Comments on: My Favorites: Chicken Breed Recommendations

By: Lynn

Lynn — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 23:04:50 +0000

I belive your hen is a Dorking which is a heritage bird. If you google Dorking chicken you will see your hen.

By: Mark

Mark — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 14:02:06 +0000

Henny Penny appears to be a brown leghorn hen. She has a single comb and
if she lays white eggs, i would say she is a brown leghorn.
My favorite breeds are production red, rhode island reds, buff orphingtons, black australoups. I have not developed a fondness for
the americans, they have been more aggressive and pick at everyone.
I’ve had poultry for close to 40 years now and anywhere from 10 hens to 5000 hens. Poultry has been a source of food, income and enjoyment.
I would also recommend purchasing your chicks from a local reputable hatchery if possible. This will avoid the extra stresses that go along with the chicks traveling great distances. Follow the hatchery’s advice in setting up your brood when they arrive, they are in the business to keep the chicks healthy and you happy. I would also not vaccinate
the chicks if you have a few but would vaccinate if you have over a couple hundred to mainten the flock’s health. Find a brand of feed that
your chickens like to eat and keep using that brand, changing feeds can
affect egg production. Oh, if you want only a few chicks, you can buy them at a feed store. Find out where they buy them from, i have mixed
opinions about buying them from feed stores because they usually do not
warranty their chicks like the hatchery does. Good luck and have fun!

By: Chantel

Chantel — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:31:58 +0000

Your top picture is of a Brown Leghorn, the rooster version is what they use as the logo for Kellogg’s. For clarification, the White ones [that you call Leghorns] are White Leghorns. As a general guideline, white ear patches = White Eggs, Red ear patches = Brown Eggs. Americana/Aruacana hens will lay light green eggs very near the color and size of Mallard ducks and they often have feathers of similar coloring to the brown leghorns. You can tell them apart though b/c they typically have “feathery poofs” at their cheeks and black/grey legs. I love having an egg carton with a full range of colors so I have all of these girls along with a “Dark Chocolate” layer. Cuckoo Marans (feathers similar to barred rocks) and Welsummers (Feathers similar to Brown Leghorns) lay the very dark brown eggs. I’m headed to pick up some more Americanas and Cuckoo Marans from the hatchery right now. Hope that helps…Chantel

By: Beth

Beth — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 05:35:18 +0000

I had started with 4 chickens last year, 2 new hampshire reds and come rocks but my husky got them, we are going to try again this year. I love the reds.

By: Kendra at New Life On A Homestead

Kendra at New Life On A Homestead — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 13:27:49 +0000

I’ve never vaccinated my hens, and we haven’t had any problems.

By: Tami Lewis

Tami Lewis — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 06:20:59 +0000

if i always get laying hens do i need to give the vaccine too?