Top 5 Most Friendly Chicken Breeds
If you are interested in building a backyard flock of chickens, there are all kinds of things you’ll need to consider. The first thing you will be what kinds of chickens you want to raise. There are hundreds of breeds to choose from, although some are far more commonly kept than others.
While egg laying and even meat quality might be concerns for many, finding the friendliest chickens is often also a priority. This is especially important if kids will be among their caretakers. But which birds are the most friendly chicken breeds? That’s what we are going to take a closer look at here in our rundown of the top 5 most friendly chicken breeds.
The top 5 Most Friendly Chicken Breeds are Silkies, Orpington’s, Cochins, Faverolle’s and Jersey Giants.
Silkies
Because of their diminutive size and calm disposition, Silkies are among the best chicken breeds for keeping as pets.
On their tiny, compact bodies, their silky, fluffy feathers seem like silk. The majority of these small birds actually look more like stuffed animals than actual chickens. Children find them to be incredibly appealing due to this, and they are certainly super cute.
While some Silkies develop “beards” that nearly completely conceal their faces, others are beardless. You can’t help but find them appealing because of their vivid blue earlobes, the fifth toe on each foot. They have incredibly charming personalities. They love to be held and petted, all of which makes them one of the most friendly chicken breeds of all.
Orpington Chickens
The Orpington is a superb all-around breed of chicken because it produces both high quality meat and eggs. They are also widely bred for – and is successful in – shows and competitions.
This kind breed of chicken is frequently referred to as the “Golden Retriever” of chickens because they are so loyal and friendly. In fact, if your kids enjoy playing with the flock, it is advised that you buy at least some Orpington’s.
Orpington’s are friendly, patient, and pretty laid back. They enjoy food rewards and don’t mind being picked up. This makes them a good choice to have around small children who may get a little over eager when interacting with them.
Cochins
One of the biggest breeds of bird you could ever have in your chicken coop are cochins, but they are also some of the friendliest. The roosters can frequently tip the scales at roughly 11 pounds, while these lovely gigantic hens weigh about 8 pounds. They frequently appear to be even bigger, due to their extremely fluffy feathers.
Despite their size, Cochins will also be among your flock’s friendliest and calmest birds, making them excellent lap chickens. They enjoy human interaction and are a highly kid-friendly chicken breed. These adorable and fluffy giants make wonderful backyard pets since they like to stay close to home and rarely wander. Their only real downside (for some) is that they are not usually prolific egg layers.
Faverolles
The word “sweet” is frequently used to describe faverolles. This breed that gets along well with people and other hens, they can suffer abuse when mixed with other breeds. So it’s better that they are the sole breed in a family of backyard chickens.
They enjoy being petted and cuddled and don’t peck, poke, or scratch. They don’t even mind being held for longer periods of time. Faverolles have grown to be a great family favorite because they are winter weather resistant and reliable egg layers all year long.
Jersey Giants
A pleasant, peaceful, and docile breed, Jersey Giant chickens are a joy to be around. It should be especially noted that this breed gets along well with other species of birds and even other animals (lie the family dog)
The roosters of this breed are also quite low on the aggression scale and large enough not to be scared by other domesticated pets. The Jersey Giant is a strong and moderately hardy chicken, so usually stands up to cold winters well. They are not flighty, but because of their size, they do need a lot of space and will be better if allowed to roam free-range.
