5. Rhode Island Red

Of the breeds I owned, I would rank Rhode Island Reds as the lowest for companionship. 

While Rhode Island Reds are a classic choice, they are a poor choice for a companion mainly because they are prejudiced against other older, younger, weaker or differently bred chickens.

While Rhode Island Reds do great with others in their breed, they are violent to chickens different from themselves.

The only one I possessed that was suitable for companionship was an old hen, Clucky Lucky, who was attacked by a hawk and blinded.

Disabled and rejected from her pack, Clucky Lucky could no longer perceive differences among chickens, accepted all who pecked among her, and outlived all her bigoted counterparts.

4. Silver-Laced Wyandotte

Coming in at number four I would choose the beautiful Silver Laced Wyandotte as a below-average chicken companion. 

I place this beautiful breed at the bottom simply because my childhood mind despised them for no real reason. In fact, I cared so little about these chickens I named them all Sally. 

Why I disrespected these chickens so much that I thought they deserved this stolen individualism is not entirely clear to me, but perhaps I just thought they were boring. 

While I still have no personal reason to despise them, I trust my childhood judgment of their character.

3. Red Star

Falling neutrally on the rank, at number three we have the Red Star. While my feelings toward this breed as a companion falls neither here nor there, I did have a memorable Red Star I named Lazy Eye for her asymmetrical eyes — quite mean in retrospect. If you looked at Lazy Eye on the left, she appeared to glower at you in rage whereas if you looked into her right eye she looked perfectly innocent. I once allowed Lazy Eye to sit in my lap too long and she laid an egg, which feels like an honor of sorts; however, my feelings toward Red Stars as companions remain neutral.

2. Ameraucana 

Known widely for their ability to lay eggs of a blue-green hue in addition to their large tufts of feathers on their ears, Ameraucana chickens are the number two contender for chicken companions. 

While my Ameraucana, Boss, did not have to do much to gain my favor since five-year-olds are extremely impressed by blue-green eggs thanks to Dr. Seuss lore, I was moved when Boss started following me when I would weed my mother’s garden. 

While this was likely because Boss knew I’d offer her the worms and grubs I would unearth, I took her attempts personally.    

1. Buff Orpington

This breed’s unshaken kindness despite the “fowl” horrors of our world makes them the best chicken companion. 

My Buff Orpington, Blondie, experienced the heinous murder of four sisters by a nocturnal predator. 

Alone, Blondie had no protection from a rough gang of Rhode Island Reds, who plucked out her feathers. Blondie never retaliated. 

Denied by her own species, Blondie would hop in the windowsill and stare at my family longingly. When we would go outside, Blondie would excitedly run to greet us and relay her day to us through her low bocks. 

Moved, my family protected Blondie and gave her a private enclosure to regrow her feathers in.

In my experience Buff Orpingtons set the standard for chicken companions.