# Looking for the perfect breed.



## Hania41806 (May 4, 2021)

I live up in Alaska, and In just under 2 months, we are getting more chickens. I was wondering if anyone had recommendations for breeds of chicken.

some of the requirements:
Can tolerate wide range of temperatures throughout the year
Can free range
Isn’t terribly mean

Some things that would be great but not required:
Comes in a variety of colors
Bantam
Good egg production
Doesn’t get a lot of health issues
Lays colorful eggs
Is pretty

some things that are nice but I probably can’t get in conjunction with the other things:
friendly
Cool/ different feathers
Can fight off ravens
Doesn’t eat a crap ton of food

anyone have breed recommendations?

P.s. we already have silkies, a barred rock, a sapphire gem (although that might not be the actual breed name), and a dominant copper (Marans mix with barred rock)


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Easter Eggers are probably a good one to look at. Not a bantam but people friendly, colorful egg layers.


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## fuzzies (Jul 27, 2021)

Some hatcheries sell Easter-egger bantams, but in my experience they're very flighty and skitterish compared to their large fowl counterparts. Easter-eggers are a lot of fun and cover a lot of what you're looking for, though!

There are bantam Ameraucanas, too, and I've heard that at least the Blue / Black / Splash and BBS Wheaten varieties are friendly. They aren't very easy to find, though.

Dorkings are very cold hardy and heat tolerant, are very reliable egg layers even through the winter, are sweet and docile birds, and are quite pretty. The bantams are near impossible to find, though, and the large fowl can be pretty heavy eaters. They're also white egg layers and really only the Silver Gray and Red varieties are common, so not a whole lot of variety, but those two are quite pretty.

Cochins come in a bantam size and are definitely cold hardy, do fine in heat, come in tons of colors, and are generally human friendly. They're brown egg layers and aren't the most productive layers, however.

Lots of other breeds like Plymouth Rocks, Orpingtons, Wyandottes, etc. come in a bantam size that also covers a lot of what you want, but not everything. I'm not sure anything will tick _all _the marks, and some of what you want might be somewhat contradicting (for instance, in general, bantams are not great egg layers), but there are lots of breeds that come close at least!


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## ChickenMom24 (Feb 14, 2021)

I suggest Easter Eggers too. That is the breed on my bucket list for the future, along with splash or lavender Americana. My son wants the colored eggs, and I am moving towards breeds that have to smaller combs to reduce frostbite risk.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

It's why I thought of EE's. Being in Alaska that would be one less thing she would have to worry about.


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## Della_girl (10 mo ago)

Easter eggers are really good choices as they hardy and pretty. However it depends on the chicken whether they are friendly.


Wyandotte's are great options. They are super hardy and can live in cold weather as well as free range. They also come in a variety of colors, and are generally really friendly. 

I hope this helps


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## Hania41806 (May 4, 2021)

I talked to my mom about Wyandotte’s, they are really pretty.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You do know if she says yes you have to post pics. Huh, dontcha?


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## Chickens2022 (Aug 1, 2021)

If you can get them, Swedish Flower Hens would be an option. They're quite friendly by nature, very cold tolerant, they lay eggs in winter and are very beautiful. I had a quick look and even found a breeder for them in Alaska: Chugiak Chicks


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## Della_girl (10 mo ago)

Hania41806 said:


> I talked to my mom about Wyandotte’s, they are really pretty.


We have some and we love them!!


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## Sardonyx#1 (9 mo ago)

Hania41806 said:


> I live up in Alaska, and In just under 2 months, we are getting more chickens. I was wondering if anyone had recommendations for breeds of chicken.
> 
> some of the requirements:
> Can tolerate wide range of temperatures throughout the year
> ...


I just joined this forum so if I repeat something that has already been discussed I apologize. Have you considered the Buckeye chicken? They do come in a bantam variety. I have a flock of the regular size Buckeyes and they have done well. I don't know how strong your interest is in chickens but if your interest is strong and you feel comfortable that it wont fade you might consider developing your own breed.
I have raised many different breeds and never found one I was completely satisfied with. I developed my own breed. However, it did take 10+ years, so quite a time investment!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Sardonyx#1 said:


> I just joined this forum so if I repeat something that has already been discussed I apologize. Have you considered the Buckeye chicken? They do come in a bantam variety. I have a flock of the regular size Buckeyes and they have done well. I don't know how strong your interest is in chickens but if your interest is strong and you feel comfortable that it wont fade you might consider developing your own breed.
> I have raised many different breeds and never found one I was completely satisfied with. I developed my own breed. However, it did take 10+ years, so quite a time investment!


The Buckeye has a good comb for the Alaska weather. Lovely color too.


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## Sardonyx#1 (9 mo ago)

Yeah, I like the pea comb. Those tall, straight combs are too prone to frostbite. Some pictures of my chickens.


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## Sardonyx#1 (9 mo ago)

I meant "too prone to frostbite"


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

FYI you can edit your posts. See the three dots in the upper right of your post? Click on those stupid dots. You'll see edit there.

I love that second pic. Where were they high tailing it to? Treats?


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## Sardonyx#1 (9 mo ago)

robin416 said:


> FYI you can edit your posts. See the three dots in the upper right of your post? Click on those stupid dots. You'll see edit there.
> 
> I love that second pic. Where were they high tailing it to? Treats?


Thanks! Yeah, treats do get their attention.


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## Sardonyx#1 (9 mo ago)

A picture of the foundation sire of my breed. He appeared after a few generations of the development process.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Look at the sheen on those feathers. 

Have you had peeps from him yet?


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## Sardonyx#1 (9 mo ago)

robin416 said:


> Look at the sheen on those feathers.
> 
> Have you had peeps from him yet?


He's several years old now. The yellow rooster and the hens in the previous pictures are his descendants. I kept him in case anything happened to the current brood stock. I figured, if necessary, I could always re-introduce him to the flock and not have to go back to the beginning and try to recreate him from scratch.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I had to study the pics for a bit. I'm surprised that all the progeny are buff considering how colorful the senior is. 

I like the senior's conformation best. But that's unfair because the other male wasn't standing relaxed in either pic.


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## Sardonyx#1 (9 mo ago)

robin416 said:


> I had to study the pics for a bit. I'm surprised that all the progeny are buff considering how colorful the senior is.
> 
> I like the senior's conformation best. But that's unfair because the other male wasn't standing relaxed in either pic.


Thanks. The foundation sire came before I introduced Buff Orpington into the mix. It's not very obvious in the pics but the yellow rooster is also barred. All the hens are barred and are, color wise, halfway between the yellow rooster and his ancestor.
My first hatch this spring are 100% barred. I also have 36 additional eggs in the incubator as of today. I will cull these strictly and keep only the best hens and 1 additional rooster. I hope to end up with 2 roosters and 16-20 hens.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I did see the barring on the other male's tail. I didn't notice it on the hens. 

Two roosters? What's going to happen to the senior bird?


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## Sardonyx#1 (9 mo ago)

robin416 said:


> I did see the barring on the other male's tail. I didn't notice it on the hens.
> 
> Two roosters? What's going to happen to the senior bird?


Once I'm sure of the second rooster's fertility I'll try to find the senior a new home.
I gave my small flock of Buckeye hens to my son. I still have the Buckeye rooster. The Buckeye rooster has a broken leg and is currently in isolation. My son may want him later. However, for now I am stuck with too many roosters.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

That is so true for everyone that raises chickens. Out of 17 eggs that hatched in my bator one time, 15 were roosters. Yippee!!!


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