Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: lucyeff on October 19, 2007, 14:52

Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: lucyeff on October 19, 2007, 14:52: I'm must admit I was a little crestfallen when I found out that the three chickens we're adopting are ISA browns (after I googled them they seem to be the common all garden ones), as I'd always fancied the white ones with black speckles (not sure of type, probably loads like that!). I feel a bit rotten admitting it but then again, it might just be cos I'm a girl who likes the fancy ones! I've heard they're friendly and hardy, etc, though so I should think meself lucky..

I just was curious what type you all had and which do you think are hardiest/most endearing/nicest looking/most vicious and next for the pot? Just in case we were to get some more later.. :wink:

Luce
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: muntjac on October 19, 2007, 15:01: welsummers and buff orp banties ... :lol: :lol:
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: Aunt Sally on October 19, 2007, 15:15: :lol: :lol: :lol: How did I KNOW you would say that :wink:
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: muntjac on October 19, 2007, 15:16: ERRRRRRRRRRRRM :roll:
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: milliebecks on October 19, 2007, 15:45: In my fairly limited experience, the hybrids (like ISA Browns and Black Rocks) are pretty laid back and friendly - probably more so than pure breds, although they vary hugely from breed to breed.
My absolute favourites for entertainment value and friendliness are pekin bantams - although there's not much meat on them and the eggs don't fit in your egg cup :roll:
Title: Silkies!
Post by: Lost in France on October 19, 2007, 18:51: I have black silkie bantams and they're totally gorgeous! There all fluffy and cuddly! I also have some partridge ones that are also lovely. Silkies have really soft feathers that look like fur and they're what it says on the packet...silkie soft! A couple of them think I'm the cockerel and come for cuddles whenever they see me. They are also great broodies and kids love them too! They lay well and are gentle natured so pecking, fighting etc just doesn't ever seem to happen. if you want birds that are decorative, friendly etc etc...unless you're after birds to eat, I'd recommend silkies.

Judi
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: Jellyhead on October 19, 2007, 19:18: I agree with my fellow Frenchie :) i also have Wyandotte Bantams though and they are very pretty and tame. They lay surprisingly large eggs for their size. I love em. I have 4 or 5 different colours and there are a lot more to choose from.
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: slowef on October 19, 2007, 19:28: I have a Rhode Island (Gary) 3 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Gold laced Orpingtons, 5 Black Rocks, 2 Polish Bantums, a Hybrid and 4 Gold Lace Orpington chicks and 2 Welsummers.... now did I forget anyone???
werks for me :lol: :lol:
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: SnooziSuzi on October 19, 2007, 19:59: LOVE the new avatar, Lucy!

I just have 3 ISA browns but am looking to expand to some rarer breeds as soon as I can.

I thought about having Black Orpingtons to start because they're beautiful - but as I'm a novice that's going to have to wait for a while!
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: muntjac on October 19, 2007, 20:12: Quote from: "slowef"
I have a Rhode Island (Gary) 3 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Gold laced Orpingtons, 5 Black Rocks, 2 Polish Bantums, a Hybrid and 4 Gold Lace Orpington chicks and 2 Welsummers.... now did I forget anyone???

werks for me :lol: :lol:
OYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY lay off me tag :lol:
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: slowef on October 19, 2007, 21:06: Sorry Munty couldn't resist

xx :lol: :tongue2:
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: ness on October 19, 2007, 21:23: I think the "white ones with black speckles" maybe light sussex (which I've got in bantam variety). Wierdly enough I always wanted "proper" brown chooks (which I think isa browns are)but they are too big for my garden.
Light sussex are lovely, do owt for a treat so are becoming tamer, they are meant to be hardy too.
Saying that am hoping they will go broody next year as I might get some silkie eggs to hatch. They remind me a bit of ostrichs! They've got lovely brown eyes too. (I definitely need to get out more :lol: )
Ness x
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: agapanthus on October 19, 2007, 21:35: Big old brahmas and pekins for me. :D :D
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: GrannieAnnie on October 19, 2007, 22:46: At the moment, we only hvae 6 Bovans Goldline hybrids and 300 Amberlinks, most of them 6 week old chicks (They are 6 weeks today! Happy birthday dear chickies!!!!) But I like them because they are white and look nice walking round. Some of them have varying bits of brown in them but that gives them a little character!

7 of the 12 POL's are now laying, so we are getting there!!!!
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: lucyeff on October 20, 2007, 10:36: Mornin everyone! :D

It's great finding out about all these different breeds - we met a lady on the local allotment yesterday who has 56 silkies (four goats, some dwarf ducks, cancun pigs - we've been going with Daisy and Lilian to visit them cos we can't afford Cannon Hall!).

She's a veterinary nurse having her close by will come in handy (she said, as I've read on here, that vets don't know much about chickens - they ring her on a weekend for advice!).

I must admit, I think I've fallen for the pekin bantams..esp the lavender ones. I bet they're the dearest :roll: How much do these usually cost? There's an ad on the net for a trio of white ones for £25, is that about the norm?

I'm in Wakefield, I'm wondering whether Selby or Penistone auctions might be best too for when we've got to grips and might want more... not sure if Penistone is still on though, I'll have to get my dad to find out as his mate is a regular.

Are there any breeds that you'd avoid?

