When deciding on which chickens I wanted to fill my coop, I knew that I wanted breeds that were different and that I could buy from a local hatchery. I lucked out and via Facebook, found a young girl who started hatching chicks for a science project-but then continued doing it for extra money when she enjoyed it so much!
She had several varieties and I decided to get a good sampling. Her chickens were sold sexed-so I had the expectation of only hens. Sexing chickens is pretty tough-so now that I have 12 out of 13 that are hens, with only one rooster, I was pretty impressed with her work!
The Girls of Cluckingham Palace:
Ameraucanas: These are blue/green egg layers. From my experience, they’re the most flighty-which means they’re probably pretty smart and cautious. They’re not the prettiest to look at, and have little beards and tufts of feathers around their ears. If you let your chickens free range all the time, or really want pretty eggs- these may be a good bird for you!
Wyandottes: I have both the Silver and Gold Laced varieties. One of my chicks ended up being a Gold Laced Wyandotte Rooster. These birds are super pretty, lay brown eggs and are a hearty bird. Seem relatively smart and curious. They’re definitely the nicest to look at in my coop.
Barred Rocks: These girls are the most friendly and a little silly! They are totally gluttons and will do anything for a worm. They’re by far my favorite to interact with- but are not too predator savvy. They will lay brown eggs as well and are known for being good layers, and cold weather hearty birds.
In picking the birds that are right for you and your family- it’s import to do your research. Know your climate, your environment and the predators that will always be trying to weasel their way into your coop. I recommend, if possible, buy local- the birds are probably suitable for your environment, and they will have less stress of travel and risk of disease.
bluegrass backyard 