[kev1986]

hi all and this is my 1st post to the site we are just starting out with hens i have a 4m x 4m run with a 4ftx4ft square hen hen house , at the minute i have 1 white leg horn approx 8 month old and aint started laying yet and 1 ex batt which was rescued in sept and now in full plumage and laying daily still in this weather , i am now looking to add maye 2 more and am wondering what breed would go with them best , i am manily looking for just eggs but would also like to try raising some under a broody any help would be great
thanks
kev and shalona

[3Bluebelles]

Hi Kev and Shalona,
Welcome to chicken keeping. I'm sure everyone will have their own idea of a good breed, but we have bluebelles, a speckledy, a Rhode Rock and a Magpie (all hybrids). The one I would recommend is the speckledy. She's really good natured, pretty, and lays the loveliest dark brown eggs, with really yellow yolks. We give away lots of our eggs, but save hers for ourselves because they are the tastiest.
Good luck,
Jacky.
 

[kev1986]

are they also called a blue haze ?

[Oakdalebirds]

hi and as before welcome to this mad world of chicken keeping

I like you started off with 2 girls i at the mo have 6 and are also planning a hatch of my own next year.

most breeders or suppliers call hybrid hens different names such as Bluebell/blue haze so yes i would say its the same hen
it can be very confusing for new poeple like us not sure on what breed or how it will get on with other breeds.
Im sure other people on here will offer lots of support to you in the future and as i do whish you luck with choosing p.s i have 2 cream legbars which lay great blue eggs in with my hybrid girls.

[kev1986]

i have been looking into maybe sussex or rhode rocks but have read up that they are also no good for going broody so prob going to have to look at a pure breed any ideas on good dual purpose hens for broody and eggs when needed

[evie2]

Hello Kev and Shalona, welcome to the flock

[8doubles]

I have owned two speckledys and both were inclined to broodiness, good layers when not broody. The light sussex has shown no sign of going broody in 3 years but is a good layer and never ill.
The goldline is a dippy egg laying machine that thinks i`m god.

[kev1986]

if i put in other hens wil they fight and if so will they eventually sort them selves out or kill each other

[joyfull]

Kev, whatever birds you decide to choose (and silkies are renowned for going broody but because of this they tend not to lay many eggs  )here are some hints on integrating new birds:-
Always quarantine your new flock for a couple of weeks just in case they are harbouring an infection.
Keep the 2 groups in full view of each other.
Over a period of a few weeks move the runs closer together until the runs are side by side.
Move their feeders so that they are eating side by side.
Put them all together over night whilst they are all sleepy. Some even spray all their birds with a diluted vinegar solution so they all smell the same (I wouldn't do this in this weather though).
Have several feeders and drinkers available so all can get to them.
Have several hiding places so any at the bottom of the pecking order can hide.
Have purple spray on hand just in case it is needed to disguise any blood and redness.
If getting ex batts or other rescue chickens remember that these birds have had a very hard life generally and have had to fight for everything so will often appear to be bullies, they don't mean to be but it is a by product of their previous life. . Not all ex poultry farm rescues are bad - we have a local free range place and the farmer and his wife have a sick bay, their birds are out all day and have feed whenever they want - this family really care for their chickens and their cattle  .
Generally after a couple of weeks calmness will break out - you will always have a top and bottom in the rankings but shouldn't have too many problems just the odd telling off.
If all else fails buy some beak clips 

[kev1986]

the pair i have seem to be getting on really well and again the batt laid today so i think i will look into maybe speckldy or suffolks i not wanting broody all the time maybe just once a year so will gain more from a good laying hen that looks good , what is the avergae price for POL hens please

[evie2]

We have a Speckldy and a Sussex who laid beautifully until about 6 weeks ago when they went into their moult, we got ours early summer at about 19 weeks, I think they cost £10 each and took a few weeks to lay. 

We also got 3 Ambers who took longer to lay but are giving us eggs every day just now