[Chicken Lickin]

We are going to keep 4 hens in our garden, but I can't decide what breeds to get and wonder which ones will get on better with each other.  We have a medium sized garden and will have a house and a run and free range for some of every day.  We have 2 small boys who are very keen on the venture!

The breeds I am considering are:

Wyandotte
Welsummer
Favourelle
Sussex
Legbar
Orpington
Maran

Ideally would like 4 different types, but not sure this would be a good idea?

What breeds would you select for a good mix of laying, looks, and docility! (is that a word?)

Thanks for any and all opinions

[Briony]

I personally would go Sussex, nice layers and pretty birds, Marans lay lovely dark eggs, Orpingtons are quite big so bear tha in mind, but friendly.
Cream Legbars lay really nice brown eggs, Welsommers can be a bit flighty and not tame like the Orpingtons If I was only keeping 4 then I would go for Marans (Brown eggs) and Sussex lighter colour eggs.

They all seem to mix very well with each other but some are more expensive to buy than others.

The choice now is yours : -)

[wyandotty]

It really depends what you are looking for as all breeds are different not only in colour and size but character as well.  A bit like dogs, each breed is different!  Do you want bantam or large fowl?  Also if you have children who want to get involved and possibly handle them, then you definitely need to go for a quieter, more placid breed. 

As for keeping four different breeds together, this could be difficult as they don't all get on, why not keep the same breed but different colours? I keep wyandotte bantams in various colours, they are small birds, lay small cream eggs and are reasonably placid, ideal for a first time keeper.  I have had cream legbars (blue egg layers) and hamburgs (cream egg layers) but I prefer my dottes!!

There are loads of poultry breeders on the internet and lots of good advice, see if there is somebody is your area that you can visit and see the breeds together and talk to a breeder.  Good luck!
 

[Briony]

Just to add i have Aracaunas, Light Sussex, orpingtons, Welsommers, Blue belles, Cochins in together (they will be seperated) and they all get on very well.

[matilda duck]

My children love their light sussex out of the breeds we have.  They are relativly placid and love cuddles.  Our copper black is placid but a big bird.  I think it depends what you want.....

[cathangirl]

Hello Chicken Lickin,
You don't say where you are. 
Also, do you want pure breed or hybrid?  Now, has that really put the spanner in the works?
I have 2 Black Nera, 2 Light Sussex, 2 Speckled, 1 each of Brown Ranger, Blue Haze and a Blacktail (brown hen).  We also had a Coral (white) and all 10 got on very well together, as the 9 still do.  They are hybrids and lay eggs of various shades of brown... the Coral laid a creamy white egg, bless her.
cathangirl

[Chicken Lickin]

We are in North Devon.

I am after LF and would ideally like 1 of each breed, for the variety.

I would like friendly, docile birds that are reasonable layers, but really want to keep pure breeds rather than hybrids.

Are there any of the the breeds I mentioned that wouldn't be a good pick for a new keeper with children that definitely want to get involved and cuddle! 
Also, don't want to pick a mixture of breeds that may pick on each other! 

[Aunt Sally]

You'll find lots of information here:

http://www.omlet.co.uk/breeds/breeds.php?breed_type=Chickens

Consider how often pure breeds become broody compared to hydrids. 

Orpingtons are very docile but quite big for children to handle.  Welsummers are reasonably good layers.  Sussex are very popular.

Good luck and let us know how you get on

[Foxy]

Most of those breeds will get on well, in particular orpingtons, Wyandottes and Faverolles. Soft Heavy pure breeds tend to be docile anyway, lighter, or Mediteranian breeds tend to be more flighty.
One thing to try and do is buy them together or as close in age as possible to prevent bullying, or stress with sorting out the pecking order. You wont go wrong with Faverolles though a lovely breed, but there again I am biased!

[smiler43]

I've just got a Wyandotte to add to my 3 Hybrids.  I actually wish I'd had more pure breeds to start with.  Although the hybrids have laid very well, my Wyandotte is so lovely to look at.  A mix would be good, just pick the docile variety, but I suppose you never know what they'll be like really til they are together.  Mine aren't getting on with the new one at the mo so it's a bit stressful!

[alotment shed]

get 4 choclate Orpingtons bantams you will be the talk of the site if you get a trio of them lol

[wadz81]

I love my little warrens they are so full of personality! We have now got light sussex, silver sussex and bluebelles but I love  the warrens good egg layers aswell get one every day of the little ladies!

[compostqueen]

I like brown hybrids (aka Warrens, amberlinks, Isa Browns, gingernut ranger, etc) They lay an egg a day no bother and they're docile.  I think as they all look alike they get on well. Mine are different colours so I can tell them apart

[Chicken Lickin]

Thanks for all the replies!  It would be easy to get hybrids, but I'm being stubborn and would really like pure breeds (it also feels good to keep the lines going!).

I've cut my breeds down to Sussex and Favorelle and would like 2 buff sussex and 2 salmon faverolle.

Now, I just need to find a breeder who does both of these varieties and I'm sorted!! 

Oh, and to chivvy up the men folk to make the coop!!!