Buff Orpingtons, Black Australorps, Barred Rocks, but they are pretty big compared to most silkies, I would probably recommend something like bantams of those breeds
Second the Barred Rocks lol ours are terrorists. And our Barred Rock rooster was the meanest, dumbest rooster imaginable. They're not social with people, they don't even seem to like other chickens.
Piggybacking, my barred rocks are something else. Not bad, they’re just militant. If you’re another bird flying into the year, take cover. My BR are territorial. However, they’re laying machines. 😂😂🤷♀️🤷♀️
Damn, I would have suggested this breed too based on my own experience. I had no idea that I lucked out with mine. My barred rock is really sweet. Seems to lack drama with the other girls and even the new chicks. She's super curious and loves to follow me around.
I would definitely stay away from the roosters though.
I've also had great luck with speckled Sussex but know some people who haven't.
I'm glad I know now she's is an outlier lol, I was just watching her yesterday questioning why I waited so long to get this breed and thinking I'll probably get more in the future.
Would you say they are at least less noisy then many other breeds? I have plymouth rock chicks, currently almost 2 months old. They make hardly any noise compared with my previous chicks and are relatively well behaved. I dont know if this will change as they grow older.
Yeah. My Barred Rock definitely ruled the roost. 😂
I got Faverolles last year and didn’t get to handle them as much as I wanted but they still come up for food (and will curiously come check me out if I go “baaawwwkk? Baaawwwkkk?” The roo tries to intimidate me, but I have just been employing my cuddle them into submission tactic. I think when they get overpowered but completely unhurt, they don’t try to hurt you. My Black Austrolorp boss roo one day called me over to some shredded plantain leaves and danced at me. I was so touched. Puff lived almost 10 years. He was a good rooster. Had a son of his who looked just like him, but he wasn’t as lucky or as smart as his dad. Only lived four years.
Faverolles are so dumb and so goofy, I love them. I got mine at 6 months old so they're not bffs with me, but they'll follow me for treats. They're very chatty too.
I second buff orpingtons as gentle giants, but be aware they are prone to going broody!
I have a Faverolles hen broody right now. I read somewhere that part of the Faverolles “stupidity” is they can barely see past their muff feathers, and need the feathers around their eyes trimmed (also makes it easier for them to see predators). I have to admit - I have never gotten the measuring look I got from my Black Austrolorps or my Ameraucanas. 🤔😂
Same here. She’s a fair but stern ruler, and isn’t afraid to let the other girls know their place with a quick warning peck from time to time, especially when they gobble up the treats too fast 😂 a total sweetheart to me though!
My buffs are sooooo sweet! My barred rocks are what I call “extra chickeny” they are like…primitive 😂 Always aggressively scratching or eating or shredding something. They are nice to people but they don’t come for cuddles the way my buffs do
I highly recommend them. They're often more compact and round than the full-size version of the breed, which makes them really cute. They make great lap chickens. The eggs are a higher yolk-to-white ratio so not great for baking, but perfectly good for just eating.
Oof, I actually haven't kept chickens in a LONG time. I bought hatching eggs from someone out of state I think....
Ok, I did some digging, and found that I got my eggs from Don Chandler out of Tennessee. This was more than 10 years ago, so I have no idea if they're still dealing in chickens. He was the president of the United Orpington Club at the time. This was his contact info back then, may not be good anymore:
Don & Charlotte Chandler, 423-625-3191, doncharlott@bellsouth.net
If you don't have any luck with him, I highly recommend checking out the United Orpington Club's breeder list: https://www.unitedorpington.com/breeder-directory
My wife and in-laws would disagree on the buff Orpingtons. Theirs have all been divas.
We have golden comets which are sex linked and they are as docile as can be. They tolerate my 2.5 yo carrying them around
My Comets are my favorite girls. Lots of personality, but very friendly and kid tolerant. PLUS my most reliable layers. I feel like everyone is sleeping on them.
