Agree, far too many fantastic breeds to choose from. My favourite chicken breed at the moment is the Sussex, favourite ducks Abacot Rangers, favourite geese Brecon Buff.
I am with girlracer- Barbu D'uccles. Our one girl is a porcelain, she is so tame, pleasant, friendly, considerate and caring. She comes running up to the gate to tell us when all is not quite right. She pines and makes the most haunting clucking sounds for her younger sablepoot adopted sister when she is out of sight. She follows the poot around the garden making sure she is ok and puts her in her place. After our girls confinement to the shed these past few weeks, she has re-grown the most glorious feathers on her feet. She walks around with heavily exagerrated trotting steps to accomodate these lush and lengthy feathers. As for her facial fluff, she is like a beautiful little owlet. Would love some baby d'uccles. 01
Thankyou for your very kind comments- I do feel I am hijacking an otherwise informative and useful post. I wish I could have learnt from keepers about different birds and their traits, seen photos etc when we started out this time last year. I did lots of "book" research but it never seems to match peoples personal experience.
But you know my girls- they can't resist a photo opportunity!
iv sevral diffren breeds pekin polishx silkie brahma orpington light sussex bluebell and a fue others but my fav of all is my big lumbering orpinton rooster he is fantastic, might have to home the others just to get more of him but in hers followed by bramha then the polish
I have a few breeds, but love the quiet friendly favs and cochins and pekins because they are quiet, friendly and yet have character, I love my little chamois polands and the little frizzle poland is a REAL character, as are the Orloffs - I love the beauty of the yokahoma banties and the de watermael - and the independance of the sebrights - the madness of the suffolk chequer and the swart Hona.. but I have a real soft sport for my Sabelpoots - curious, full of character, docile, .. finally it's the 'poots that are my favorites
Thats interesting. I would say our Poot is anything but docile. She seems to have calmed a little over winter, but she is a very busy bird, as you say very curious, and quick as a flash. She is a mishievious girl, and always first in the queue for treats plus she can julmp and reach higher than the others. She is bottom of the pecking order, but she will and does stand her ground with the top girl- a small black pekin. She throws her bosom out, and both of then stand facing each other with heaving chests...... :lol:
BUT then again we only have one, and I can honestly say I wouldn't have another. (prefer D'uccles and also rather taken with the watermael).