The Top 17 Friendliest Chicken Breeds of 2023 (With Pictures)

Are you in search of the Friendliest chicken breeds to keep as pets?

Then you can’t afford to not read this article.

Certainly, not all chickens are friendly.

 Some are quite aggressive and can even cause havoc if not handled properly.

The friendliest chicken breeds are just the perfect chickens for home chicken breeders.

Therefore, if you want a calm and friendly chicken in your neighborhood then you should know which chickens to choose.

In this article, we have carefully listed some of the friendliest chicken breeds you can raise.

You may like to learn about these 16 Myths About Fertilized Chicken Eggs That You Already Believed as Truth.

List of Friendliest Chicken Breeds You Can Raise.

Listed below are the 17 friendliest chicken breeds you should know.

• Buff Orpington
• Plymouth Rock
• Australorp
• Brahma
• Cochin
• Polish
• Faverolle
• Easter Egger
• Silkies
• Wyandotte
• Speckled Sussex
• White Leghorn
• Jersey Giant
• Sultan
• Rhode Island Red
• Barbu D’Uccles 
• Sebright

#1. Buff Orpington

There are different varieties of Orpington Chicken.

However, the Buff Orpington Chicken is one of the friendliest chicken breeds you can find.

These chickens are quite fluffy and considered one of the largest chickens in the world.

Furthermore, they are excellent egg layers.

You can expect a Buff Orpington hen to lay about 200-280 medium-sized eggs in a year.

In addition to their egg-laying ability, Buff Orpingtons are also beautiful.

Hence they can be used as show birds.

These birds are low-maintenance breeds, they also give great meat.

Due to their friendly nature, they make great pets.

Furthermore, these chicken breeds love attention and cuddling. 

Therefore, be rest assured that the  Buff Orpington is a nice chicken breed you can easily fall in love with.

#2. Plymouth Rock

Plymouth Rock chicken is a heritage breed that comes in different variations such as buff, silver, blue, black, etc.

These chickens are one of the known friendliest chicken breeds on our list.

They are good dual-purpose breeds that produce awesome meat and eggs.

Their hens can produce about 280 eggs in a year.

Also, they are calm and will do well as family pets.

One good thing about this chicken breed is that they are not hard to find.

Therefore you can easily get a Plymouth Rock for yourself.

Read this article to learn more about the Plymouth Rock Chicken – Characteristics, Origin, Breed Info, and Lifespan.

#3. Australorp

Australorp is another friendliest chicken breed you can find.

They were created from the Orpington chicken by Australians, hence the name Australorp.

These birds are excellent layers, their hens lay up to 250 eggs in a year.

Nevertheless, they are also bred for meat.

These birds are calm, docile, and friendly.

Therefore they easily get along with children.

If you are looking for a family pet that will roll with your kids then the Australorp chicken is for you.

#4. Brahma

Apart from being one of the friendliest chicken breeds, it is also one of the largest.

Therefore they are excellent for meat production.

Although their hens are not prolific layers, they can lay up to 150 eggs in a year.

These breeds of chickens are also cold-hardy, therefore they thrive well in cold temperatures.

In addition to their size, their friendly personality will surely endear them to you.

You may like to read this article to learn more about all the Unique Brahma Chicken Characteristics That Will Make You Love Them.

#5. Cochin

Another friendliest chicken breed that is also large is the Cochin Chicken.

These chickens are quite friendly and cuddly and most certainly, they make excellent pets.

Apart from being friendly, it is also a dual-purpose breed used for both meat and egg production.

You can expect a Cochin to lay at least 160 eggs in a year.

Furthermore, apart from being one of the largest chicken breeds, it is also a lovely sight to behold.

They love being fed, are easily tamed, and also love to be cuddled. 

Because they are quite easy to tame, Cochins will spice up your backyard farm and give desirable benefits.

The hens go broody and make great mothers too.

These chicken breeds are also fluffy and do not thrive well in hot climate conditions.

#6. Polish

The Polish Chicken is a great backyard chicken breed with a unique appearance.

These birds have feathered crests that block their sight at times making them quite nervous around humans.

To avoid this, it is always better to keep their crest trimmed.

Nevertheless, Polish Chicken is one friendly chicken you will enjoy.

This is because they are also docile and easy to tame.

In addition, their hens can give you about four eggs in a week.

Also if you are looking for a nice cuddly chicken, the Polish Chicken is there for you.

Although they are quite curious they also do well in confinement.

#7. Faverolle

The Faverolle chicken is a unique bird with five toes instead of four.

It has a fully feathered beard and fluffy cheek feathers.

From its name you can certainly guess that this chicken is a French bird.

They usually come in many color varieties, however, the Salmon color is more popular.

This chicken is also one of the friendliest chicken breeds that are docile and easy to tame.

Therefore they make great pets for kids.

#8. Easter Egger

The Easter Egger is a hybrid breed.

Technically they are not really a recognized breed.

These birds are popular for laying eggs of different colors such as blue, green, pink, etc.

Furthermore, they are dual-purpose breeds raised for both eggs and meat.

They are friendly, docile, and beautiful in appearance.

These unique birds come in a variety of neutral colors ranging from cream to almost black.

Basically, these chicken breeds are easy to train. 

#9. Silkies

Silkies are very friendly and make good family pets.

These chickens come in different color varieties but the black breed is more common.

Just as the name implies, silkies are covered with silky feathers.

These give them a soft texture and a beautiful appearance.

The Silkie chicken is one lovely bird to add to your farm. 

It is also a melanistic bird with black bones, skin, and meat. 

In as much as it is covered with silkie feathers, it is often susceptible to cold. 