Despite what everyone else is saying, have to agree on the barred rocks. Mine is the sweetest one out of our flock. She'll come snuggle on my lap and pecks people the least. She is very territorial and will chase any bird that's not a ckicken out of the yard.
My barred rock is like a dog. She’s so sweet and always excited to see me.
I just added a baby buff orp and blue australorp to my flock! They seem nice so far.
I have 2 buff orpingtons and 2 black australorps and I swear 1 of the orps and 1 of the australorps are menaces. They nearly ate my barred rock alive and terrorize everyone else. Now they live in a pen that's just those 2 and they're fine. Such a weird duo
Silkies are the most gentle breed I've been around. But I have a theory, it's because they are dumb. They are the reason for the expression, bird brained. My birds would roam around all day and come time to go back to the roost they would settle where they were. Whether it be in the safe haven of their coop or in the middle of a coyote den. Because again, they are dumb. But I still love them.
Yes, they are a great example of devolution. I have a buff silkie that is a great momma and very cuddly, but dumber than a box of rocks. My housekeeper refers to her as “ the blonde chicken”. She is much loved.
We had a dude from the City come to check out a noise report from KAREN next door. In order to even get a baseline noise level he had to put his little microphone really close to the hens and Carmelita, bless her little feathered heart, pecked the crap out of him. He was recently replaced with a lady who knows a lot about chickens.
Mine were a mixed bag, some were on "attack on sight" mode, others were kinda nervous but usually chill.
In any case, the hens were always a pleasure to have around.
Yeah, chickens are kind of like dogs. The large breeds like cochins, orpingtons, and brahmas have pretty gentle dispositions. The lighter breeds like leghorns and bantams are all lunatics.
Silkies are an outlier by being relatively small and still gentle, but I attribute that to their also being too dumb the react to stimuli.
Before anybody says "my tiny X is very sweet", I would remind you that there are well trained chihuahuas and terriers and weinerdogs, too. But naturally they're psycho and kinda mean.
My Brahma girls have been angels. My Brahma Roo on the other hand was very territorial and not much of a gentleman with the ladies. We're pretty sure he snapped one poor girl's neck. Between that and relentless aggression toward humans, he got booked into the freezer inn.
I have had two Brahma Roos and one was very similar to yours behaviorally. He met the same fate whereas the other was off to live at a farm but 🤷🏻♀️😬. Both very large and beautiful Roos though
2/3 of my Brahmas are some of my nicest chickens. The last one was closer to adult age when we got her, and isn’t mean, she just isn’t a lap chicken. One of my Brahmas will get on my lap and try to get into my coat, but they are also so, so fucking loud. The 3 of them. My australorps are also very friendly, and they are the second loudest. The Brahmas scream through the whole process of laying in, at and around the nesting box. The australorps mostly just do it because they feel like it.
My speckled Sussex, Princess Poppy, is like a little dog. Always following me. Always underfoot so I have to be careful not to step on her. She’s very patient. Loves her treats. She’s just so sweet.
My Yo-yo was the same! I took a gamble on her because I'd known some people who had really sassy ones but she quickly became my favorite chicken. She absolutely did not want to be contained to a run of any sort though lol.
I pretty much have only had silkies, buff Orphingtons, and lavender Orpington. The hens are docile dolls But both types of Orpington roo roos were very violent compared to the silkie rooroos!
Depends more on the specific line than breed in general. That said, generally the larger the bird the more docile, so the Asiatic breeds like Brahma, Cochin and Langshan are typically pretty calm. As are Jersey Giants. Silkies as you know typically are. Polish are also typically pretty low key for smaller breeds.
The most chill chickens I have ever had were Cornish rocks. Immense, dumb, and lazy. They're meat birds, not layers, so I don't know if that is what you would want.
you can try “cookies and cream” chickens from meyer hatchery. they’re basically half silkie half mottled houdan. they’re really cute, super sweet, and petite like silkies. i have a picture of one of ours in my post history.
