[chickadee11]

I have 2 ex-bats and one Rhodie (used to have 5 chickens but one got rehomed because I couldn't stop it bullying and one died).  Am thinking of getting a few more chickens.  really unsure what breed to get, can anyone recommend?  I quite fancy some white eggs but I'm not overly bothered.  Good layers would be nice but friendly chicks would be my main priority because I do like to talk to them and stroke them, it is quite disconcerting when they run away from me when I enter the pen 

I'm quite a novice hen-keeper.

I live in Lincoln so if anyone can recommend a local breeder that would be excellent too

[3Bluebelles]

I'm sure everyone will have their own favourite breed, but I have only hybrids, so can only comment on them.

We have bluebelles - they are beautiful and quite big, gently natured and lay nice big brown eggs.
A Rhode Rock - a bit smaller than the rest but doesn't like being handled (although don't know if this is the breed or just her!)
A speckledy - she lays lovely speckled quite dark brown eggs, and has the softest feathers.
2 Burford Browns - these are the friendliest of the lot, they come running when I enter their pen, and have been known to fly onto my shoulder! They also lay really beautiful really dark brown eggs with lovely deep coloured yolks.
A Fenton - she is really pretty, pale blonde with apricot coloured highlights. She is really inquisitive and easy to handle - and lays blue eggs!

Apparently you can tell chickens that lay white eggs because their ear lobes will be white.

Hope some of this helps, but I am sure if you go and see a good breeder with a choice of breeds you will fall in love with at least one of them.

Good luck and have fun choosing.

[joyfull]

grannie annie has a hybrid type of chicken which is a leghorn cross so should lay white eggs - have a chat with her to see what they are called (I gather these are good layers). I have appenzellers which lay white eggs but these are quite flighty.

[Helenaj]

I have two Leghorns (Exchequer and Red Mottled), both are very bold and friendly and lay very large white eggs.

[CluckyChicken]

I also have a leghorn (white), who is one of the friendliestr birds I know!  She lays a large (v large, at least 80g) nearly every day, and I think she is about 2 and a half 

[Oakdalebirds1]

i have 7 girls intotal
1 light sussex
1 black rock
1 welsommer
1 cream legbar
1 cream legbar/silky(i think)
1 copper maran(16 week old, home hatched)
1 blue maran (as above and very stunning)
all shades of egg colour for breakfast........

[GrannieAnnie]

What do you mean should lay white eggs Joyfull?  You haven't been around for a while, they DO lay white eggs!    Like the exchequers they are a bit flighty at the moment, but we have noticed that they don't try to fly so high since they have started to lay.  They are called Bovans Whites (aka white stars) and are described as a leghorn cross, but when you look at the Hendrix Genetics website, both parents look like white leghorns!  

Quite small eggs at the moment though, 47gms but should go up to 60gms

[joyfull]

Like the exchequers they are a bit slighty at the moment,

would that be the same as flighty? 

[GrannieAnnie]

Oh you're on the ball tonight!  Unlike me!   

[joyfull]

 

[whiskywill]

What do you mean should lay white eggs Joyfull?  You haven't been around for a while, they DO lay white eggs!  

Not necessarily. I have a Copper black maran (father) x Buff leghorn (mother) hen and she lays large very dark brown eggs. The Buff leghorn did lay white eggs.




Sorry I just noticed that you were referring to your own Leghorn hybrid and not Leghorn crosses in general.

[rachelr]

I have a group of ross lohmans i got from sleaford and they love attention treats and now they lay in the dogs bed so regular he is sooooooooooooooo fed up lol. ps unles they have a dose of red mite they lay daily

xx

[AL Hathaway]

A nice large white egg layer also is a leghorn x legbar if you get the white hen she lays white eggs but you have a chance of them laying a blue egg but they are a mid size bird and can be a bit hard to catch but once you have her she is sweet she will eat from your hand. here is a photo of Rosey the leghorn legbar cross (the white one)

[chickadee11]

Thanks for all the comments..lots to think about now!