Spoilt chickens????

lostinrates

Davesnave wrote: »

See, I said I didn't know enough!:rotfl:

n'ah, I know you and DW did loads of research before getting yours and have monitored them closely and know yours well.I'm learning all the time and its just more and more absorbing a thing. I'm really very keen on trying some Buttercups this year, but don't think I will because of the comb issue...better to wait till we're more organised again. Still haven't decided on new breeds for this year...I'll probably be buying pullets now .

spirit

lostinrates wrote: »

Depends what you want from the chickens!

Do you want purely an egg bird or do you aspire to hatch eggs in the future (in which case a dual purpose bird gives you meat too instead of killing boys for no useful reason ). Do you live some where dry or wet? North or south? (some breeds, like rose combs or buttercups are prone to frost damage in their combs) Will yours be free range or penned. Laid back birds are fine penned, the flightier breeds are more likely to peck each other and be unhappy. Are you interested in pure breeds or is egg production the main thing?


I LOVE my cochins. They are placid and friendly and beautiful. They do not suit very wet or muddy ground because of their superb fluffy legs. They are huge, and flightless, so wing clipping is never an issue as they can't fly, they aren't too fragile and I find little people find them easier to handle than flighty little birds. So for powdering and handling these rate very highly for me. They do however o broody more than any other bird I've had, so eggs need to be removed quickly if you don't want broody hens and personally, I like to let them rear a clutch a year if they are so inclined, though its not necessary. I also keep cream leg barrs and marans ATM. The marans are a great dual purpose bird (huge brown eggs and gourmet standard meat). They are meant to be friendly and inquisitive, I find them far less so that the others and somewhat flighty. My cream legbarrs are a mixed bunch. I find them more docile than their reputation, but FAST. One of them is the tamest and brightest of all my hens, but they are fast and an egg breed.


Its not just what they look like you see, the best fits are made on how well they fit different circumstances.

Hi, I would like them primarily for eggs but also pets if that makes any sense. I could not bring myself to eat any of them :eek: The house i'm moving to has a large back garden so I plan to get them a large run but also to let them free range when I am around. It's semi rural where I am and I don't want to risk the nasty fox getting my gals. I won't be getting a cockerell :eek: don't think the neighbours will be too impressed with his alarm calls.

I am in the South East, so not too cold normally. The garden is West facing and has a large tree at the far end. I thought I would site the coop there as it will give them shade in the summer and also somewhere to scratch around in.

Lotus-eater

I have a feeling that foxes are more of a problem now in urban areas. There the foxes aren't intimidated by humans, but in rural areas they certainly are.

I meant to say "during the daytime"

lostinrates

spirit wrote: »

Hi, I would like them primarily for eggs but also pets if that makes any sense.

Perfect sense. I'd go for a sociable type then. Are you interested in purebreds or hybrids (generally hybrids are ''better layers'' but my purebreds lay well and I enjoy having them). Pure breds can be common breeds or something of the rare breed list.

I could not bring myself to eat any of them :eek: The house i'm moving to has a large back garden so I plan to get them a large run but also to let them free range when I am around. It's semi rural where I am and I don't want to risk the nasty fox getting my gals.

Again a docile breed seems wise, I'd steer clear of the more lively breeds for something to be penned a significant number of daylight hours.

I won't be getting a cockerell :eek: don't think the neighbours will be too impressed with his alarm calls.

Good plan.

[STRIKE]
I am in the South East, so not too cold normally. The garden is West facing and has a large tree at the far end. I thought I would site the coop there as it will give them shade in the summer and also somewhere to scratch around in.[/QUOTE] Lighter breed hens MIGHT roost in the tree....something to think about.


Do you have a preference for egg colour? (tinted,white brown, blue?) Personally I love having a mixture of egg colours and its also easier to work out who is laying/not laying:o If I were you for half a dozen chickens I'd choose two or three of 2 or three breeds/hybrids. You can get different colours in chosen breeds where possible so you can tell them apart easily

cootambear

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1371852/Police-evict-50-chickens-near-Banks-Southport.html

stumpycat

Just to let you know - if anyone fancies re-homing ex-battery hens, they can still lay eggs. We get 5 eggs a day at the moment from our 7 hens - and we've had the 4 eldest for almost a year and a half, so they're far from 'spent' hens.
And you also get to see them realise that there's a big wide world outside of a cage, which is quite amazing to watch.

lostinrates

stumpycat wrote: »

Just to let you know - if anyone fancies re-homing ex-battery hens, they can still lay eggs. We get 5 eggs a day at the moment from our 7 hens - and we've had the 4 eldest for almost a year and a half, so they're far from 'spent' hens.
And you also get to see them realise that there's a big wide world outside of a cage, which is quite amazing to watch.

And, I think they would cope well with the larger penned environment. We had ex batts and traumatised them by allowing them to free range too quickly. :o

stumpycat

lostinrates wrote: »

And, I think they would cope well with the larger penned environment. We had ex batts and traumatised them by allowing them to free range too quickly. :o

The last 3 we got refused to leave the coop for about a week and just stared out! :rotfl:
They do get used to the idea soon enough once they've made the plunge - it's lovely watching them have their first dust bath.

lostinrates

stumpycat wrote: »

The last 3 we got refused to leave the coop for about a week and just stared out! :rotfl:
They do get used to the idea soon enough once they've made the plunge - it's lovely watching them have their first dust bath.

We found the first time we let them out they scattered, towards the roads, under horses feet, into ponds.....they just couldn't cope with immeadiate free range. In retrospect it was very wrong of us. I would do it all differently now with the benefit of more chicken experience.

jsh99

spirit wrote: »

piccies please

http://img121.imageshack.us/i/chooks.jpg/

I let them out last night for the first time! They took a while to realise I'd taken the end off the run but then they were happy to rummage about along the fence/hedge line. Funny getting them back to bed though - Dad and I gently chasing them to go in but they were not ready for bed! I finally caught the Cuckoo Maren and put her in the run and even with the end still open she didn't come out again - see I said she wasn't the sharpest chook in the coop! The others then went in ok as they could see her in there already.

So funny! Will let them out again tonight for a couple of hours and then over the weekend - hopefully they now get the idea.