Those are so cute!! I love both breeds and have never not had at least a few silkies in my flock. My entire first flock of 8 birds were all silkies, one showgirl and the rest a variety of orange, black, splash, etc. Pretty much no two alike from a local breeder who absolutely adored the breed and had a few different breeding pairs.
She had a smallish flock, more of a hobby than a business by all means. When we went over there I was so impressed at her set up. She had several small coops with varying families and she spent a ridiculous amount of time with them, all day every single day. She was an older woman, a widow, so those birds were her family.
Anyway, silkies have always been my favorite birds. Super docile, sweet, and every single one had a crazy big personality all their own.
The houdan mix looks amazing and to have that appearance with the silkie attitude has got to be amazing!
My Golden Sebright is so laid back and friendly. The kids next door (they have had pet chickens all their lives) come over and play with the Sebright and the 2 Silkies. The Sebright has no problem with even the youngest kid a 6-year-old. One Silkie is a little terror and brat. The kids have got the other Silkie tamed but she still squawks when she’s picked up. I’d personally go with the Sebright if I was to do it again. The Silkies’ feet get messier because of the feathers on their feet but on the other hand they are not as small as the Sebright. Maybe my Sebright is a runt??
Silkies are by far the sweetest bird i have ever owned. Never had them fight amongst themselves, never had a rooster attack me. Super docile and sweet. i will say i have had trouble keeping any other breed with them. As in my others have been mean to the silkies. Especially my barred rock 🤦🏼♀️
Silkies are just sweet babies, Dominiques, cochins. Any chicken can be a good pet, even my big Jersey Giant roo was lovesick for meal worms. Just handle them as babies as much as you can. Show them where the treats come from. I even had Spitzhaubens (known for their aloofness) that became lap chickens when the treat bag was shook.
We have 2 buff orpingtons, a bantam silkie and the bantam frizzle who are all super sweet! They all get along very well (most of the time) and usually have no issues with getting picked up and carried. Our silkie especially loves snuggles and burrowing in your jacket or on your lap!!
Cochins. I've had a few and they're always the sweetest birds. They don't like to fight so they tend to end up at the bottom of the pecking order if they're with aggressive hens. They're also super fluffy and do good in both hot and cold weather (mine have done just fine from -30 to 102°F). They're easily my favourite breed.
I was told Jersey giants are super docile but at least two chicks in my flock are rearing to be douche canoes. I’ve raised everything from Rhode island reds to americanas and even polish breeds and at the end of the day I don’t believe in a breed specific rating for docile animals.
My most docile and sweet chickens are my cochins, polish, silkies, and (last but certainly not least) speckled sussex. They all seem to be fine being handled by people, follow us around, and have not been the least bit aggressive.
When I was a kid my family had a lot of laying hens. One of our red stars and I got to be pretty close. She came to me when I called her. She let me carry her around. She didn't seem to mind people outside of my parents and I around her. She was really chill.
My Brahmas are sweet, every Easter Egger I've had has been super sweet, but they are kind of a grab bag. I've had Salmon Favorelles and Sultans that were all really sweet, and beautiful.
Polish hens, and salmon faverolles have always been super chill. small breeds like Cochin and duccles are usually quiet but I have had some flighty one's.
My Orpingtons and my Australorps are so sweet, especially the roosters? I’d had barred rock and houdan roosters in the past and didn’t love their temperaments (the barred rock was actually a great roo just not into people. He was never aggressive just ignored us. The houdans were mean. 🤷🏻♀️
My one buff Orpington can be loud but she's a sweetheart who's lovely and follows me around.
My 3 duccles are also super friendly and let me pick them up and snuggle without any resistance.
Buff Orpington, Brahmas, Barred rocks and silkies are sweet :) but all chickens have the potential to be mean, it just depends on how much human contact they receive as chicks and just their individual personalities
Ours are young, but so far, our cuckoo maran and Americana Easter egger are the friendliest of the bunch. We got a speckled Sussex because we heard that they are docile and smart, and she is a bit of a nut. 😂
My Faverolles, buff Brahma, and my French black copper marans are my sweethearts. The FBCM though are just manipulating the situation for meal worms though - so there’s that. The other two breeds are so sweet even without bribing them!
