I have been raising chickens over five years and have worked with many breeds of poultry. Most people start out in search of a good egg layer and think nothing about the personalities of the chicken.

Same with me. My husband brought home some chickens and I had no idea of the difference between one breed from the other or the different personalities that each may have. I learned over time as I increased my flock by gifts given by others and also in purchases I have made.

As in people, chickens have personalities. And with that you will find that some poultry breeds are more friendly than others and some just have a bad attitude most of the time. The personality usually shows up in the male chicken counterpart, the rooster. A rooster with a bad attitude or personality, will most likely take his hostilities out on whatever invades his territory; this can be in the form of a human or animal. This is the reason why you want to research the different breeds of chickens before you make your decision on what chicken breed to bring home.

Twice I was given a Light Brahma rooster. Because these are slow to mature I was not impressed with his large body or clumsiness when he was under a year old.

Since then I purchased five baby Light Brahma chicks for myself and raised them from a week old. Having raised several baby chickens from days old, I was thoroughly impressed with the friendliness of these little chickens. They were such a joy to feed and play with while I was feeding them.

As they grew older I moved them to a larger pen with the same age of Australorp baby chicks and there was a noticeable difference in their personality. The Light Brahmas would gather around my feet as I entered the chicken pen and fly upon the roost to gain access to my arms for closer access to me. They are so much fun to raise.

From what I had read and experienced with the rooster, some of the traits of the Brahma breed are:

1. Dual purpose breed meaning good for eggs and meat.
2. Lays a medium, brown egg.
3. Good brooder so I knew I could depend on the hen to hatch me some eggs in the future.
4. Easily handled and gentle.
5. Very hardy in heat and cold.
6. Feather-footed having feathers down the sides of both legs.
7. Large breed of chicken and slow to mature.
   

Not only do Brahma's come in a light color, they are also available in:

• Dark
• Buff
• Partridge

I recently came across the Partridge variety via the American Brahma Club.

Along with a variety of colorings you can also have your choice of Bantam or Standard sizes. The Bantam size weighs in at approximately 2 1/2 lbs. and the standard size weighs approximately 9 lbs.

Both the black and buff varieties are fairly common and a source can be located for hatching eggs or livestock. I personally own both and find their temperments to be the same as the Light Brahma.

There are a wide variety of chicken breeds available. Some of the more common breeds are:

• Rhode Island Red
• Australorp
• Wyandotte
• Plymouth Rock
• Dominiker
• Orpington
• Silkie
• Ameracauna
• Cochins

And the list goes on. There are so many breeds of chickens that I often do research utilizing Henderson's Chicken Breed Chart. It is very detailed and list about every breed available.

When I first started raising chickens I started with Rhode Island Reds. They are also known to be a good egg layer and you can find them just about everywhere. As I stretch my boundaries and expand my flocks of chickens, I like to add new poultry breeds for variety and also to sell.

Some of the requirements I look for in adding a new breed:

• Friendliness of the breed--there is no guarantee but I read what others have to say before I add a breed to my flock.
• Size of chicken--I am partial to a dual-purpose chicken so prefer the standard size chickens.
• Coloring of the breed--I have no particular color I am partial but enjoy having a variety of breeds.
• Popularity of the breed--On occasion I raise baby chickens from hatch to sell to the public so keep up on wants of the public.
• Egg coloring--I am very partial to blue/green egg breeds but also the brown.
  

I thoroughly enjoy adding new breeds to the flock and learning their personalities. When I come across a breed that does not live up to my expectations, (like the rooster in the video above), I do not hesitate to part ways with them. I do not want a farm animal to chase the hand that feeds him.

If you are considering starting to raise chickens or if you currently have chickens and want to expand your chicken breeds, do your homework. Once you bring home your choice if it does not live up to your expectations, do not give up. Trade, sell, or give the chicken away and find another breed. Do not let one breed ruin your chicken raising experiences.

Chickens are so much fun and the rewards from raising chickens are great...fresh from your backyard eggs!