[richyrich7]

Hi can anyone identify what breed of hen these might be ? All I know I bought them as hybrid pol  September 2005 @ £3.50 each.
I would like to get a couple more to boost egg production as these are coming into their 2nd year of laying and I've heard they slow down a little.
Thinking of getting light sussex any suggestions as I need eggs not meat.

Cheers

[Barry J Scott]

Could be Hisex rangers.

Some of the hyrbids are very simular though.

[Aunt Sally]

This is Gerty, she's a Meadowsweet ranger and lays for Britain 350 eggs in a year :shock:

   

Her tail is white rather than dark, but that's what I was told she is

http://www.meadowsweetpoultry.co.uk/poultry.html

[muntjac]

they are rangers all of them yours look to be older birds sally exceptionally   nice looking hen ,you should try and breed her .

[sorrel]

Looks like a Bovans Goldline to me - exactly the same as mine

then again meadowsweet rangers look very similar  :shock:

[Aunt Sally]

I think your right sorrel

http://www.meadowsweetpoultry.co.uk/goldinfo.html

Perhaps I was missinformed about mine and she is a Goldline too.  Lovely lively bird.  Likes to walk under my feet  

[sorrel]

Hi Richy

Only just saw your other question - I have got 2 light sussex and 1 buff sussex (one light sussex and the buff  brill layers - the other absoloutely useless (see thread - poorly Chicken).

Generally they are good layers (250ish eggs per year) - but if you are keeping them just for eggs - then stick with hybrids 330 isheggs per year.  i personnally thinks its nice to have different breeds (ie araucanas blue/green eggs, marans deepest dark brown eggs, leghorns white eggs) basically I like a variety of egg sizes and shapes, but it depends what you want.   Certain breeds with be best suited to certain conditions also.... ie welsummers are great free rangers,  leghorns a bit more 'skitty' and less likely to like been handled etc.

Best of luck - whatever you get you will soon become addicted!!!

[richyrich7]

That's the problem I'm addicted with just the three I have already   I might just go and get a couple more hybrids. I don't want to over crowd them They live in the back 1/2 of my shed so they have about 6' x 4' to run around in inside and then an 8' x4' covered run. So I think I can manage a couple more, just want to avoid vent pecking etc.
Thanks everyone for you chicken ID parade help.

[muntjac]

you can go to about 8 ,its the roosting area that counts .if they cannot roost properly they get stressed and egg production and health suffers, i once went to a smalholding and found a 20x 20 ft shed with 200 chickens in it all walls had roosting bars ,bit like climbing bars at school but they were on an angle and positioned so that the top birds could not poop on the lower ones at all 2 banks of nest boxes filled the centre isle from floor to roof in what i can only descibe as old library fashion . but the birds roamed free during the day and returned willingly to the shed each night a sink with a wire basket held water on a cistern system . the owner collected near 170 eggs a day so the birds couldnt have been suffering at all .full feathered  no pecking stress at all . unlike the baaasssssss rd battery hens  oh and he slept with a hen in his bed room lol she was imprinted on him from hatching and wouldnt leave his side  

[richyrich7]

Cheers Muntjac does about 10" a bird for roosting sound right ? that's what mine seem to take up all huddled together no matter what the weather and how many nest boxes would you give I just have 1 at the mo but could soon knock more together.

[jack russell]

thanks aunt sally

for the link above , they must be close to be judging by the phone number, will call them when i get allocated a lotty  

cheers

jr

[muntjac]

they are a bit tight at that id go for 12 inch  but they do cuddle up together in my shed ( had to many beers one night n went to lock them up n woke the next morning with them for company)

[muntjac]

sorry missed the last bit 4 hens to a box is what i have mate and they still lay on the dam floor  and on top the boxes  :x  :?