Lucy

ps Si is out in the frost doing the chicken coop/run. So I'm off to mums with the kids cos I keep interrupting him to get him to have a look at pictures of chickens on the net. I even DREAMT about chickens last night, sad * I am. :shock: We pick them up tomorrow! :D
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: ssatt44 on October 22, 2007, 04:33: Oh, dear, you are asking a loaded question! I have Langshans in black and white, spitzhaubens, barred rocks, dominiques, delawares, orps in buff and black, australorps, gold sex-links and some welsummers. My spitzhaubens are such funny little birds. "Elvis" calls his girls into the nest box, then climbs in with her and "croooons" while she lays her egg. TOO FUNNY. My dominiques are my favs for their hardyness, stuborness and indepenance. A friend on the dom. club web site told the story last year of one of his hens. She was sched. to be culled, but before he got 'round to it, an early snow hit. He found found her out in 5 inches of snow and thought her a winter kill. He went to collect her and she GROWLED at him. She was on top of an egg and was not moving for nuttin! He got her (and the egg) into a nest and reprieved her. Said he figured any hen with that much sand deserved to live. Mine will NOT roost in the house. The roof ridge is the prefered site. Some winter mornings I see them caked with ice and snow already out on the pasture pottering around and they could not seem to care less! Not friendly, but I really admire them.

sharon in arizona
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: Sadgit on October 22, 2007, 06:34: 3 Goldline for me...
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: Selkie on October 22, 2007, 08:49: my two are crosses (not sure what crossed with what) but they look gorgeous (to me) and have lovely personalities :D
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: babe on October 22, 2007, 10:01: hi, i have 3 warrens, 2 polands, 1 gold seabright, 2 game bantams, 1 japanese frizzle bantam, 1 silkie and 2 aylesbury ducks.

love them all.
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: chickychick on October 22, 2007, 13:02: You will love having chickens I should think. I have two amberlincs (white chickens) and two bovan goldlines (brown) I am very happy with the breeds I got because they seem to be very friendly and with lots of charachter plus they lay me an egg each every single day now!

I like having two colours cuase its nice to be able to tell them apart in the pen etc. I would definately recommend the amberlincs if you fancied some whit ones they are such characters and have excellent laying abilities, I am quite new to this, have only had them about two months I suppose but the help I have been given on here has been brilliant and I thoroughly enjoy having chickens.
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: Tensing on October 22, 2007, 13:32: We have 2 White Silkies, 4 Partridge Wynadottes, 1 Gold Pencilled Hamberg, 1 Lavender Arucana, 1 Black Silkie X Pekin, 3 Light Sussex X Plymouth Rocks (I'm told) and one really not sure but may have some buff orp in there somewhere, very pretty anyway.

Plus the waterfowl and quail
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: Ruth Cross on October 22, 2007, 13:38: Without opening a can of worms, which breed would be recommended for both eggs and table?And how much should I expect to pay for them at POL??
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: muntjac on October 22, 2007, 13:49: id go for a nice buff orpington dual purpose ,but thee are lots specifically bred for the table but im an oldy stuck with what i like best and please note your not opening any can of worms ruth we talk about eating them here see posts on chicken killing for the table etc .also i like my welsummer for meat
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: Ruth Cross on October 22, 2007, 13:57: I've already pointed the husband in the direction of that sticky!
We're new to chook keeping so I hope the buff Orp and Welsummer are easy going!
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: muntjac on October 22, 2007, 14:17: very easy :wink:
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: Foxy on October 22, 2007, 17:04: My Salmon Faverolles are a true dual purpose bird, as an added bonus they lay in the winter too! :lol: :lol:
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: ChickenAnn on October 24, 2007, 09:29: We've a Light Sussex (called Biscuits), a Rhode Island red (Pertelote) and 2 hybrids (Humpty and Dumpty). Pertelote is the most adventurous and brave, Humpty is INCREDIBLY stupid, and really daft looking (I think she has some Aurancana so she has a wierd "hair-do" thing going on!) and Dumpty is fat, black, and has no interest in people at all, even ones bringing treats.
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: Bodger on October 24, 2007, 10:36: If I didn't keep the birds that I do and I was to start out again, I think I'd look at keeping the various colours of Sussex and possibly Marans all in large fowl rather than bantams.

Incidentally, does anyone know what colours are recognised as Sussex ? I've obviously seen Light Sussex and Speckled, are there any others about ?
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: Aunt Sally on October 24, 2007, 12:24: There's buff too Bodger

http://www.dtbcentre.co.uk/sussex.htm
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: Bodger on October 24, 2007, 13:03: I really like the look of those Speckled Sussex :D
Title: choice of bird
Post by: gregs1972 on October 24, 2007, 13:28: I have 2 (was 3 till she popped her clogs last week) miniature buff Sussex, 3 silver laced Wyandotte and 3 blue laced Wyandotte and they are little characters and they are truely fantastic in feather colour and markings
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: muntjac on October 24, 2007, 15:03: ferget the rest ,,,,welsummers and buff banties is the best :lol: :wink:
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: sorrel on October 24, 2007, 16:45: ok here goes.

rhode island reds
Light sussex
buff sussex
lavendar araucana
red/black araucana
cream legbar
brown leghorns
barnevelder
Marans
Barred plymouth rock
buff Orps
White Star (hybrid)
goldline (hybrids)

My favourites are: the Leghorns because they like to sit on your shoulder, the araucanas cos they are so dumb they are funny and the marans for the beautiful colour of their eggs.
Title: What breeds do you have and which do you think are the best?
Post by: Fenland Girl on October 24, 2007, 20:34: We have 3 hybrids:
Fenning Coucou (Maran cross)
Mendlesham Blue
Fenning White (Leghorn cross)

and a purebred Rhode Island Red

Love them all for different reasons, the RIR is the friendliest, the Fenning White is a bit flighty but lays lovely pure white eggs and lots of them.