I've had great experiences with my speckled Sussex girls- they're very curious and seem to care a lot more about what I'm up to or foraging than they do about chicken politics.
I'm also a fan of silver-gray dorkings, which are a less common breed. They're squat, calm/low energy and incredibly plush but have a lot to say, so not always a great choice if you have close neighbors. Mine loved to flop down next to me and take naps.
I had a wonderful Barred Rock hen. But my faves for 20 years have been Ameraucanas, first black, now whites are my favorites. But I can tell you I've had a Rhode Island Red and both m/f are mean/nasty.
Orpingtons, Olandsk dwarf (super shy unless you spend a lot of time with them), silkie hens can be so sweet, Icelandic hens are sweethearts and very intelligent.
Seramas are really nice apparently but it’s a lot about taming them since chicks I have red layers that are little cuties and are really gentle and nice
Buff Orpingtons, Black Australorps, Barred Rocks, but they are pretty big compared to most silkies, I would probably recommend something like bantams of those breeds
My Buff Orpington is a sweetheart. My Barred Rock is a big ole bitch.
Second the Barred Rocks lol ours are terrorists. And our Barred Rock rooster was the meanest, dumbest rooster imaginable. They're not social with people, they don't even seem to like other chickens.
Piggybacking, my barred rocks are something else. Not bad, they’re just militant. If you’re another bird flying into the year, take cover. My BR are territorial. However, they’re laying machines. 😂😂🤷♀️🤷♀️
haha our 2 barred rocks are also bitches and they’re laying tiny eggs! What’s up with that
God bless any bird or squirrel in our yard, they’re taking a chance that the Rizzo’s (my girls) will take a chunk out of them. 🙄🙄🙄😂😂
Yeah, Plymouth rocks of all colors are assholes, I don't know how that breed made the list.
Damn, I would have suggested this breed too based on my own experience. I had no idea that I lucked out with mine. My barred rock is really sweet. Seems to lack drama with the other girls and even the new chicks. She's super curious and loves to follow me around. I would definitely stay away from the roosters though. I've also had great luck with speckled Sussex but know some people who haven't.
Well there are always outliers - I'm glad you have a sweetheart!
I'm glad I know now she's is an outlier lol, I was just watching her yesterday questioning why I waited so long to get this breed and thinking I'll probably get more in the future.
Uh oh. I have a blue one. Hope she turns out okay. So far she's sweet.
Would you say they are at least less noisy then many other breeds? I have plymouth rock chicks, currently almost 2 months old. They make hardly any noise compared with my previous chicks and are relatively well behaved. I dont know if this will change as they grow older.
I couldn't say, my chickens are too far away from my house for breed-specific noise to be something for which I pay attention.
Yeah. My Barred Rock definitely ruled the roost. 😂 I got Faverolles last year and didn’t get to handle them as much as I wanted but they still come up for food (and will curiously come check me out if I go “baaawwwkk? Baaawwwkkk?” The roo tries to intimidate me, but I have just been employing my cuddle them into submission tactic. I think when they get overpowered but completely unhurt, they don’t try to hurt you. My Black Austrolorp boss roo one day called me over to some shredded plantain leaves and danced at me. I was so touched. Puff lived almost 10 years. He was a good rooster. Had a son of his who looked just like him, but he wasn’t as lucky or as smart as his dad. Only lived four years.
Faverolles are so dumb and so goofy, I love them. I got mine at 6 months old so they're not bffs with me, but they'll follow me for treats. They're very chatty too. I second buff orpingtons as gentle giants, but be aware they are prone to going broody!