Therefore they require special attention during cold weather.

Its meat is thought to have magical medicinal benefits.

Although they are not very good egg layers they are often kept for their brooding ability.

Typically Silkies are happy sitters and can sit on any egg until they hatch.

See Also: Breathtaking Silkie Chicken Characteristics That’ll Sweep You Off Your Feet

#10. Wyandotte

Wyandotte chicken has a calm and sweet personality.

Founded in North America in 1883 these birds are excellent birds in and out.  

Its plumage is lovely and unique and they are generally docile and friendly in nature.

They come in a variety of colors such as silver penciled, Golden laced, and blue. 

As a dual-purpose breed, it is mostly bred for eggs and meat. 

In addition, these birds can be adventurous and bold. 

Nevertheless, their hens are great mothers and take good care of their chicks. 

Don’t fail to read about the Top 10 Chicken Breeds That Lay Large Eggs [With Pictures].

#11. Speckled Sussex

Sussex chicken comes in various breeds and color varieties.

However, the Speckled Sussex chickens are more popular in the US.

These chickens can be very inquisitive.

Nevertheless, they are sweet, friendly, and love to be loved.

The Speckled Sussex are also prolific egg layers.

The hens can produce about 250 eggs in a year.

#12. White Leghorn

The next friendliest chicken breed on our list is the White Leghorn.

 With an all-white plumage and bright red comb and rattles, the White Leghorns are such a beauty to behold.

In addition to its beauty, this chicken is an amazing egg layer.

They lay approximately 280-320 large white eggs in a year.

Furthermore, this chicken breed is very active and smart.

They love to forage a lot.

As good foragers, finding their own food isn’t a difficult task.

Therefore, this makes them an ideal breed for a low-budget poultry farmer.

Also, this bird can be flighty.

Nevertheless, they do pretty well in confinement too, when there’s enough room to roam.

#13. Jersey Giant

The Jersey Giant chicken stands out as one of the largest chicken breeds you will ever find. 

Despite their size, they are quite mellow and friendly and make excellent pets. 

Furthermore, these chicken breeds were initially bred in New Jersey for their size. 

Amazingly, apart from being a weighty bird, the Jersey Giant Chicken also has some height.

Nevertheless, they are raised for both meat and egg production. 

If you are an egg lover then you will definitely fall in love with Jersey Giant’s large brown eggs.  They lay up to 150 – 260 eggs in a year.

#14. Sultan

With its beautiful appearance, the Sultan chicken is mostly an ornamental breed.

These friendly chicken breeds originated in the Ottoman Empire around the 14th century.

Basically, they were kept as ornamental breeds in the Sultan’s Palace.

These birds have gorgeous distinctive features such as large nares, vulture hocks, long tails, V comb, muffs, head crest, etc.

Furthermore, they come in three color varieties namely black, blue and white. 

However, the white Sultan is more common than others.

These birds enjoy being around people and also do well in confinement.

#15. Rhode Island Red

Although these birds can be a little pushy, they are also loving and somewhat friendly.

They are well known for their beautiful deep red color which makes them popular in the United States.

Furthermore, they have a red single comb or rose comb, blacktails, and red markings on their toes and shanks.

They mostly weigh about 6-9 pounds.

These breeds are good for beginners because they are quite easy to raise.

Therefore, if you are looking for a loving red chicken for your backyard farm then the Rhode Island Red is perfect for you.

In addition to good meat, they also lay large brown eggs and are considered excellent egg layers.

This breed can lay about 180-300 eggs annually.

This makes them very good dual-purpose breeds for farmers.

Also, they are hardy birds therefore they do well in most weather conditions.

Read this article to see a complete list of the top 12 Amazing Red Chicken Breeds (With Pictures).

#16. Barbu D’Uccles 

The Barbu D’Uccles chicken is a sweet bird that originates from Belgium.

They are quite docile and very easy to care for.

These birds are bantam chickens that love to be handled with care.

They come in multiple color combinations such as black, porcelain, etc.

Occasionally these birds do fly but can also do well in confinement.

They are known to perch on the heads and shoulders of their owners.

Indeed they love human interaction and can be quite chatty at times.

#17. Sebright

The last friendliest chicken breed on our list is the Sebright chicken.

It is popularly known as a true Bantam, which means it has no full-size counterpart.

These birds are mostly used for ornamental and show purposes.

Due to their miniature size, they do not make good foragers as they can easily fall prey to predators.

Nevertheless, they are quite easy to nurture.

These chickens are very friendly and get along well with children.

Although they are not excellent egg layers, they can lay about 160 small white eggs in a year.

In addition, the Sebright chicken hardly goes broody and doesn’t make great mothers.

Furthermore, Sebrights have large wings and can take to flight when frightened by an external force.

If you live in a very cold climate then these small chickens could be the right choice for you. 

Because they are cold hardy birds and can easily survive in cold weather conditions.

Conclusion

The 17 chicken breeds in this article are friendly chickens that will make good pets for you.

Therefore if you need a nice chicken buddy, then they are up for selection.

Moreover, it is always better to have a friendly chicken in your flock than an aggressive one.

We hope this article was beneficial to you.

Let’s hear your thoughts in the comment section below.

Frequently Asked Questions About Friendliest Chicken Breeds.  

References.

• thehappychickencoop– The Top 10 Friendliest Chicken Breeds.
• petkeen – 18 Friendliest Chicken Breeds.
• knowyourchickens – 16 Friendliest Chicken Breeds to Keep as pets.
• cs-tf – Top 8 Friendliest Chicken Breeds – Best Pet Chickens