How To Raise Friendly Chickens And The BEST Breeds

A friendly chicken is the best! I know, I know… we think we are getting chickens to have eggs. But once you have these little mini dinosaurs following you around, talking to you, sitting next to you, and just being cute as anything – your mind changes on the reasons why you want chickens!

Raising them to be friendly chickens is not as hard as you think. Breeds can be a major contributor, but we will talk about that later. Like most animals when you raise them from babies your treatment of them dictates a lot in their personalities. Most animals learn to love and trust the person who feeds them, but feeding is not enough. Only feeding them will have them run after you of course when you come out with the goods. But it doesn’t ensure they will become life-long friends ready to be petted and picked up when they see you.

Friendly chickens I believe are the leading cause of ‘Chicken Math’. haha

When we got our first babies it was in the middle of November which meant sticking them outside somewhere would not be an option. They were only three weeks old. I was in the middle of remodeling my hand-me-down chicken coop. My husband had some stuff going on in his garage so putting them in there wasn’t going to work out either.

So we ended up creating a little place for them inside my living room. Little did I know this was really setting us up for success.

Now, am I telling you to put chickens in your home? NO! haha, We did it because it was cold and I was in a stuck position. I will tell you though, they did not stink as bad as I thought they would until week 6, and I was done. haha, It is like having a newborn versus a 2-year-old. There is just no explaining to someone unless you have lived it how different a diaper can really be!

SIDENOTE: I want to be sure to tell you this so you don’t come back saying – ‘LISA SAID TO KEEP THEM IN MY HOME…’ They stink, they poop, and whoever pulled one or all out to play with them was responsible for disinfecting the floors. They are messy!

But regardless of if they are in your home or outside, there is one major factor that will create a friendly chicken.

You get Friendly Chickens by interacting with them!!!

What I have seen too many times is people getting chickens and not being like a child would be with them. People will oftentimes get a chicken and they feed it, pet it, and hold it a bit. But as soon as feeding time was over the 5 minutes of attention was done and back to the cage they went. But if you were to bring that chicken around a child, you would be constantly reminding them to put the chicken down and let it rest.

The thing is the more they interact with you, the more of a bond they have with you. Remember – chickens that are raised with their mothers nestle up with from day one. They follow her around, they mimic her every move, and they bond. They don’t get left in a cage to only be interacted with at certain parts of the day.

When our chickens came home as soon as I got out of the car the girls couldn’t put them down. Being that they were inside the house the cuddles were endless. They were only in our house for a couple of weeks. But I saw the difference in the chickens we had versus other chickens I’ve seen through the years.

Don’t be afraid to pick them up

So hold your chickens. And hold them a lot. Don’t just hold them in the morning when you come to feed them. Do it throughout the day. Set a timer on your phone to remind you if you need help remembering. I get it on what it means to be busy. My homeschooling, wife duties, gardening, housekeeping, blog, cooking, and mommy time take the better part of my day.

Now if you work, don’t think you can’t have the friendly chickens as well. Hold them in the morning when you are feeding them and then start as soon as you get home. Make dinner, then go hold them chickens again. LOL

The birds were so comfortable with us that a week after having them they would fall asleep on us. If they were running around on the floor, they would jump up on us to sit. It was so stinking adorable!

Chicken Coop Fun

Once we moved the chickens out into their coop the loving on them didn’t stop. Go outside and give them treats. Let them eat from your hand. It doesn’t hurt, they do not have teeth.

Talking to them is a great thing to do as well. They get used to you and your voice. Over time you will see they will start talking back. They will tilt their head around trying to figure you out and follow you all over the yard conversating. (wink)

Raising Friendly Chickens with your Kids

One thing I would love to add about this is to let your kids hold them. Talk to them about how to do it properly of course. Explain to them to be careful with their wings. Let them know not to squeeze them too hard while holding them. And I always tell them if the bird wants to be let go of, then we let the bird go.

My oldest daughter always picks the birds up and holds them with their belly in the air on her shoulder. (pictured above on the left) She tells me that they like it like that. What is funny is they love her. They follow her around and literally will jump in her arms to be held. Or they will squat down when she goes to pick them up, showing they are submitting to her. They are the ones allowing her to touch them or pick them up.

I realized at one point that they are really fast. And they are hard to catch when they don’t want you to touch them. But they seem to just love my girls and their neighborhood friends. All ranging from 4 to 12. And rarely do I see them running from them.

Top Friendly Chicken Breeds

So when it comes to breeds there are TONS out there to choose from. Choosing a certain breed can ensure a better chance of having friendly chickens. There are just some breeds that are known to be more docile, friendly, and are better for a cuddle.

When I went to buy my own chickens I went on a mad research adventure for a couple of weeks. I wanted birds that laid a lot of eggs to start with. But I also wanted to have the perfect birds for my girls to experience. After pouring over the internet and reading all the blogs I could find I created a list putting all the posts together and came up with the top 10 breeds:

Cochin

• 150 – 200 eggs per year
• Brown Colored Eggs
• Dual Purpose

These amazing beautiful chickens reach up and over 10 pounds easily. They are sweet huggable birds. They are good with children and love to sit their fluffy butts right in your lap. Those fluffy feathers make them look even bigger free-ranging around the yard. They love attention and will not run off when approached. Also, they make good little mommies. And they will raise any orphaned baby – even one who is not a chicken if given a chance. They are a great bird to add to your flock.

Silkie

• 100 – 120 eggs per year
• Cream Colored Eggs

Silkies are small birds. Their soft fluffy feathers and puffy appearance give them the look of a child’s stuffed animal. They love to be held and are calm and gentle birds which makes them ideal for children who might be timid of strange animals. The small soft birds also have other fun traits. They have feathered legs, blue ears, a fifth toe, and some have beards which add to their sweet little characters.

They do have a bit of a downside though. Due to their feathers and size, they do need to have accommodations for them. They don’t do well in nasty weather. So they will need shelter and with their size, they would do better with lower roosting bars.

Australorps

• 250 eggs per year
• They tend to lay year-round.
• Brown Colored Eggs

Australorps are quiet birds that do well in a small space. They are great choices for people who live within an area with smaller backyards and close neighbors. They can be shy to strangers but very friendly to the people they know. Even though they look mostly black, their feathers are magnificent and when the light hits them just right the most vibrant colors reflect off of them.

Sussex

• 250 eggs per year
• Light Brown Colored Eggs
• Dual Purpose

This one is one I started with. Mrs. Chicken Nugget as we like to call her. She is a little escape artist. But she definitely a friendly chicken!

Sussex comes in different colors/varieties. The variety we have is a Speckled Sussex. They are curious birds who are extremely smart. They will be the first ones to see a crack in the gate and get out. Yet they do well when the boundaries are in place. So they stay when it is all fenced in. They are not flighty – just super curious as I said. (wink) They love people. They will run right up to you for you to feed them a treat. They love to be held once they know you well. And they do really well with children.

Orpington

• 200 – 220 eggs per year
• They tend to lay year-round.
• Brown Colored Eggs
• Dual Purpose

Orpingtons are amazing family birds. They, like the Sussex, have a variety to choose from as well. They love to be cuddled and will jump right up into your lap and sit. These little ladies are very kid-friendly and gentle. Yet they are magnificent birds that walk with grace. They are one of the favorites among breeders to show. But in spite of all that, they are very independent and do not need a lot of special attention. Which makes them easy to have as pets.

Plymouth Barred Rock

• 280 eggs per year
• They tend to lay year-round.
• Brown Colored Eggs
• Dual Purpose

So far our Plymouth Barred Rock is everyone’s favorite bird. She is such a hoot! She jumps when she sees me. And she jumps for treats. She is the leader of our flock of four so far. She runs to me where ever I am when I call her. When I sit to rest, many times will look down and she is sitting by my feet. Killer is her name – but not her personality! haha

Plymouth Rocks like some of the other friendly chickens we have listed has a variety of colors. There is silver penciled, blue, white, and black drizzle to name a few others. They are not only super friendly but they can handle even the smaller ones handling them with ease. They are also a hearty bird that tolerates all sorts of weather conditions. This breed is one of the easiest birds to take care of.

Wyandotte

• 250 eggs per year
• They tend to lay year-round.
• Cream to Light Brown Colored Eggs
• Dual Purpose

I have a Silver-Laced Wyandotte. We call her Mrs. Sassy Pants. She is a little sassy in the sense that she struts around all lively and full of spirit. But she is also a super sweet bird.

These birds are really loving and good with the kids. They are not ones that will want to sit in your lap though. But they don’t mind if you pick them up to hold them for a bit. They love to be petted. Mrs. Sassy Pants will turn her back to me and squat when I walk by inviting me to spend time with her for a moment. These chickens do well in small areas which makes them a perfect backyard chicken.

Rhode Island Red

• 250 – 280 eggs per year
• They tend to lay year-round.
• Brown Colored Eggs
• Dual Purpose

These sweet ladies don’t mind being picked up and held. They really love people. They are a kind bird that also gets along well with other chickens. Our little Carol Burnet is one of our pride and joys! She is a little skittish with new people. But once she knows you she follows you around ready to be your best friend.

These chickens are almost as curious as the Sussex. Yet they do good in knowing their boundaries. They do well in small spaces and make an awesome backyard chicken.

Flaverolles

• 200 eggs per year
• Light Pinkish-Brown Colored Eggs

This amazing little French Breed not only has all those extra feathers, but it has an extra toe! haha It is unique for sure! They are beautiful, fluffy, and cuddly! These beautiful birds love people. They also are not ones for pecking. So, you top all that with their sweet docile personality and they are the perfect pet for kids.

The only negative to them is they are so docile that they get picked on by more dominating birds so you will need to pay attention to this.

Jersey Giant

• 150 – 200 eggs per year
• Brown Colored Eggs
• Dual Purpose

These chickens are magnificent! They weigh around 15 pounds and stand a little over 2 feet tall! But regardless of their size, these chickens are considered to be gentle and kind. They are known to be so friendly they will even make friends with your other animals. These are great birds to add to your flock because they are amazing at defending off hawks. The only downside would be is they need a lot of space due to their size. A bigger coop, bigger nesting boxes, and a bigger pen will be needed to keep these gentle giants.

So what Friendly Chickens did We Start With?

My first four birds were a Speckled Sussex, a Plymouth Barred Rock, a Wyandotte, and a Rhode Island Red. I picked the perfect girls for our home. They are the best chickens!! And from this list above we will be bringing in more birds each season to ensure we have different ages moving forward. There is even some talk of raising some starting from fertile eggs. HEE-HEE But that will be for another blog post!

Also, just to add, shopping for local hens is always amazing. Be sure to look for reputable breeders. You can also buy online. Some of the top hen producers are Murray McMurray Hatchery and/or Meyer Hatchery

Please comment in the section below letting me know of your favorites.