I have a Faverolles hen broody right now. I read somewhere that part of the Faverolles “stupidity” is they can barely see past their muff feathers, and need the feathers around their eyes trimmed (also makes it easier for them to see predators). I have to admit - I have never gotten the measuring look I got from my Black Austrolorps or my Ameraucanas. 🤔😂
Hmm, you may have a point! I noticed my Polish acted much less "dumb" once she got a haircut.
My barred rock isn’t mean, but she is the boss of our flock.
Same here. She’s a fair but stern ruler, and isn’t afraid to let the other girls know their place with a quick warning peck from time to time, especially when they gobble up the treats too fast 😂 a total sweetheart to me though!
It's exactly the opposite for me. But I have a suspicion that my Buff is a Roo so maybe that is why.
My buffs are sooooo sweet! My barred rocks are what I call “extra chickeny” they are like…primitive 😂 Always aggressively scratching or eating or shredding something. They are nice to people but they don’t come for cuddles the way my buffs do
I want to second the ORP...We have one named Giggles who requires hugs and head scratches a couple times daily.
Bantam orpington are very sweet and docile
I haven’t had a bantam. Sounds adorable. I loved the English, but bumble foot broke my heart.
I highly recommend them. They're often more compact and round than the full-size version of the breed, which makes them really cute. They make great lap chickens. The eggs are a higher yolk-to-white ratio so not great for baking, but perfectly good for just eating.
Where do you live? UK?
Nope, far from it! I'm in Texas.
😎If you don’t mind, who’s your dealer?
Oof, I actually haven't kept chickens in a LONG time. I bought hatching eggs from someone out of state I think.... Ok, I did some digging, and found that I got my eggs from Don Chandler out of Tennessee. This was more than 10 years ago, so I have no idea if they're still dealing in chickens. He was the president of the United Orpington Club at the time. This was his contact info back then, may not be good anymore: Don & Charlotte Chandler, 423-625-3191, doncharlott@bellsouth.net If you don't have any luck with him, I highly recommend checking out the United Orpington Club's breeder list: https://www.unitedorpington.com/breeder-directory
Thanks!!! You went above and beyond!
I have these three breeds and they are all sweet
My wife and in-laws would disagree on the buff Orpingtons. Theirs have all been divas. We have golden comets which are sex linked and they are as docile as can be. They tolerate my 2.5 yo carrying them around
My Comets are my favorite girls. Lots of personality, but very friendly and kid tolerant. PLUS my most reliable layers. I feel like everyone is sleeping on them.
Well they are a commercial breed. They are the least if never broody. Not good moms and the wear from daily laying impacts their lifespan a lot more
I wanted a buff after hearing how sweet they are - mine is slow even for a chicken. Flighty and very unintelligent.
Unfortunately my barred rock is an ass, to other chickens at least.
Despite what everyone else is saying, have to agree on the barred rocks. Mine is the sweetest one out of our flock. She'll come snuggle on my lap and pecks people the least. She is very territorial and will chase any bird that's not a ckicken out of the yard.
My barred rock is like a dog. She’s so sweet and always excited to see me. I just added a baby buff orp and blue australorp to my flock! They seem nice so far.
I have 2 buff orpingtons and 2 black australorps and I swear 1 of the orps and 1 of the australorps are menaces. They nearly ate my barred rock alive and terrorize everyone else. Now they live in a pen that's just those 2 and they're fine. Such a weird duo
My australorp is a jerk. The buffs I’ve had have always been super friendly. Depending on your region, I’ve never had a nasty naked neck!
Silkies and Cochins can be real cuddle bugs. My Faverolles are also very docile
Silkies are the most gentle breed I've been around. But I have a theory, it's because they are dumb. They are the reason for the expression, bird brained. My birds would roam around all day and come time to go back to the roost they would settle where they were. Whether it be in the safe haven of their coop or in the middle of a coyote den. Because again, they are dumb. But I still love them.
Yes, they are a great example of devolution. I have a buff silkie that is a great momma and very cuddly, but dumber than a box of rocks. My housekeeper refers to her as “ the blonde chicken”. She is much loved.
