Hen Breeds? Welsh Harlequin Ducks?

[RedneckWoman]

I just placed my replacement hens order last week.. but now I am having second thoughts. I wanted chicken breeds that are very hardy with excellent foraging skills, good layers and the ability to go broody if we ever need to breed our own chickies. Spent a lot of time researching this too...

Right now I have australorps, a buckeye, a dominique and aracaunas from last year that will stay another year. I can't wait to get rid of the red sex-links. Woo Hoo. Bye bye, dummies! So for this order, I am buying more dominiques, more aracaunas (we love those green eggs!), welsummers, cuckoo marans (for egg color), anconas, hamburgs and 2 partridge penedesenca (again for egg color). Any suggestions or recommendations?

And if you have or have raised welsh harlequin ducks, I would love to hear about your experience. From what I have read, they are supposed to be friendly, incredible layers, awesome foragers and will go broody.

 

[bibliophile birds]

where are you located? that will make a big difference in what breeds are hardy.

eta:

 

[RedneckWoman]

We're in Ohio.

 

[meriruka]

I'd vote Buckeyes then. Not sure about their inclination towards broodiness, but they fill the rest of your requirements.

Just curious.....why did the red Stars disappoint?

 

[ksalvagno]

I'm in Ohio and have Speckled Sussex, Ameraucana, Welsummer, Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Barred Rock, Black Star and Golden Buffs. All seem to be hardy in the cold and did very well in laying eggs this winter for me.

 

[RedneckWoman]

I'd vote Buckeyes then. Not sure about their inclination towards broodiness, but they fill the rest of your requirements.

Just curious.....why did the red Stars disappoint?

They just seem like their brains and natural instincts were bred out of them, their laying rate didn't seem to be that great compared to my heritage breeds, and they have absolutely no personality. They'll actually squat down for a predator. LOL

 

[RedneckWoman]

I'm in Ohio and have Speckled Sussex, Ameraucana, Welsummer, Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Barred Rock, Black Star and Golden Buffs. All seem to be hardy in the cold and did very well in laying eggs this winter for me.

That is good to know.

 

[bibliophile birds]

i highly recommend checking out Henderson's Breed Chart, it's godsend.

you might want to look into Chanteclers. they are good winter layers, very cold tolerant (were breed in Canada), and are frequent broodies.

 

[lupinfarm]

I TOO ordered Dominiques I chose them for their comb size, hardiness, broodiness and of course being brown egg layers (it matters to my dad apparently lol).

I have spent the last 2 months getting rid of my Red Hens (pretty much a red sex-link type bird). They weren't exceptionally intelligent, not terribly cold hardy with those big combs, and I haven't been impressed with their egg laying ability at all, even though we aren't so concerned with egg production, these girls were awful layers. They were pretty friendly though.

I also have EE's, 5 of them, and they're all very bold and kind of annoying lol but a good kind of annoying. They're great characters, lay really well, and who doesn't like coloured eggs?

I have Buff Ducks, their eggs are great for baking, they lay reasonably well, they're hilarious, beautiful, hardy, a little dumb lol at least mine are, but they do seem to be good foragers. They definitely don't understand the concept of chopped veggies for them. They prefer to forage in the garden.

Ours free range all year round, and go into a coop at nights. I had looked at getting Welsh Harlequins, but fell in love with the Buff Ducks

Our flock this year will include 5 EE's, 5 Dominique hens + Dominique rooster, 4 Buff ducks and a Buff drake.

 

[lupinfarm]

i highly recommend checking out Henderson's Breed Chart, it's godsend.

you might want to look into Chanteclers. they are good winter layers, very cold tolerant (were breed in Canada), and are frequent broodies.

I haven't seen that page before! Totally saving it to my browser lol.

I haven't heard amazing things about Chanteclers, but that just might be the ones from a particular hatchery. They're also a little on the homely side lol! Not that that is always a concern.