Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Julie Buck on July 8, 2010 at 11:55am

I had a chick that was orphaned at day old. I was on my way to Washington State to "sit" with grandchildren while their baby sister had open heart surgery. Rather than leave the chick for the "care" that hired help provides, I took her with me. To keep her warm - I tucked her inside my shirt (wrapped in an old towel for cleanliness purposes). She cheeped until she nearly drove me crazy. Only when I'd sing to her would she be quiet. I named her Irene (for the song Good Night Irene). She was a regular pest when she got older. If we were sitting on the deck she'd come jump up on our laps - and she wasn't well "house broke". Then she'd follow us in the house and fly up on the top shelf of the bookcase to roost for the night. MESSY.. Finally she decided she was a chicken instead of a human and she now sleeps in the coop with the rest and we "humans" are not allowed to touch her. She hasn't ever quite become a full-fledged chicken. Last year on December 3rd at -15 degrees - she hatched a nest of chicks. Probably not the best time of year. Yes.. she saved them but we had to intervene and put her in the greenhouse to live. It was cold enough to freeze her water in 30 minutes so it wasn't much better than outside but it was dry. We provided a lot of straw for her to build her nest in.

Permalink Reply by dale learn bayda on July 9, 2010 at 7:37am

Cute story Julie.

Permalink Reply by Brenda Bailey Smiley on August 3, 2010 at 6:12pm

I have 3 different kinds of banties , Blue Silkies, Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Red. All of my Roosters are wonderful, I was afraid with that mix & 6 Roosters there would be problems , I was wrong. at laest for my pen & coop everyone gets on wonderful. I do think how you raise them is important . It seems if they are handled starting at a young age they are very pleasant:)

Permalink Reply by Kim Beall on September 1, 2010 at 10:07am

Almost seems like the heavier the breed, the more mellow and docile the chicken. I tend to stick to different types of Orpingtons and Rocks nowadays, since they are very calm and friendly and also good layers and setters.

But the friendliest and most intelligent chicken I ever had was a Naked Neck (Turken) that my broody Barred Rock hatched out of a batch of "mixed heavy breed" eggs I got from McMurray Hatchery years ago. Honestly she was just like a little dog, following me around and wanting to be involved in everything I did. She seemed to prefer human company to chickens (probably because we do interesting things like dig and pull weeds, and don't try to eat what we find before she can!) She also laid the very darkest brown eggs I've ever seen. I used to say they were chocolate (they were rather small, though.) I've tried to repeat the experience by ordering more Turkens since then, and they are all pretty good chickens, but nothing like the first one I had. I think that might be because they don't breed them to too strict a set of standards, in order to keep their colors varied (FWIW the one that was such a good pet was black.)

The breeds I really don't like at ALL are any of the Mediterranean breeds - especially Leghorns. They always seem borderline insane to me! They are too hyper and jumpy and used to act like I was trying to kill them any time I came anywhere near their pen. They were also pretty nasty to the other chickens. I learned to avoid them all a long time ago, no matter how pretty some of them may be on the outside.

Permalink Reply by Hazel Dene on October 29, 2010 at 4:40am

Here you are Skeeter...a cochin called Brewster! He takes very good care of his girls.

Permalink Reply by Skeeter588 on November 11, 2010 at 8:24am

What a great guy!!! He's gorgeous! :)
I did manage to pick up a couple of cochin banty chicks this year - both roosters, but they keep each other busy! :)



Hazel Dene said:

Here you are Skeeter...a cochin called Brewster! He takes very good care of his girls.

Permalink Reply by Skeeter588 on November 11, 2010 at 8:26am

I've usually had a couple of leghorns around, simply because they're cheap to pick up and good layers. But they are always mixed in with a bunch of other breeds and they tend to be pretty laid back. Maybe because the others around them are more laid back??? They're definitely more hyper than the heavier breeds, but not as bad as yours were. I seldom have more than a ratio of 1leghorn to 10 others. :)



Kim Beall said:

Almost seems like the heavier the breed, the more mellow and docile the chicken. I tend to stick to different types of Orpingtons and Rocks nowadays, since they are very calm and friendly and also good layers and setters.

But the friendliest and most intelligent chicken I ever had was a Naked Neck (Turken) that my broody Barred Rock hatched out of a batch of "mixed heavy breed" eggs I got from McMurray Hatchery years ago. Honestly she was just like a little dog, following me around and wanting to be involved in everything I did. She seemed to prefer human company to chickens (probably because we do interesting things like dig and pull weeds, and don't try to eat what we find before she can!) She also laid the very darkest brown eggs I've ever seen. I used to say they were chocolate (they were rather small, though.) I've tried to repeat the experience by ordering more Turkens since then, and they are all pretty good chickens, but nothing like the first one I had. I think that might be because they don't breed them to too strict a set of standards, in order to keep their colors varied (FWIW the one that was such a good pet was black.)

The breeds I really don't like at ALL are any of the Mediterranean breeds - especially Leghorns. They always seem borderline insane to me! They are too hyper and jumpy and used to act like I was trying to kill them any time I came anywhere near their pen. They were also pretty nasty to the other chickens. I learned to avoid them all a long time ago, no matter how pretty some of them may be on the outside.

Permalink Reply by Skeeter588 on November 13, 2010 at 7:53am

I'd sure like to know where you get your silkies. I've only owned a couple and they were the NASTIEST things I ever saw (right next to the polish). I wonder if it's got to do with where they came from?? Maybe I could get some of Michelle's chicks in the spring! :)





Linda D said:

I raise bantam Silkies,Brahams and Polish.My very favorites are the silkies.They are sweet to look at and have sweet personalities.The Brahams are also very sweet.Would love to try some bantam cochins also.

Contributing GardenerPermalink Reply by Lyn (Sydney,Aus) on March 22, 2011 at 8:23am

I have 5 Chinese Silkies - I intended to just buy the normal run of the mill varieties when I first set up my chicken house, but these little girls just came my way and I love them.  Here is a piccie of two of them - the white one is Martha Stewart (as very bossy) and the brown one is Miss Marples- they are my  best layers - and each wants to be first on the nest to lay! They have the most beautiful nature and love nothing more than a pick up and cuddle...

Permalink Reply by kentislandred on April 5, 2011 at 12:19pm

As crazy as it sounds, altho I have a variety of breeds, I love ALL my girls - just like a mother loves all of her children, in different ways, but with no less affection. 

Contributing GardenerPermalink Reply by Lyn (Sydney,Aus) on April 5, 2011 at 2:18pm

Well since my last post in March I have adopted 4 more chichens - 3 cochins/pekins and 1 Polish.  I am finding the Polish named Betty - quite a bad natured girl, but as the owner wanted all 4 adopted together I took the lot.  I am hoping Betty's nature might improve as she settles down, but I did read one of the first posts here about the bad nature of Polish chickens and now I can see it in Betty.

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