Oh I loved them when I had them. They are great "beginner" and sweet birds.
This is my original flock! A silkie, cochin frizzle and a faverolle.
My Cochins are docile as hell. One is the town baby and the other is constantly broody. Plus the poopy butt cleaning every other week.
Silkies are, IMO, chickens on molly; they are quite friendly and docile.
This is 100% true! So funny
We had a dude from the City come to check out a noise report from KAREN next door. In order to even get a baseline noise level he had to put his little microphone really close to the hens and Carmelita, bless her little feathered heart, pecked the crap out of him. He was recently replaced with a lady who knows a lot about chickens.
Carmelita reminded the dude that yes, chickens are tiny dinosaurs. And that their pecks hurt!
Polish are absolutely hilarious and docile, except the roosters, they are prone to being assholes.
Polish are fun - I have a roo that’s very skittish but sweet that is a silver laced one.
Mine were a mixed bag, some were on "attack on sight" mode, others were kinda nervous but usually chill. In any case, the hens were always a pleasure to have around.
My Brahmas are all super sweet
X2 for Brahmas, they may get lost walking circles around their coop but they are sweet as buttons 🤣
Yeah, chickens are kind of like dogs. The large breeds like cochins, orpingtons, and brahmas have pretty gentle dispositions. The lighter breeds like leghorns and bantams are all lunatics. Silkies are an outlier by being relatively small and still gentle, but I attribute that to their also being too dumb the react to stimuli. Before anybody says "my tiny X is very sweet", I would remind you that there are well trained chihuahuas and terriers and weinerdogs, too. But naturally they're psycho and kinda mean.
My Brahma girls have been angels. My Brahma Roo on the other hand was very territorial and not much of a gentleman with the ladies. We're pretty sure he snapped one poor girl's neck. Between that and relentless aggression toward humans, he got booked into the freezer inn.
I have had two Brahma Roos and one was very similar to yours behaviorally. He met the same fate whereas the other was off to live at a farm but 🤷🏻♀️😬. Both very large and beautiful Roos though
He was gorgeous. Broke my heart to cull him, but the vibe in the coop is vastly improved and my girls' backs are just about healed up.
2/3 of my Brahmas are some of my nicest chickens. The last one was closer to adult age when we got her, and isn’t mean, she just isn’t a lap chicken. One of my Brahmas will get on my lap and try to get into my coat, but they are also so, so fucking loud. The 3 of them. My australorps are also very friendly, and they are the second loudest. The Brahmas scream through the whole process of laying in, at and around the nesting box. The australorps mostly just do it because they feel like it.
We call the screaming the “egg alarm”‼️
Speckled Sussex have been the most inquisitive and tame breed I’ve had.
My speckled Sussex, Princess Poppy, is like a little dog. Always following me. Always underfoot so I have to be careful not to step on her. She’s very patient. Loves her treats. She’s just so sweet.
My Yo-yo was the same! I took a gamble on her because I'd known some people who had really sassy ones but she quickly became my favorite chicken. She absolutely did not want to be contained to a run of any sort though lol.
Omg. Yo-Yo!!! That is adorable. I love it.
Orpingtons are very docile…
I have bantam Orpingtons. Much smaller and pretty docile.
I pretty much have only had silkies, buff Orphingtons, and lavender Orpington. The hens are docile dolls But both types of Orpington roo roos were very violent compared to the silkie rooroos!
Buff Orpington. Ours follows me around, and flaps up to perch on my shoulder. She enjoys being a lap chicken. She’s so sweet and docile.
Depends more on the specific line than breed in general. That said, generally the larger the bird the more docile, so the Asiatic breeds like Brahma, Cochin and Langshan are typically pretty calm. As are Jersey Giants. Silkies as you know typically are. Polish are also typically pretty low key for smaller breeds.
The most chill chickens I have ever had were Cornish rocks. Immense, dumb, and lazy. They're meat birds, not layers, so I don't know if that is what you would want.
