[gsc]

If you were starting from scratch again, with all the experience you have now gained, what would you choose?

I have room for 4 more and I'm kind of thinking about adding a cockerel later and hatching a few eggs.

[nicky d]

well i only have 3 a Barnevelder, speckledy and an amber star,   3s a nice number for me to have, although i would really really love a legbar and i would love some more amber stars, there great breed.   nickyx

[joyfull]

I would visit a few shows and look at all the different breeds - some I like the look of the hens but not the cockerels and others the other way round. Take your time before commiting youself  

[gsc]

Thanks both.  I won't think of getting a cockerel a while yet but maybe a few purebred females once I've done a bit of homework.

I will try and find out where the next show is.

[Casey76]

Oooh the slippery slope!

If your neighbours would complain about a shed, how will they feel about a cockerel LOL!

If you can't get to a show, take a look at feathersite.com they have a very comprehensive list of birds, with photos of both hens and cocks.

I very quickly decided I wanted some purebreeds after having my hybirds, and the list keeps on getting longer and longer of what I would really like.

As I really like big floofy things, I have cochins and brahmas on my list for next year (ran out of time this year!), and this year I have still to set Faverolles, auracanas and cream legbars, as well as SL bantam dottes!

I would really like some Poules d'Alsace, which, of course, are a regional bird for me.  They lay white eggs, which is one colour I'm missing lol!

[gsc]

Lol - I guess it will give them something else to moan at - but that's an environmental issue not a planning one.  I wonder how far away they would have to be before a complaint would be taken seriously.

I must admit I like the big fluffy birds too but it's early days yet.

With my Dobes I find most people like the big cuddly ones - big I like but I prefer a bit of character too - with chickens, I guess that's hard to know without actually having them a while.

[Jeanette]

I have got
 2 Bluebells
 2 Cream legbars
 2 White sussex
 1 Black rock
 1 Cuckoo maran
 4 Ex bats
They are all very friendly and like a cuddle but the cuckoo maran is the most nervous one they all  have there own personality and what ever you choose you will love it. Bewarned they are addictive.

[Pretty Chick]

Orpingtons and black rocks are good egg layers and lovely chickens.

[cornishgirl]

I would always choose pure breeds over hybrids. Hybrids will produce more eggs than the pure breeds, but the quality of the eggs overall is poorer - soft shells, mishappen eggs, less attractive in presentation etc.  I would never have ex batts (and I will light the fire here) because I believe it enables the producers to put fluffy line like "and when our hens have finished laying they are "retired to loving homes",  and they are more likely to have genetic diseases.

[grumpydad]

we had pure breeds, and lost virtually all, we now have a black rock, a white sussex type a speckeldy and 1 wyandotte.

i know the differences about lives and eggs etc, that is why we went for pure breeds to start with.

i would say however that the hybrids we have are far more friendly and inquisitive, far more approachable, and have taken far less time to adapt to their surroundings.
all were laying within 5 days of bringing them home.

i would possibly have had some more pure breeds, however circumstances dictated that we have a hardy vaccinated bird, which is why we had the hybrids.

today just over 2 weeks after getting them, our wyandotte has laid again, and we now have 4 eggs from 4 birds, the first time that has ever happened since we have been keeping chickens in nearly 18 months.

i would have hybrids again, just for their antics in nothing else

[batcatz]

I have two hybrids and two purebreeds.     They are a speckledy, silkie, lavender araucana and a columbian blacktail.  I would get these breeds again. 

The speckledy lays a lovely dark brown speckled egg, she is the boss and is impossible to hold but her eggs are the tastiest.  The silkie is so sweet, but shy.  It's cute how she depends on the speckledy as if she is her Mum.  She is more of a pet than for eggs, but she lays a few small white eggs a week.  The lavender lays blue eggs, is not flighty at all and is the easiest to pick up and stroke.  Finally, the columbian lays very large brown eggs almost every day and is into everything.  She jumps on my back.  She is very alert and inquisitive.

[cornishgirl]

Actually, I would agree that most of the hybids I have had have been far more affectionate than the pure breeds, with the notable exception of three very nasty tasmanian devils (commercial brown things) - which I took back to the breeder, as they would have been very expensive stock! I would certainly recommend light sussex hens, but like someone else have found the marans "flighty", though beautiful.

[gsc]

Thanks all.  I am ready for 4 more and reading like mad but I haven't made my mind up yet.

I am thinking I might talk to the chap we had our girls from and see what he suggests for the next 4.  I don't know if he would sell pure breeds or not but I think he would be a good person to know as he's clearly very passionate about what he's doing.  He has a sizeable business as well so he's not in it for the money.

I guess it wouldn't hurt to have 4 more hybrids and gain a bit more experience before deciding where to go after that.

I have 1 more week before I go on holiday with my sister for a fortnight.  I was thinking it's just about enough time to collect 4 hybrids tonight and get them settled before I go.  Purebreeds need more thought though.

Hubby and my friend will look after them while I'm away - she getting attached to them already 

[joyfull]

in case you hadn't realised we are all passionate about the breeds/hybrids that we have got and the chap you got yours off will be the same - therefore all of our comments are probably a little bit biased. Your best bet is to just choose the ones you like the look of 

[Sassy]

It really depends what you want from your chooks.

Eggs, different colours of eggs, showy birds, birds to show, pets, meat birds, longevity, character etc