[Jacinta]

Just a quick hello, i'm picking my first ladies up this weekend and couldn't be more excited! The house and run are built, it could feature on 'Grand Designs' in my opinion! Planning on getting 4 chooks, a Columbian Blacktail, Copper Black, Coral Nick and a Rhode Rock as they all seem hardy enough for the northern weather. Does anyone have experience of these breeds? Thanks.

[evie2]

Hello Jacinta, I've no experience of them myself but I'll look forward to the pictures

[pigeonpie]

Hello and welcome to the world of chicken keeping.  You should be warned that it can become rather addictive!  Sorry I don't have experience of those breeds but like evie2 I would love to see some pics as they sound really interesting.  Good luck. 

[ANHBUC]

Hi Jacinta, Think the Rhode Rock is the same cross as the Black Rock, (Rhode Island Red and Barred Plymouth Rock).  I have four Black Rock hens, they all started laying the other week, they were 26 weeks old.  They are a beautiful bird, very agile and inquisitive.  We picked them up when there was still snow on the ground and they were only 12 weeks old.  They do cope with the cold weather really well.  We got ours from High Stothers Farm, Rowlands Gill, High Spen, Tyne and Wear who are authorised genuine Black Rock growers.

Hope you have as much pleasure from your hens as I have over the last few months.  I look forward to getting up early to let them run amuck! 

[debih]

Hi Jacinta.

I am pretty new too - we have had our four hens for just over a fortnight now.  We have a Black Rock, a Bluebell and two bog standard brown ones.

One (we are pretty sure that it is the Black Rock) is on day 3 of egg laying and another one has laid a strange shell less egg this evening so hopefully we now have two laying.

They fascinate me (the chickens not the eggs) and I find myself spending ages just sitting and watching them.

[bantam novice]

Hello Jacinta, and Good Luck 
Looking forward to seeing pics of your girls when they arrive.  It really is exciting and could well become addictive 
Get yourself a comfortable seat or bench where you can watch them.  It is fascinating watching their funny ways.

[Jacinta]

Thank you for your kind welcome.  To those of you with Black Rock's, are yours free range?  I have read that they don't like to be in a run, mine is about 30 foot square and am thinking twice about getting them if they are going to be unhappy?  I've looked into the Strothers farm dealer as it's much closer to my house than Durham hens where i planned on purchasing, shorter journey home for the girls can only be a good thing.  Do you know if Strothers sell any other breeds?  Have tried ringing but no answer.  Thanks.

[Helenaj]

I too have Black Rocks - lovely temperament and gorgeous to look at - who says hybrids are boring! By Copper Blacks do you mean Copper Black Maran hybrid? I have a few of those as well (be DEFRA registered soon!) and they lay lovely chocolate coloured eggs.

Welcome to the completely mad world of chicken keeping!

[ANHBUC]

Thank you for your kind welcome.  To those of you with Black Rock's, are yours free range?  I have read that they don't like to be in a run, mine is about 30 foot square and am thinking twice about getting them if they are going to be unhappy?  I've looked into the Strothers farm dealer as it's much closer to my house than Durham hens where i planned on purchasing, shorter journey home for the girls can only be a good thing.  Do you know if Strothers sell any other breeds?  Have tried ringing but no answer.  Thanks.

My 4 Black Rocks share with 2 Bovan Goldlines and are in a 36 square meter enclosure where they are very happy.  They have been in about half this area or less and were fine. Think they only have Black Rocks but they are genuine Black Rocks www.theblackrockhatchery.co.uk/agents.htm.  The full address and telephone number are on the link for Janet McKay so you are best giving her a ring or send her a text as I did.  Think they really get busy on the farm but she will get back to you.  She rang another farmer for me when I collected the Black Rocks as I wanted to get some Bovan Goldlines for my hubby so she might have other contacts.  I also bought some feed from Janet and it was much cheaper than I can get from my local supplier.  If you are lucky she might have some left from the batch I bought which would mean they are actually laying rather than POL.

Good luck and let me know how you get on.  I waited months to get my hens as I wanted genuine Black Rocks and they were so well worth the wait.  Just wanting to move to somewhere with a bigger garden now so that I can expand.    

[Jacinta]

Thanks again, that's great and i feel happier with my breed choices now.  Still can't decide between Strothers and Durham hens though, i ideally wanted a few different breeds and they were very helpful when i visited to have a look with good follow up support.  They have Rhode Rocks which i think are of the same breeding as Black Rocks, it's just that they are 40mins away rather than 10mins.  Do chickens mind the journey back much?  That is my deciding factor i think.  It's great to know they do good prices on feed, bought a 20kg bag of the Farmgate Layers pellets but cant remember how much i paid, have since found it for around £6 on the web.  Copper Blacks are Marans i think, still get confused with all the hybrid names!

[ANHBUC]

It was about 1 hour drive back for us which was no problem.  Had 4 in cat carrier and 2 Bovan Goldlines in large strong cardboard box with ventilation.  They do get warm very quickly so make sure you have ample ventilation if it is a warm day.  Think it was £6 or £6.50 for Farmgate at Strothers, don't know if they sell it normally or just to people who have bought hens from them.  It is about £9 something near us.  Think Durham Hens name their birds themselves as they are hybrids from the same cross breeding but not from the original breeding stock if you know what I mean.

[Jacinta]

Thanks for that, still having trouble deciding as the proper Black Rocks do sound great.  Do Durham hens have a good reputation?  They seem to be widely recognized on lots of sites.  I'm sure i will be over the moon whatever i get, just want them to have had a good start in life.

[ANHBUC]

Haven't had any dealings with Durham Hens.  If you have already visited and seen their set up you must be happy if you are thinking of buying from them.  Just go with your instincts if no one on the Forum has any experience with them.