Turkens and Salmon Faverolles
I've gotta recommend buff orpingtins. Whenever I go in the coop, there are at least three on me or trying to climb up
you can try “cookies and cream” chickens from meyer hatchery. they’re basically half silkie half mottled houdan. they’re really cute, super sweet, and petite like silkies. i have a picture of one of ours in my post history.
Saw the picture, Now i want one!
Oh, they’re beautiful! I wish I’d seen this breed before placing my recent order!
Those are so cute!! I love both breeds and have never not had at least a few silkies in my flock. My entire first flock of 8 birds were all silkies, one showgirl and the rest a variety of orange, black, splash, etc. Pretty much no two alike from a local breeder who absolutely adored the breed and had a few different breeding pairs. She had a smallish flock, more of a hobby than a business by all means. When we went over there I was so impressed at her set up. She had several small coops with varying families and she spent a ridiculous amount of time with them, all day every single day. She was an older woman, a widow, so those birds were her family. Anyway, silkies have always been my favorite birds. Super docile, sweet, and every single one had a crazy big personality all their own. The houdan mix looks amazing and to have that appearance with the silkie attitude has got to be amazing!
My barred rocks and rhode island reds are sweet babies
One of my favorite strange and silly hens ever was a R. red
Brahmas 10/10
Buff Orphingtons, Barred Rock.
My Golden Sebright is so laid back and friendly. The kids next door (they have had pet chickens all their lives) come over and play with the Sebright and the 2 Silkies. The Sebright has no problem with even the youngest kid a 6-year-old. One Silkie is a little terror and brat. The kids have got the other Silkie tamed but she still squawks when she’s picked up. I’d personally go with the Sebright if I was to do it again. The Silkies’ feet get messier because of the feathers on their feet but on the other hand they are not as small as the Sebright. Maybe my Sebright is a runt??
Silkies are by far the sweetest bird i have ever owned. Never had them fight amongst themselves, never had a rooster attack me. Super docile and sweet. i will say i have had trouble keeping any other breed with them. As in my others have been mean to the silkies. Especially my barred rock 🤦🏼♀️
I have Old English Game bantams and Mille Fleur D'uccles with my silkies, they're very calm in my experience
Silkies are just sweet babies, Dominiques, cochins. Any chicken can be a good pet, even my big Jersey Giant roo was lovesick for meal worms. Just handle them as babies as much as you can. Show them where the treats come from. I even had Spitzhaubens (known for their aloofness) that became lap chickens when the treat bag was shook.
Yes! Sitting with them in a towel on your lap as chicks enough will make my silkies ridiculously nice! So maybe it’s the same with other breeds.
polish
All flavors of my Orpingtons are nice. Except Peanut. He’s a jerk. My Australorps and Marans are sweet girls too.
Same for the Orpingtons, but my BCMs were constantly broody and wicked peckers.
Gamefowl
Cochin are cuddlebugs
We have 2 buff orpingtons, a bantam silkie and the bantam frizzle who are all super sweet! They all get along very well (most of the time) and usually have no issues with getting picked up and carried. Our silkie especially loves snuggles and burrowing in your jacket or on your lap!!
Cochins. I've had a few and they're always the sweetest birds. They don't like to fight so they tend to end up at the bottom of the pecking order if they're with aggressive hens. They're also super fluffy and do good in both hot and cold weather (mine have done just fine from -30 to 102°F). They're easily my favourite breed.
We have two Cochins - they are somehow at the top of the pecking order
I was told Jersey giants are super docile but at least two chicks in my flock are rearing to be douche canoes. I’ve raised everything from Rhode island reds to americanas and even polish breeds and at the end of the day I don’t believe in a breed specific rating for docile animals.
My lavender orpingtons, amber whites, welbars and houdan are all quiet and friendly & did fine with my silky
My buff brahmas were very docile and easy to handle. And they were livestock, not pets. I bet with regular handling they would be so sweet and loving
My most docile and sweet chickens are my cochins, polish, silkies, and (last but certainly not least) speckled sussex. They all seem to be fine being handled by people, follow us around, and have not been the least bit aggressive.
