Can anyone suggest which hens to buy?

[MadameCheese]

We would like to get a few (maybe 4) birds (almost typoed 40 and were wondering which ones would be best. We would like large, friendly (?) birds. Would a mixture be best or would you stick with the same breed?

How about rehoming ex battery hens? It is very rewarding as they come anaemic, few feathers, never before had a dustbath.

Then gradually you rehabilitate them, give them a detox diet and afterwards they develop muscles to walk about and scratch and they reward you with eggs.

Orpingtons are lovely big birds with a good nature and are very prolific layers. Isa Brown are good too (often used in battery farming) - sweet natured but do not live very long.

it depends what your needs are.

Small chickens are best for children to handle. Pekins or silkies?

We have a handful of chickens and by far the friendliest, cuddliest and cheekiest is our buff sussex. The black rocks are good for egg laying but don't seem to have the same spirit as 'chicken korma' who taps on the front door when she wants to come in and clear the breakfast crumbs, stoops to be picked up for a cuddle and plays on the slide with the kids - shes more like a dog really!! she lays an egg a day - nice brown speckely one!

I do think its up to the individual character of the chuck, we have a rescued rooster who was wild when he arrived, now he lets 4 y.os pick him up and feed him by hand.

The more attention you give them, the more you'll be rewarded, whatever the breed!

But if one doesn't turn out ok don't keep them as they could end up frightening dc (keep that one for the pot, but only relevant to cockerels if you've incubated some eggs, most hens are delightful when used to being handled).

Excellent thank you! Must admit GentleOtter we love the idea of Orpingtons, they sound lovely.

oirh I've also been looking at Sussex hens.

We used to have a pekin but she was able to escape through our picket fence, being so small. I would love them to be able to have the run of the garden while I'm at home but don't want to have to put chicken wire around perimeter

kidowner I also like the idea of ex batts but haven't really the time to devote to their needs unfortunately.

Getting hold of Orpingtons is proving to be rather difficult.

my dd's favourite is our lavendar araucana, who is very gentle, will sit on our laps for a stroke and lays lovely little blue eggs, great as boiled eggs for dd (3.11), the other friendliest one is our black rock, who likes to be stroked too, and feeds from our hands happily. Our light sussex is lovely too but completely food obsessed! We also have a speckledy maran who has lovely eggs but not much personality, and a flighty hybrid green egg layer - but she's the newest so I'm sure she'll gat tamer in time!

My dd has a pet araucana too - dd loves her, and the blue eggs are great, but our one is the stupidest hen that I have ever met (which is quite an achievement). I don't know if this is typical for the breed, or just her.

where do you live madame cheese. i have buff orpys which i may consider selling. only have 2 left but i agree they are very docile and family friendly but they only lay for half a year. so maybe get a mix of a few diff birds. pekins are gentle birds also.

ihatethecold - dorset! We're not quite ready as we've got the coup but need to build a suitable run which may take time.

There is a weekly magazine - "Poultry Keepers', which has excellent advice on all aspects of poultry rearing, equipment etc and has a poultry breeders list on the back few pages so you will find an Orpington breeder near you.
They are big fat lovable dumplings and the cockerels are sweet natured too.

we have black rocks speckeldys White susssex leghorns and some ex batterys think it's down to individual chicken but in my experience all turn into good pets if handled regularly except the leghorns. They make up for it though with prolific egg laying with White shells

cochins are as nice as orpingtons ime.

funniest character out of our 20 or so hens is punky the poland. she is fab, id get more of her in a heartbeat.