Best-of guide
Friendliest Chicken Breeds
Want pets as much as producers? These breeds are the calmest and most handleable in our database, ranked by how consistently sources describe them as gentle.
- 1
Bielefelder
calm, docile, friendly
Described as calm, docile, friendly — an easy bird to handle that still lays well.
- 2
Lavender Orpington
docile, friendly, calm
Described as docile, friendly, calm — an easy bird to handle that still lays well.
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
Australorp
docile, friendly, calm
Described as docile, friendly, calm — an easy bird to handle that still lays well.
- 9
- 10
Plymouth Rock
docile, friendly, hardy
Described as docile, friendly, hardy — an easy bird to handle that still lays well.
At a glance
| # | Breed | Eggs/yr | Egg color | Temperament | Cold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bielefelder | 200 | brown | calm, docile, friendly | excellent |
| 2 | Lavender Orpington | 200 | brown | docile, friendly, calm | excellent |
| 3 | Buff Orpington | 190 | brown | docile, friendly, calm | excellent |
| 4 | Faverolles | 180 | cream, tinted | gentle, docile, friendly | excellent |
| 5 | Jersey Giant | 180 | brown | calm, docile, gentle | excellent |
| 6 | Cochin | 160 | brown | calm, docile, friendly | excellent |
| 7 | Brahma | 150 | brown | calm, gentle, docile | excellent |
| 8 | Australorp | 280 | brown | docile, friendly, calm | good |
| 9 | Silkie | 110 | cream, tinted | docile, friendly, calm | fair |
| 10 | Plymouth Rock | 250 | brown | docile, friendly, hardy | excellent |
Specs are compiled from public sources; blank cells mean the figure wasn't available, not zero. Rankings are a starting point — your climate and goals matter too.
Find your exact match in the Breed Finder → Size your coop
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