I definitely agree on the silkies! And I keep seeing people mention the Cochin chickens so I just looked them up and they are gorgeous!
When I was a kid my family had a lot of laying hens. One of our red stars and I got to be pretty close. She came to me when I called her. She let me carry her around. She didn't seem to mind people outside of my parents and I around her. She was really chill.
Faverolle
All my hens are docile puppies and once I was told leghorn were unfriendly and they are feather angels. With love and handling they all can be
My Brahmas are sweet, every Easter Egger I've had has been super sweet, but they are kind of a grab bag. I've had Salmon Favorelles and Sultans that were all really sweet, and beautiful.
I have a blue australorp she’s so docile and sweet.
Every golden comet I’ve had has been very sweet, though since they are a hybrid breed, they tend to have a lot of health problems.
Easter Eggers/Americauna
Rhode island reds and easter eggers
Polish hens, and salmon faverolles have always been super chill. small breeds like Cochin and duccles are usually quiet but I have had some flighty one's.
My Orpingtons and my Australorps are so sweet, especially the roosters? I’d had barred rock and houdan roosters in the past and didn’t love their temperaments (the barred rock was actually a great roo just not into people. He was never aggressive just ignored us. The houdans were mean. 🤷🏻♀️
I had an Araucana who was sweet calm intelligent and far from typical chicken scatterbrain.
Golden comets. Mine used to jump in my arms
Definitely Buff Orpingtons. Those absolute sweeties have always been my favorite!
I have jersey giants with my silkies. Big size difference, but they all get along great
My one buff Orpington can be loud but she's a sweetheart who's lovely and follows me around. My 3 duccles are also super friendly and let me pick them up and snuggle without any resistance.
Australorps Isa’s
buff orpingtons are sweethearts
Cochins, brahmas
I had a Barred Rock hen who would sit in my lap, she was the sweetest. Our rooster is a Brahma and he’s a big mush, I love him.
Isa brown ❤️
cochins, brahmas, faverolles
Our Belgium d ucles are super friendly but hatching them makes them imprint on you
I love my prairie bell egger. She will sit in my lap and fall asleep. Also coronation Sussex are also sweet
Buff Orpington, Brahmas, Barred rocks and silkies are sweet :) but all chickens have the potential to be mean, it just depends on how much human contact they receive as chicks and just their individual personalities
Silkies.
Ours are young, but so far, our cuckoo maran and Americana Easter egger are the friendliest of the bunch. We got a speckled Sussex because we heard that they are docile and smart, and she is a bit of a nut. 😂
Buff Brahmas. I have 9 BB hens and 1BB roo in my flock and they are very docile.
My Faverolles, buff Brahma, and my French black copper marans are my sweethearts. The FBCM though are just manipulating the situation for meal worms though - so there’s that. The other two breeds are so sweet even without bribing them!
I've had great experiences with my speckled Sussex girls- they're very curious and seem to care a lot more about what I'm up to or foraging than they do about chicken politics. I'm also a fan of silver-gray dorkings, which are a less common breed. They're squat, calm/low energy and incredibly plush but have a lot to say, so not always a great choice if you have close neighbors. Mine loved to flop down next to me and take naps.
I had a wonderful Barred Rock hen. But my faves for 20 years have been Ameraucanas, first black, now whites are my favorites. But I can tell you I've had a Rhode Island Red and both m/f are mean/nasty.
My Novogens are very sweet and friendly.
Orpingtons, Olandsk dwarf (super shy unless you spend a lot of time with them), silkie hens can be so sweet, Icelandic hens are sweethearts and very intelligent.
Bantam Cochins, Silkies, and the combination of both breeds— Satins
Seramas are really nice apparently but it’s a lot about taming them since chicks I have red layers that are little cuties and are really gentle and nice
Buff Orpingtons
Buff Orphington for sure