautifully calm. The cockerel is about 12 weeks I think. Another thing is, what would be the best way to introduce them? The girls are about 24 weeks now and I've introduced young girls to older boys, but never the other way around.

[Hilary B]

No, no, no, no, no, no, noooooooooooooo. Do NOT say that Rhodie Cockerels are nasty, I'm getting one on Saturday to keep my Rhodie girls in line! He's only young, is there a chance that by being well handled he'll be OK? It's one of Waldanzig's, it turns out we live within walking distance of each other. In fact if I listen closely I could probably hear him crowing (the cockerel that is, not Waldanzig). I did hear that Rhodie hens could be a bit neurotic, but we've had ours since they were 8 weeks and they are beautifully calm. The cockerel is about 12 weeks I think. Another thing is, what would be the best way to introduce them? The girls are about 24 weeks now and I've introduced young girls to older boys, but never the other way around.

I wasn't talking about personal experience, just reputation.
I've met 3 Rhodie boys that were OK, and one bl**&y-minded GIT. The nasty ones are probably not so many, just unforgettable!
He may be a bit young for ladies of that maturity.....

[RichmondHens]

Think size rather than age. If your boy is smaller than the girls (which at 12 weeks he probably will be) then they will bully him in the way that they would a smaller female. I would keep him separate until he is at least the same size, then introduce him. At about 16 weeks or so he should have grown on enough to stand up for himself a bit more, and then his hormones will start to kick in ................

[bluemoon]

Right, we'll keep them apart for a while, thanks.