[thegoodlife]

Hi, I am new to keeping ckickens, and forums. I want to choose some chucks for my kids that are friendly, decent layers and wont fly over a 6ft fence into my neighbours garden.
Any advice will be gratefully appreciated.... Thanks...Mark

[richyrich7]

Hi Mark welocme to the forums    you can expect loads of replies  

Me I'd go for hybrid warrens, smallish friendly bird, lays very well and usually very friendly. And doesn't go broody as a general rule even if they do they soon forget  :roll:

[poultrygeist]

Welcome from me too Mark.

The only breed I know about is Amberlinks so i won't try to influence you at all, but Richy knows his stuff.

I'll pop this thread into the Hen House, where you may get more answers.

Pop over to the Welcome forum to introduce yourself to a wider audience.

Rob

[mickwood]

Hi Mark!

I'm a newbie myself and you'll DEFINITELY be getting some great advice/support off the guys here  

With regards to neighbours and chooks here's what I decided on. I live in a terraced house so am short of space and have neighbours in close proximity, so I decided on no cockerels as I didn't want the morning call to annoy the neighbours! This doesn't affect egg production etc.

I also decided on 'Bantam' rather than 'Large Fowl' basically smaller chickens, which give a proportionally smaller egg. Because my garden is smaller it makes sense to have smaller chooks!

The next decision I had to make was what kind? As there are only 2 of us (well 3 in November!!) living here full time I only need a few eggs. And with deciding on 4 chooks they didn't really need to be brilliant layers, good, but not exceptional. This coupled with the fact that my kids come to stay with me every now and again they needed to be friendly so I've gone with a White Silkie - not a brilliant layer but cute as hell!!    a Lavender Pekin, average layer but VERY friendly and a great character! I'm in the process of getting a Buff Orpington, ok layer I believe, but is a  very friendly breed and a lovely looking bird. I'm also gonna be getting a Wyandotte (possibly silver laced, or partridge...not decided yet?) which I believe are good layers. So with those 4 chooks I would hope to get half a dozen eggs or so a week?

None of these types are particularly 'flighty' so they won't be trying to fly over my fence but if you are going to get other more flighty breeds, and your not planning on showing them, you can always clip their wings? (good video of how to do it on youtube!)

I bought all mine close to POL (point of lay) which means they are due to start laying soon....still waiting for the first egg!  

Good luck finding your chooks...beware though...they're very addictive!

[agapanthus]

Amberlinks are good...but very greedy! If you have quite a lot of them ie 12 they can get frantic when you feed them....they all rush at once and won't let anything stand in the way of food!!!!

[babe]

polands !!!

[blulagoo]

Sorry Babe - what kind was that? I don't think I quite heard it!!

[ness]

Light Sussex!  They are smart, hardy and friendly (esp when theres food involved) and good layers.  Although one drawback - I have the bantam form and they are persistent broodys (but very good mums!)

[Debz]

I agree with Richy.  I have 3 warrens who lay every day and even when they get out of their run for a bit of free ranging, they never wander away from the run and are easily tempted back in with lettuce or spinach.

Debz

[chickchick]

i have a ISA brown, belle blue, bovan nera, speckledy, light sussex and sussex reverse and they are all very friendly, my belle blue has so far laid the most eggs. weve had the first 3 on the list 1 month and the last 3 10 days and all have fitted in well (had a little squabble when they met) but all good now. all  love being stroked and trot around garden happily!
its absolutely great

[babe]

Sorry Babe - what kind was that? I don't think I quite heard it!!

just in case you cant feel it boogylugy.... im slapping you  

[FCG]

Aggie if what you say is true than my amberlink must be abnormal! Being the youngest by a week or two she was quickly put into the bottom rung of my girls pecking order and it is very obious she gets less food. However whenever we try to give her more than the others (putting squashed snails in the run and only letting her in it etc) never touches it! However she is a devil for pellets while the others scoff my gardens greens.

[thegoodlife]

Thanks to you all for replying, i have now got three hybrids pullots. They came on thursday and are already a big hit with the kids. Lydia, Polly & Lulu ( the chickens) eat out of my wifes hand and i am hoping to let them wander the garden on Monday. I hope to be a regular on the forum, once again thanks to you all and sorry for the delayed reply... Mark

[Foxy]

Happy you have your hennies but Mark where are the.....

[thegoodlife]

Will do some photos of them in the garden on Monday :oops: